ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN USING AI IN FICTION WRITING [Post #3]
How to Be Sure the Work Is Your Own
Understanding the Plagiarism Concern
Some people think that AI simply takes other people’s work found on the internet and spits it out to people who use AI as part of their writing process. This is not true, and I will prove it later in this post.
This belief that AI regurgitates other people’s work would naturally create ethical concerns. The thought that AI users might be using copyrighted material, even unintentionally, is worth looking into.
Because AI technology is so new, many misconceptions have been expressed and repeated. Hopefully, this article will put these fears to rest.
What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is deliberately copying someone else’s work without attribution (acknowledging the work’s original creator).
Ideas cannot be copyrighted, but specifically created works, patented phrases, and company brands can be.
Stephen King’s books are copyrighted. No one is allowed to take passages from his books and use them in their own book as if they were the original creator of those passages.
Phrases, such as “Get Your Book Done,” can be patented. A person can use the phrase in a sentence but cannot call their company by that name.
You can check if something is trademarked by going here:
https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/search/search-information
We Use Many AI Assistants
Tools like thesauruses have AI components. So do grammar checkers. Grammarly©, for example, will suggest a better way to write a sentence. You can take it or leave it. The decision is entirely yours.
The key difference lies in the creation. The original sentence was yours. Grammarly simply suggests improving your sentence to make your work more readable or understandable. As Grammarly users know, the suggestion is not always better than our original sentence. Or Grammarly’s suggestion changes the meaning slightly, so we stick with our original sentence. (And have you noticed that Grammarly hates the word ‘just’? What’s up with that?)
In the same way, ChatGPT and Claude AI make suggestions based on what you ask from them. The original idea must be yours. Generally, the more specific your question is, the better the AI’s response will be.
How AI Works in Writing
AI can be used as a brainstorming partner, writing coach, and many other ways. If you know how to ask, it can even generate text in your own writing style.
AI generates suggestions based on learned patterns, not by stealing other people’s content. It functions like a writing partner, offering ideas and alternatives. AI doesn’t copy existing text but creates new combinations. Even if you ask it to write an entire article, that article will be unique, as I prove later on.
With every result you get from AI, you will want to edit and refine AI-generated content, shaping the narrative according to your vision and ensuring the writing is in your voice and style.
Sometimes, a lot of reshaping will be needed—other times, not so much.
Never Say This to AI Because It’s Unethical
Never say, “Write about [whatever] in the style of [a person’s name].
And never say, “Create an image of a [whatever] in the style of [a person’s name].
To do this is unethical. It’s to steal those specific people’s creative style and use it as your own.
Instead, use a generic style that the AI program is familiar with.
“Write a paragraph about bees in an academic style.”
Or “Create an image of a mountain in the impressionist style.”
This is fine. To learn what generic styles the AI program is familiar with, just ask it.
What if We Humans Plagiarized?
Many of us have written articles for online clients. We start by researching what others have written on the requested topic. Then, we restructure it into our own words and viewpoints.
If we steal someone else’s work, we’re done. The client can quickly figure it out using CopyScape.com. (More on this below.)
What AI Does to Create Content
AI learns patterns for writing from training data it received from its creators. It creates new content rather than copying existing text. Each response from AI is generated uniquely based on your prompt.
Use AI as a tool, not as a replacement for your own creativity. Maintain your storytelling vision in each chapter.
How to Verifying AI’s Originality
I use Copyscape.com to check for plagiarism. It is a reliable tool for checking content originality. It compares text against billions of online pages. Professional writers use it to verify original content.
I asked Claude AI to write me an easy-to-read article on the pros and cons of eating honey. The 497-word article Claude wrote is below in Example 4.
Then, I copied and pasted the exact article into Copyscape.com. The article came out clean. That is, there were no signs of plagiarism. There were no text matches anywhere on the internet.
See the article and the screenshot from Copyscape.com in Example 4 below.
Ensuring that You Make the Writing Uniquely Yours
As the author, you maintain creative control over the writing you produce. If AI writes something based on your request, it’s up to you to revise it to reflect your own style and thoughts.
Rarely can you use something that AI gives you verbatim. It may sound robotic or have words that are above your audience’s reading level. It’s important to modify whatever AI gives you to reflect your ideas and meet readers on their level.
There will be times when AI’s response to your prompt will not be useful. The response will be coherent but might not be what you need or want. In this case, you must change the prompt and try again. You may need to do this several times until you find AI’s answer helpful. It will always be your decision what to use and what to discard.
It is similar to a writing group that gives you suggestions for improvement. You may come away with twenty suggestions and use only one or two. Or you may decide that none of the suggestions are right for you. It’s the same with AI.
You want to adapt the AI content to match your style. You must always feel confident that the final version is yours.
In almost every case, you’ll blend AI assistance with your creative vision, just as you would if a writing buddy gave you suggestions.
The Issue of Ghostwriters
Many people, even famous writers, hire ghostwriters from time to time. In one course I took, they encouraged every student to hire a ghostwriter. Yet, we were never encouraged to announce that we engaged the services of a ghostwriter.
Although AI writing can be compared to hiring a ghostwriter, it’s not really the same. You can’t say to Claude AI, write me a sweet romance novel. Claude will need a great deal of assistance from you and your prompts to produce a book. You will need to lead and guide every step of the way.
On the other hand, a ghostwriter could take that one directive, “Write me a sweet romance novel,” and return to you with an entire novel ready for your review. And yet, many authors or business owners do not disclose that they hired a ghostwriter to create their books or articles.
So, if we don’t disclose when we use a ghostwriter is it really necessary to disclose when we use AI in our writing process?
Amazon Asks if You Used AI in the Creation of Your Book
This should not scare you. Amazon doesn’t penalize an author who uses AI. Amazon asks if AI generated the entire book or if you used it to assist you in the writing process. If you follow the suggestions in the article, you’ll say that AI only assisted you.
Even cover creators are using AI, and Amazon wants to know if your cover was AI-assisted. This is nothing to worry about. The use of AI is growing, and almost every cover is made using some form of AI.
Later, I’ll create a post on how to generate AI images that can be used for covers or inside books or articles.
The Future of AI In Fiction Writing
AI tools will continue to evolve and become more popular. Claude AI 3.5 Sonnet was not on the scene when I started using AI to help with my fiction projects. I used ChatGPT while it was free. Now, I use Claude AI regularly, and writer’s block is a thing of the past.
Writers can embrace innovation while maintaining integrity as long as the human mind remains central to the storytelling.
I encourage you to use AI tools to enhance your natural abilities. Just remember to keep your authentic voice at the forefront in the final version of your books or articles.
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EXAMPLE 4: Showing that Claude AI does not plagiarize
(Earlier Examples are in previous posts.)
I asked Claude AI to write me an article about honey, and this is exactly what he gave me:
MY PROMPT:
Claude, please write an article in paragraphs, describing the pros and cons of eating honey. Make this article easy to read.
CLAUDE AI’S ANSWER:
“Here’s an easy-to-read article about honey’s benefits and drawbacks:
The Sweet Story of Honey: What You Should Know
Honey has been around forever - well, almost! People have been using this golden sweetener for thousands of years, not just for food but also for medicine. But is honey good for you? Let’s look at both sides of the story.
First, the good news about honey. It’s packed with natural antioxidants that help protect your body from damage. Think of antioxidants as tiny defenders, fighting off things that could harm your cells. When you have a sore throat, a spoonful of honey can help soothe it, thanks to its natural antibacterial properties.
Need a quick energy boost? Honey’s got you covered. Unlike regular sugar, honey provides a more natural form of energy. It even contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals, making it a bit more nutritious than plain white sugar. Many athletes keep honey on hand for an energy boost during workouts.
Here’s something interesting - honey can even help heal wounds! Doctors sometimes use special medical-grade honey on burns and cuts because it helps them heal faster and keeps away infection. Pretty amazing for something that comes from bees, right?
But honey isn’t perfect. Let’s talk about the downside. For one thing, it’s still mostly sugar - about 80% to be exact. This means it can raise your blood sugar levels quickly, which isn’t great if you’re watching your sugar intake or have diabetes. And like any sweet food, it can contribute to tooth decay if you don’t brush well.
Honey also packs quite a few calories. One tablespoon contains about 64 calories, which can add up quickly if you’re not careful. If you’re watching your weight, you’ll want to use honey sparingly, just like any other sweetener.
Here’s a really important warning: never give honey to babies under one year old. Their tiny bodies aren’t ready to handle certain bacteria that might be in honey, and they could get very sick. After age one, it’s perfectly safe.
Some people might be allergic to honey, especially if they’re sensitive to bee pollen. If you’ve never had honey before, it’s smart to try just a tiny bit first to make sure you don’t have a reaction.
One last thing to keep in mind - not all honey is created equal. Some commercial honey might be processed or diluted, which means you’re not getting all the natural benefits. Try to buy honey from reliable sources, and look for labels that say “raw” or “pure” honey.
So what’s the bottom line? Honey can be a healthy alternative to regular sugar when used in moderation. It offers some unique benefits that make it more than just a sweetener. Just remember to use it wisely, like any good thing in life!
Remember, you can always talk to your doctor if you have specific questions about adding honey to your diet. They know your health situation best and can give you personalized advice.”
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I took this exact article over to Copyscape.com, a program that searches the internet to find duplicate text. I have a paid account with Copyscape.com that I use to check for plagiarism.
I’ve tested several results given to me by Claude and never found a single instance of plagiarism.
This is the result of pasting Claude’s above article about honey into Copyscape.com. You can see that the 497-word article had no plagiarized passages:
Ready to Have an AI Partner that Never Plagiarizes?
Here’s what you can do right now:
Here’s what you can do right now:
1. Sign up for Claude AI 3.5 Sonnet at Anthropic’s website. The instructions and link are in my second post here:
https://thewritersaicompanion.substack.com/p/how-to-get-started-using-ai-for-your?r=2evdyf
2. Subscribe to this newsletter if you haven’t already: Don’t miss out on future tips and tricks for using AI to write better and faster. Hit the subscribe button below to get “The Writer’s AI Companion” delivered straight to your inbox.
3. Share your thoughts: What’s your most significant (or current) writing challenge? Comment below and tell me what AI writing tips you’d like to see in future newsletters.
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5. Stay tuned for the next post of The Writer’s AI Companion: We’ll dive into more examples of how to use AI in your writing. You won’t want to miss it!
Until next time, stay creative,
-Elaine