Starting out as a writer
in the age of AI
Writing careers are alive and well
With all the recent advancements in generative AI and the associated hype, it might seem like pursuing a career in writing is a waste of time. But like the jetpacks and cities on the moon we were promised as kids, the reality of AI doesn't quite match the enthusiastic projections.
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The fact is, there are still tons of writing jobs out there, and will be for the foreseeable future.
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But AI has changed things. The jobs have changed, the skills you need have changed, and the paths to a career have changed as well. That's why I made this site. To help guide you on your journey to becoming a well-paid, respected writer in this new age of AI.
It's true that the most menial writing jobs are going extinct — generic blog posts, pointless website filler, and simple product descriptions have all been lost to AI. If you've ever had to do that kind of work you're thinking good riddance, but if you're just starting out you probably have some questions:
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1. What do professional writers bring to the table that AI doesn't?
2. How do you get started when entry-level roles are now automated?
AI is taking the worst jobs
Some argue that writers are still necessary because they bring a "human element" that AI will never be able to replicate. Whatever this vague statement means, it ignores the fact that AI doesn't remove the human element. There's always still a human using the AI tool, contributing their human creativity and taste.
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The real reason writers are still necessary is that AI doesn't actually understand anything — that's not how generative AI works. Generative AI is a glorified autocomplete tool that can only ever mimic understanding, and that's where its limitations become obvious.
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If you know what you want, and if you can define it clearly enough, and if what you want has already been done, and if it's not too complicated, AI can usually do it for you. That's a lot of ifs.
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Writers are still necessary for these hard-to-define, conceptually complex, and at least partly original tasks.
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What do professional writers bring to the table that AI doesn't?
When I started out as a writer, I spent countless hours writing blog posts, product descriptions, and random reviews for a few cents per hour.
Through hard work and perseverance, those cents eventually grew into dollars, which... was still terrible and well below minimum wage.
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You can't really do that anymore because anyone can generate basic content with AI. But the good news is, you don't need to.
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Mastering the fundamentals of writing is no longer a prerequisite because there are tools that take care of that for you. Run your work through Grammarly or ChatGPT and you'll produce technically flawless output every time.
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Now you can focus on developing your communication skills, creative and strategic thinking, understanding of human behavior and psychology, and many other interesting areas.
How do you get started when entry-level roles are now automated?
That's great and all, but what should I do in practice?
Need specific or tailored advice? Contact me.