Not long ago, I stumbled across a YouTube video promising: “Write your book in a weekend with AI.”
As a book coach and author of 11 books, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Writing a book isn’t about cranking out words on demand. It’s about voice, craft, and creating something uniquely yours.
That doesn’t mean I don’t use AI. I do, every day. But not in the way those YouTube thumbnails suggest.
For me, AI isn’t a shortcut. It’s a collaborator. A quiet assistant that helps me focus, organise, and clear mental space so I can stay in control of the words that matter most.
How authors can use AI without losing their voice
Before becoming a full-time author, I spent years in digital marketing, SEO, and content strategy, and learnt to think both like a creator and like a strategist.
That background means I’m not afraid of tech. In fact, I’m a big fan of creative technology, when it’s used well. It’s why I’ve been able to design my own AI writing tools for authors: tools that don’t “spit out” ready-made books, but work with you to build clarity and momentum.
When I built them, I followed three principles:
- Author-centred. You’re always in control of your ideas and words
- Safe. No one can see your content, not even me, the tool creator
- Efficient. They save time and help you finish your book faster.
Collaborative AI writing tools (not replacements)
Here’s the most important part: my tools are designed to collaborate with you, not think for you. They nudge, prompt, and shape, but they never override your voice.
Every tool is built to help you feel confident that the final book is yours.
Best AI tools for writing a book idea
When I have a book idea, I don’t rush. I let it sit. When I’m ready, I use my Book Idea Validator AI tool to ask the tough questions:
- Who’s it for?
- Does it have legs?
- Where could it go?
Then it helps me shape and bring my book idea to life.
I used to do this process manually for every book idea I had. It was time-consuming, so I built a tool that was based on my process and framework to automate it for me. That tool is my Book Idea Validator.
You can check out Book Idea Validator here.
Using AI to outline a book quickly
I know many people like to ‘pants’ their book, but I am not like that. I like to outline my book before writing. I’m analytical by nature, so I like my outlines and summaries quite detailed, so I know exactly what I’m doing when I sit down to work on a book. I use to write this out by hand, then I would transfer it to a Google doc for detailed analysis after.
As you can imagine, this was incredibly productive, yet time-consuming. I looked for a tool that would automate this process for me to a certain degree, whilst still giving me creative control. In addition, I didn’t want to pay ongoing subscription fees, which a lot of writing software require.
Well, I couldn’t find any, so I designed one myself – the Book Outline Coach.
My Book Outline Coach speeds up the process, helping me map chapters in hours instead of days.
When I was developing this tool, I noticed early versions started suggesting storylines for me and it didn’t sit right. If a tool is telling me what my book should be about, then it isn’t really my book anymore.
So I built in specific protocols to make sure this tool never hands you a ready-made plot. Instead, it collaborates with you, prompting you to think through story beats, character arcs, and structure until you have a roadmap that’s entirely yours.
This is a key difference between my approach and most AI tools that’s aimed at aspiring authors. I want you to stay in control, to come away knowing: I shaped this story. This is mine.
This tool is available in my writing memberships.
Using AI to test a first chapter
Your opening scene can make or break a book, and for many writers, it’s the part that keeps them stuck the longest.
That’s why I created the First Chapter Coach.
Unlike some tools out there that promise to “write your whole novel for you” (which I personally don’t agree with), this one is designed to collaborate with you. It nudges, prompts, and guides you through the process of shaping a strong first chapter, but the words are still yours.
I built it this way for a reason: I noticed that a lot of budding authors I coach struggle with self-confidence. They know their first chapter is important and that it sets the tone for everything that follows, so I built a tool to help them with this.
First Chapter Coach doesn’t write your first chapter for you; it uses protocols that I’ve built in to spark your creativity and nudge you with writing exercises that are designed to help you write your first chapter confidently, so you have the momentum to keep going, all the way to The End.
For me, this tool isn’t about outsourcing creativity. It’s about building your confidence so you can move forward knowing, I can do this.
Using AI for book marketing
Writing the book is one half of the journey. Marketing it is the other. Here’s how I use my other AI tools for book marketing:
- Book Title Genius: brainstorming titles that are genre-appropriate and market-ready.
- Book Blurb Creator: writing blurbs that intrigue readers and convert browsers into buyers.
Both tools are available in my writing memberships.
Should authors use AI to write books?
Here’s my honest view: some writers use AI as a mask because they don’t feel confident. And I get it. But it shows.
If all you need is a short ebook lead magnet (1K words, roughly), for marketing purposes, AI might be fine. But for a 70,000–90,000 word novel, memoir (or whatever your genre is)? I really don’t advise using AI for this. Readers can tell when it isn’t really yours.
And what happens when someone asks about your writing process? Can you genuinely answer if most of it came from a chatbot?
I’m not saying this to sound harsh, only real. Readers buy books because of your voice, your fingerprints. Don’t hide that.
The takeaway: AI for authors, used wisely
AI isn’t going away, and for authors, that can either feel overwhelming or empowering.
For me, it’s empowering. Not because it takes the writing away from me, but because it makes the writing possible when I might otherwise stay stuck. It clears mental space, organises the chaos, and gives me the confidence to keep going, but the words are still mine.
That’s why I’ve deliberately built my tools to be collaborative. They never hand you storylines or do the thinking for you. They ask questions, spark ideas, and guide you toward clarity, so when you finish, you know the work is truly yours. I created them using my own frameworks to help me automate and speed up the initial stage of writing a book (playing around and validating my book ideas, and also outlining my chapters). They are secure (even I don’t have access to your sessions), and if you try and upload your manuscript, or ask them to write your books for you, your session will be terminated.
Because here’s the thing: a book is more than words on a page. It’s your voice, your fingerprint, your perspective. AI can either dilute that or make it sharper, depending on how you use it.
So here’s my invitation to you: think about where you draw the line. Should AI write for you, or work with you? What role should technology play in your creative process?
I’d love to know. Share your thoughts in the comments.