I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

The published version

If you’re a writer, should the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence worry you? Or is AI more likely to actually enhance your writing? This fascinating book charts the recent history of AI-driven ‘story machines’, probing their strengths and weaknesses, and what they can tell us about the creative writing process.

Yet while the book is both detailed and enjoyable, it’s not entirely convincing. It seems to me that AI applications typically tell us more about how computers emulate the creative process than the creative process itself.

At one point, the authors suggest that AI could be put to use as a handy assistant for writers, which

may possibly come to pass. In any case, to paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke, ‘If a writer can be replaced by a computer, perhaps he should be...’

Reviewed by Terry Freedman

My original version

In my experience most editors like to tweak submissions, either to conform better to the publication’s house style or, as I think is the case here, to adjust the word count slightly because of space considerations. As a writer, you might like to see my original review, and compare and contrast. Here it is:

If you are a writer, should the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence worry you? Or how might AI enhance your writing?

In this fascinating book the authors chart the history of “story machines”, probing their strengths and weaknesses, and what they might tell us about the creative writing process.

While the book is both detailed and enjoyable, it is not entirely convincing. It seems to me that AI tells us more about the way computers emulate the creative process than the creative process itself.

The book’s main focus is fiction, though not all types of fiction, rather than creative non-fiction, such as that by Woolfe.

As for the question posed at the start of this review, to paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke, if a writer can be replaced by a computer, perhaps he should be. However, the authors suggest that AI could prove a useful assistant for writers. What do your students think?