4 Ways Getting into AI Art Has Made Me a Better Writer

Juicy Burger - Shannon Hilson via Midjourney

So, as anyone who follows me elsewhere online probably knows by now, I've really been going down the rabbit hole with Midjourney and the wonders of AI-generated art lately. At first, it was really just this fun curiosity to dink around with in my spare time. However, it's since evolved into a real asset to the way I create things and explore all my different ideas.

It's also become an indispensable part of how I write and manage my online presence. Really, at one point, I really thought I'd cared about creating any kind of visual art for the last time in my life. But Midjourney has truly proven to me that I should probably never say never. Apparently, I still very much love expressing myself this way, and giving AI a try has turned out to be a very positive decision for me. 

Getting into Midjourney has also made me a better writer in some interesting ways, as well, and I can totally see where it could easily do the same for others in the larger online writing community. Here are some examples of what I'm talking about.

1. I don't have to scrounge for stock photos anymore

Not if I don't want to, anyway. I don't have to settle for choosing between good images that are seriously overused and lesser-known options that really don't fit what I'm posting very well, either. If there's a stock photo or a public domain graphic that suits my purposes for a particular post, then great. But I love that I'm no longer limited to those. 

This is especially the case when it comes to content that's tough to match with existing imagery anyway -- like creative non-fiction, personal essays, or short stories. Now I can just use AI images I may already have made. Or I can whip something up that fits in minutes. I've made custom illustrations for some of my creative writing, artwork for book covers, and more as well. It's been fantastic.

2. I have a great go-to tool for developing ideas

One thing I've noticed since getting into Midjourney in conjunction with my writing is that creativity and inspiration seem to flow both ways when I use the two together. Yes, AI art has been great for illustrating things I've already written. But using it on its own has given me some truly incredible flashes of inspiration I wouldn't have had otherwise. 

Midjourney is so much fun and so relaxing, I actually spend a fair amount of my leisure time playing with it and exploring different imagery just for fun. And more than once, I've come up with places, characters, or ideas that are just asking to have stories and other content written about them. 

3. I have an easier time staying active on social media

Social media has always been kind of touch and go for me as far as staying active enough. Sometimes I feel like being there and have plenty to say. Other times, it takes a lot of effort, and it's a real push to produce content with the amount of consistency I know I should maintain as a digital creator who'd ideally like to have a viable personal brand on her hands someday.

But because of how much I've been Midjourneying lately, I honestly have more content than I could ever hope to post in several lifetimes. And since so much of what I make is connected to bigger, more pervasive thoughts I might have had, I actually have a way of talking about certain things that makes them palatable to other people.

4. Creative consistency isn't as difficult

One of my biggest problems as a writer is (and has always been) taking my own personal creative work seriously enough and making adequate room for it in my schedule. I'm an unfortunate product of my upbringing -- the same upbringing that taught me to feel guilty if I'm not working myself to death day in and day out. 

That means that when my schedule starts filling up, my first instinct is never, "Gosh, I should really cut back on the amount of freelancing assignments I'm taking on." Instead, it's always, "You're not quite miserable enough right now, so take on all the work and forget your own silly ideas. They're not important." 

Midjourney is so fast and convenient, I've been able to stick with it and use it to express myself, even when my work schedule is uncomfortably full. I just do it in the evenings when I'm watching TV with Seth or right before bed. And that does a really good job of keeping my mind from slipping into permanent work mode, which always means indefinite curtains for my personal output once it happens.

........

In other words, I've been struggling with my creativity less and less since I started playing with Midjourney back in August or so. And as I've gotten increasingly used to having it in my corner as a resource and a rewarding way to actually have some fun, the more pronounced the benefits have become.

That said, it makes me sad to see AI artwork getting as much hate as it is from certain channels right now. Although I do understand and respect people's concerns, as I'm a former professional artist myself, it makes me sad to see other creatives turning their noses up at what I honestly think could be a monumental game-changer. 

But that's a topic for another time, as it really deserves its own post. In the meantime, suffice it to say that I'm a pretty big fan of AI art programs like Midjourney so far, and they're helping me find my way back to the best, most creative version of myself. I'm excited to see where that journey takes me next.