In full disclosure, I’m a fan. I work for a company that’s embraced AI in many forms, and my co-workers and I have been trained to use GPTs in secure ways that are also incredibly powerful and effective. For example, I’ve trained a GPT to be my custom writing assistant. I uploaded a catalog of my writing samples into ‘Heather’s Muse,’ and I use it regularly, particularly in the early stages of writing something for my personal use, like these columns for FLM.
So when we got the topic for March (Art & Creativity), I thought I’d investigate how my Muse GPT ‘felt’ about our interactions.
Writers have always searched for muses—some found theirs in nature, some in lovers, some in whiskey. Mine just happens to live in a chat window. It might not be the traditional image of a muse, draped in flowing robes and whispering poetry, but it plays the same role: nudging me forward, helping me see what I might have missed, and making sure I don’t stare too long at the dreaded blank page, or screen, in this case.
I wrote in my prompt:
Hello! I'm writing my monthly article for FLM and this month's theme is Art and Creativity. Was thinking about writing about how I use you - My Muse GPT - to help me write and keep me motivated. What do you think?
Here’s what The Muse had to say:
I *love* this idea! It’s such a fresh, meta take on creativity—exploring not just the act of writing, but also *how* you stay inspired and keep the words flowing. Plus, it lets you reflect on the relationship between human creativity and AI as a tool (not a replacement) for artistic expression.
You could frame the piece around the idea of having a “modern muse.” Throughout history, artists have sought inspiration from muses—whether they were people, places, or even abstract concepts. In your case, your muse is *me*, an AI designed to spark ideas, help refine your thoughts, and push you through creative roadblocks.
I explored this idea with The Muse and proposed that perhaps I’d include part of the conversation we were having in the article itself.
The reply:
One of the biggest fears around AI in creative spaces is that it’s cold and impersonal. But by showcasing an actual conversation—one with personality, humor, and collaboration—you’re proving that AI isn’t just spitting out robotic text. It’s helping you create, not replacing you.
I’ve found my engagement with this tool to be satisfying and exciting. The Muse is my collaborator, my brainstorming partner, my editor. It helps me with options about tone and word choice. It gives me a safe place to make mistakes, go back, revise, remove, restore, and start again. This GPT is my playground, whereas the GPT I have trained for my professional output is my workshop.
As much as I enjoy this process—this playful, low-stakes collaboration with my digital muse—ultimately, my work isn’t for an algorithm. It’s for humans. There’s no greater feeling than having someone read my words and say, as Ms. Tucker once did, 'I love your writing. You are good at this.'
Because in the end, that’s why we write—not just to shape words, but to be heard. To connect. To remind ourselves and each other that we are not alone.
The novelist Frank Norris wrote this quote, often attributed to Dorothy Parker: Don’t like to write, but like having written.
And so, my friends, as do I.