June 4, 2025

 I began writing when I was really young and I clearly remember that there was something oddly fulfilling about the process of struggling with words on a page. I had to use my brain. It made me think about what words to use and in what order. What message was I trying to convey? Was that coming across and was it grammatically correct? 

I wrote songs and poems and stories. The process was always hard work, yet I found a strange enjoyment in shaping my brain’s ideas into something others could grasp.

Communicating your ideas to others is challenging. Throughout my life, I’ve realized that people interpret my spoken and written communication according to their own perspectives. Writing, getting feedback, and revising are essential steps to refine your message to its optimal form.

I know it’s impossible to fully express your thoughts and feelings with words alone. Artists have the same problem. They visualize an image and then try to reproduce it using paint or other materials. I’ve tried drawing, painting, and other art forms, but my results never match my vision. As I paint, the piece itself seems to unfold as it wants to.

I know that sounds funny, but it’s the same with my writing. I start in with a very specific story in mind, semi-plotted and all. But then something happens in the creative process and the story starts changing. Characters suddenly do things or say things I hadn’t planned. They come up with whole different names and backgrounds and the experience of this is really fun, much like watching a movie where you don’t know what’s going to happen next.

Back in high school, I probably would have loved to have AI write my term papers. I grew up way before that was a possibility, and remember struggling with my term papers, going to the library (back then we had a card catalogue and I knew how the Dewey Decimal System worked), handwriting drafts, and then typing on my parents Smith Corona the final drafts. I’d try so hard to type without making a mistake because it wasn’t easy to correct them back then.

I tried a product called Ease-Erase paper, which made it easier to erase a typo, but the ink tended to smear and it wasn’t that great. We had other products to erase or “white-out” the mistake, but again, it wasn’t like now days where you can just reprint a page after correction. It was also hard to line up the page in the typewriter so that if you whited-out a mistake and then typed over it, the new letter would be exactly on the same level at the original. So pretty much, you could always tell when a correction had been made.

Shopping online, on places such as eBay, I’ve noticed that some sellers have gone to using AI generated descriptions. Many start with the words, “Elevate your style…” or something similar. To me, this is boring. I recently read a book on Kindle too, that was so stiff, it seemed likely to be 100% AI generated. The information was there, but the author’s voice and personality were missing. I didn’t like it.

So, for me and my writing, I’m choosing to write it myself. I utilize several writing assistants, including Spell-check, Grammarly, Autocrit, and Prowritingaid. They help polish my stories after they are written. I’m in awe of those who write beautifully without aids.

Regarding book covers, those produced by AI haven’t impressed me. They look too plastic, in my humble opinion. I’ve asked my book cover designers to not use AI artwork.

Character name generators have also helped me find the perfect names for my characters. Online generators are a fun brainstorming tool.

In summary, I’ve found immense satisfaction in writing my own stories and seeing how they unfold creatively. Simply using AI for a story would rob me of the satisfying process, the pride in completion, and the joy of holding the finished product. While I appreciate grammar and spellcheck tools, I dislike stories that lack a human personality and I refuse to create such products. May God-given talents of all authors be used to create beneficial works.

My Dad and Uncle served in WWII as did my husband's Grandfather, Grandmother, and Uncles. His Grandmother was in the Waves ( Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, the  Women's branch of the United States Naval Reserve during World War II). My Father-in-law was a Viet Nam veteran.

I always view Memorial Day as a great time to remember the stories we heard about our family members' service.

My Dad wrote an unpublished book of memoirs. A number of his stories were about his time in the service. In one, he recounts arriving at March Field, a major Army Air Base east of Riverside, California, after receiving a letter saying, "Greetings. You have been selected..." in 1941.

In his words, "We arrived by the hundreds, and March Field was not ready for us. Barracks were not completed. The group I was with was sent over to  "Tent City," with tents that looked to have been left over from the Civil War. Our first day of military service was spent playing poker..."

He goes on to tell of many other events, such as getting vaccinations, uniforms issued, reading the Articles of War, and about the song that was popular at the time, "Goodbye Dear; I'll be Back in a Year."

My Grandfather also left a diary of his service in the Spanish American War over the years 1898 to 1899. He begins on May 25, 1898: "The three transports, City of Peking, Australia, and City of Sidney, had received their consignments of soldiers and were lying at anchor in the stream. The bay in the vicinity of the three transports was filled with tugs and launches. Each vessel was loaded to the water's edge with friends and relatives. The boys on the transports were buoyed up with hope of new and vigorous adventure. The relatives and sweethearts had nothing to hope for. There were no hopes of adventure to bridge them over the sad days of separation..."

Since my Grandfather passed away before I was born, I appreciate having this record.

Theses stories make me appreciate all of the people who have served.

Another wonderful record I'm currently reading is Voices of the Pacific by Adam Makos, which follows fifteen Marines as they battled in the Pacific Theater during WWII. This is the fourth book I've read by Adam Makos and I highly recommend all of them.

Remember and Honor

Memorial Day

Sign up for my monthly Newsletter for other interesting book news, promotions, and personal asides.