When Creativity Evolves: Why AI-Assisted Writing Deserves Respect, Not Hate

It's frustrating and honestly heartbreaking to watch how cruelly some online writing communities treat creators who dare to experiment with AI. Platforms like Royal Road, where creativity should be celebrated, often become hostile the moment someone admits that their story was involved with AI. As if getting touched by AI poisons the writing. Writers get downvoted, dismissed, or ignored, not because their stories lack heart or imagination, but simply because they had the courage to say AI helped me. It's as if the word "AI" itself has become a pandemic. But why? Why should the tool used matter more than the story told?

The Fear of Evolution

Many "purist" writers fear that AI will replace them. They cling to the idea that creativity must be done in only the "human-only" way. Yeah, that's definitely the best path as of now but forcing it isn't protecting art; it's limiting it. It often sounds like this: You're not able to write yourself, and you claim to have imagination and creativity? Just give up writing. Don't dare compete with us as we don't breathe with your class.Believe me, that's just how toxic the environment is. Let me tell you, if you are saying "AI is trash without listening to the opposition's opinion.", what if I ask you "Give me a research report on that. Show me all the possible set of outputs based on different prompts including light and heavy prompting, variation charts between human written and AI-assisted works, do literature review on similar projects", can you answer that with proof? Exactly, to specifically say these specific 3 words with full confidence, you need to do heavy research with neutrality as scientists generally do. But even then, your analysis isn't guaranteed to be accurate. And again, even if you write it yourself but your writing skills are average, they will still criticize your writing, rather than the story, at times even without constructive feedback. Because they expect human-writing is better than AI writing. It's useless to even debate as they use their egos rather than logic. Yeah, they do use logic but most are biased towards the fact that "Given AI is junk, that's our logic…" And if you still try to defend AI, they will just start calling you "coward". Also, they believe AI cannot interpret our intent properly which is not true all the time and even in such cases, the editing needs to be heavier to manage it as of now. But AI is evolving continuously so that may not be a problem some years later. History repeats itself over and over again. When digital art tools emerged, traditional painters called them "cheating." When photographers appeared, painters said they were "killing art." When electronic music rose, people said it wasn't "real music." And now, we see the same story again, this time with words. But creativity doesn't die when tools change. It evolves.

Hate Isn't Critique

Here's the real issue: it's not that people dislike AI writing - it's that they attack it. If you don't enjoy AI-assisted fiction, that's perfectly fine. Art is subjective. But hate, mockery, and personal attacks are not critique, especially if you haven't experienced it yourselves. Constructive criticism helps creators grow. Blind hostility only silences them. When someone spends their time and energy building worlds, shaping characters, and pouring emotion into a story, and dreaming about it continuously for an year, a 1.5-star rating without a single word of feedback isn't just lazy - it's cruel, even if it's AI-assisted. It's like telling a dreamer that their dreams don't deserve to exist just cuz they touched the most forbidden existence in human kind: Artificial Intelligence. For someone like me, I feel readers deserves to get the best of my writing is achieved by collaborating with AI. It's just my way of thinking: others may think differently but that's totally their opinion and doesn't make them worthless or cowards if their visions don't align with mine. For example: I don't prefer fanfiction personally but that doesn't mean I will call the Fanfiction writers "thief" or "lacking originality" as it's just their passion. Or if I do argue, it should be respectful by reflecting my opinions clearly and also taking the opposition's opinions into consideration. That's how real debates should be rather than shouting and personal insults because we are all humans who are sensitive to them.

Writers Are Thinkers First

Writers are thinkers before they are typists. The act of typing is mechanical - the thinking is what makes writing art. While the opposing view is also partly true that writing has some magic but again both of them are two different views of thinking that we need to understand. Both are creators but their ways are different and none of them are entirely right/ wrong. So, rather than insults, there should be respect that both views exist. And that's how true creators act. Insulting another dreamer who just thinks differently is not respectable, rather it's defensive. AI doesn't replace thinking. It replaces the mechanical part of helping us express what's already inside our mind faster, clearer, or more efficiently. That doesn't make your story less "yours" because you are the Storyteller. And know what, we often associate Storytelling with Writing which is not the right way to think. A Storyteller may/may not be a Writer. If they are that's an extra talent. AI Assistance just opens the road for Storytellers in the modern World who may not be able to express themselves that well through writing but their stories can still exist. Most readers don't even focus on writing style first - they're drawn to ideas, plots, and emotions. That's what we remember. That's what moves us. Editors have always existed to refine style. AI just speeds up that process. So, if AI helps a creator bring their imagination to life, why call that cheating? Isn't the goal of art to express, to create, to communicate?

AI as a Tool, Not a Threat

AI isn't here to replace creativity. It's here to amplify it. It gives new voices a chance to express themselves like people who might struggle with writing mechanics but overflow with ideas. It helps writers experiment, refine, and evolve. Both approaches, pure human writing and AI-assisted writing, have their beauty. If you prefer to write everything yourself, that's perfect. But if you choose to collaborate with AI, that's also valid and is nothing you should be insulted for if you use creativity. And hating as you see in animes or anywhere else, only needs to ruin, not development. Some animes like Attack On Titan represents that well by reflecting no side is good/ bad. What matters is what our story is?, is it enjoyable/ interesting?, not what helped shape it. And believe me, to write this article, I needed to cool myself down by listening to One Piece openings so that I don't start venting here. That's how I control my emotions (yes, I also feel rage😅) and you should also find a way like that to stay cool if things don't go your way. Because venting in articles doesn't earn respect even from genuine supporters. Listening to music rather can give you motivation psychologically (believe me) even if no one supports you now.

The Real Debate

The debate shouldn't be "AI vs. Humans." It should be: Are we open to new forms of creativity? Can we critique fairly, without elitism? Are we willing to question our own bias before judging others? And if they are unable to accept AI in writing, they should focus on their own work to silently prove "they are better" rather than clashing in ego debates. Because the truth is, neither humans nor AI are perfect. But both can create meaning when used with thought and care. Debates as I said are completely fine as it reflects our honest thoughts regarding anything, equals to our existence.

A Message to the Gatekeepers

If you truly love art, stop bullying those who explore differently. Focus that energy on your own craft. Prove your voice by writing something unforgettable, not by tearing others down. Because bullying would not only waste your time and energy but also may lead to some potentially great titles to never exist. Maybe those titles could have motivated and inspired a few, led someone to find the only thing they like and you are probably being the reason it may not happen. Readers decide what resonates with them. And if an AI-assisted story can touch someone, inspire someone, or make them feel something real - that's art. I mean, even the skill to use AI properly can also be considered art, someday. AI is unpredictable, yes. But so is creativity itself. Maybe, one day, AI will help shape new genres, new voices, and new forms of storytelling we can't even imagine yet. As long as our imaginations are guiding AI, it's probably the best possible collaboration we and AI can have. And AI-assisted writing for me, is "Our Chaotic Thoughts + Polished Readable Structure= Balance". The future of art doesn't belong to fear. It belongs to evolution. It's fine to question it or debate about it but not discriminating the process. Every story, whether written by hand or with AI's help, begins the same way - with a dream. So let's stop judging the tools and start honoring the dreamers. At the end of the day, AI or not, without us, our stories would never exist if we had the imagination. Thank you for reading.