Getting Started with AI-Assisted Writing

AI writing tools get a bad reputation, and honestly, some of it is deserved. The "generate 5,000 words on this topic" approach produces bland, generic prose that reads like it was written by a committee of algorithms. That's not what we're about.

Codiko treats AI as an assistant, not a ghostwriter. Here's how to use it effectively.

The Right Mindset

Think of the AI as a well-read research assistant who's read your entire manuscript. It can:

• Answer questions about your own story (useful when you've forgotten details)
• Find things across your manuscript ("where did I mention the silver dagger?")
• Suggest edits that you review and accept or reject
• Help with consistency by checking details against your canon
• Draft content when you need a starting point for a scene or character

It cannot replace your creative voice, your instincts about pacing, or your understanding of what your story needs. And it shouldn't try.

Setting Up

You have three options for AI providers:

Cloud providers (best experience):

• OpenAI (GPT-4o) — strong all-round, fast responses
• Anthropic (Claude Sonnet) — particularly good at nuanced, creative tasks

Local models (free, private):

• Ollama — runs models on your machine. Slower but costs nothing. See our Ollama setup guide

All of these connect via your own API key. We never see your data or your conversations.

Five Ways to Use AI in Your Writing

1. Continuity Checking

This is where context-aware AI really shines. Ask:

• "What colour are Elena's eyes? Have I described them consistently?"
• "When was the last time Marcus and Sira were in the same scene?"
• "Does the timeline still make sense if I move chapter 12 to after chapter 15?"

Because the AI has read your whole manuscript and has access to your character canon, it can give you answers grounded in your actual text.

2. Research Within Your Own Work

After 80,000 words, your manuscript becomes its own reference library. Use the AI to search it:

• "Find every scene where the amulet is mentioned"
• "What did Kael say about the treaty in the early chapters?"
• "Summarise the political situation as of chapter 20"

3. Brainstorming and Problem-Solving

When you're stuck, the AI can help you think through options:

• "I need a reason for Mira to betray the group that's consistent with her character"
• "What are three ways this battle scene could end?"
• "How could I foreshadow the reveal in chapter 25?"

The AI's suggestions are grounded in your characters and plot, not generic writing advice.

4. Drafting Starting Points

Sometimes the hardest part is the blank page. Ask the AI to draft a scene opening, a character introduction, or a transition. Then rewrite it in your voice. This is not about generating finished prose — it's about overcoming the inertia of starting.

5. Editing Assistance

The AI can suggest edits to existing prose — tightening dialogue, improving descriptions, fixing pacing. In Codiko, these appear as diffs in the editor, so you see exactly what's being changed and decide what to keep.

What Not to Do

• Don't let AI write whole chapters for you. It'll be obvious to your readers and you'll lose your voice
• Don't accept suggestions blindly. Always read the diff and make sure it matches your intent
• Don't use AI as a crutch for plotting. It can help you brainstorm, but the creative decisions should be yours
• Don't worry about AI "contaminating" your writing. If you're reviewing and rewriting, the output is yours

Getting Started

If you're new to AI-assisted writing, start with continuity checking and searching your manuscript. These are the lowest-risk, highest-value use cases. As you get comfortable, try brainstorming and editing assistance.

The key insight: the AI is most useful when it knows your story. That's the whole point of Codiko — giving the AI the context it needs to actually help, rather than giving you generic advice from a model that's never read your book.

Download Codiko and start with the free 14-day trial.