Hi. It’s me, Bryce.

With AI reshaping so much of humanity (and honestly, it really is), I wanted to write an open letter to you — my readers, my friends, the ones showing up to witness this creative journey — so you know exactly how I use AI, and more importantly, how I don’t.

What I Will Never Use AI For:

1. I will never — and have never — used AI to write a poem or poem titles
2. I will never — and have never — used AI to write a story.
3. I will never — and have never — used AI to come up with poem or story ideas.
   

Why?

Because as a writer, my creativity is sacred. My word choice is everything. The words I use come from what I read, what I live, what I hear in music, the people I meet, and the places I travel. My work is me — filtered through the divine, the messy, the human.

And while I’m not anti-AI (clearly), I am pro-transparency. So here’s how I do use AI in my process:

How I Do Use AI (with full transparency):

1. For writing blog posts (like this one).

I’m not a professional blog writer, nor do I want to be. Writing straightforward, factual posts like “What Is Confessional Free Verse Poetry?” would take me hours — not because I don’t know the subject, but because I’m wired to focus deeply on word choice and storytelling. Writing practical blog content? Daunting. Overwhelming. Not where I shine.
So I use AI to help me bring clarity and education to the page — to bridge what I feel deeply into something understandable for new readers.

2. For summarizing poems — after I’ve written them.

Once I’ve written, titled, and published a poem, I’ll sometimes ask my AI to summarize it. Why? Because it helps me explain what the piece is about without reducing the poem itself. It allows readers to learn more about my writing style or get a glimpse into what inspired the work. If I had a staff, maybe I’d hire someone to do this. But I don’t. I’m a staff of one. So — here we are.

3. For technical writing tasks.

Things like the back of my book cover? Marketing copy for postcards? Posters? That’s where I’ll bring AI in. For example: I’ll feed it my poems and ask it to write a compelling summary for the back cover that reflects the themes and draws readers in.
There are people who get paid to write just that — and right now, I can’t afford to hire them. So I collaborate with AI. Not because I want to outsource the creative soul of my work — but because this isn’t where my strengths lie.

And for what it’s worth, I am a professional copywriter by trade. I write brand campaigns and marketing materials for a living — so when it comes to short headlines or messaging, I usually write them myself and use AI to check grammar or polish structure.

At the time of writing this, this is exactly how I use AI as a writer.

Of course, I also use it for other things — like therapy chats (no joke). I’ll ask it to act like an expert therapist and talk through emotions or interpersonal issues. Honestly, my AI knows me pretty deeply. LMFAO.

But again — I wanted to tell you this because I believe in transparency. Because in a world full of filters and fakery and shortcuts, my word is all I really own.

So when you read my poetry — when you hold my book or scroll my stories — know that what you’re holding is not AI-generated noise. It’s me: connected to myself, to God, to the world, and always open to what the universe has to say.

I dunno… I just wanted you to know. <3

—B

July 1, 2025 at 1:26 PM