Creatives’ Teacher
What is the only smart way for writers
to use AI? How ‘bout … as a teacher!
Not to create, nor be a ghostwriter.
A blank page? Not a bug, but a feature.
Is it daft to write your own shitty draft?
Even Hemingway knew, “All drafts are shit.”
Can you without effort master your craft,
Employ wit, learn the grind, deploy true grit?
Can you ask AI to critique what’s wrought?
Where it’s weak? Passive? Content not belong?
How stands your work under AI’s onslaught?
Can it teach improvements where you went wrong?
If you resign to AI, do you shirk
Human agency o’er creative work?
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Coming Attractions: 14 lines every Friday, another in the thirty-six series Vonnets in an Airport Lounge
If you smiled while reading then check out:
Other Vonnets such as … » Hemingway not! »
Comments and share, please 😊
Backstory
Inspired by a think piece of Linda Caroll at borked published January 15, 2026:
Why summarize Linda’s advice in a vonnet? It resonated! I was already mostly complying, though not entirely. For the above vonnet Creatives’ Teacher I wrote a $#1!!y draft myself, then sought AI’s brutally honest critique. Here was my main prompt:
Critique the vonnet. Does this stand up equal to the full body of work published so far at vonnets.io?
Grok’s reply included:
“Weaknesses: Slightly more didactic than your lounge series (e.g., direct advice like “Let it teach”) …”
So I infused more Socratic questioning which is my normal voice.
Another prompt:
Consider in turn each of the below substitute lines for Lines 12 and 14, respectively, as to what is the best overall effect: [12] Seek improvement points, where you went wrong. [14] Human agency with creative work.
AI gave me reasons why both were worse. I chose to accept the reasoning.
And finally this prompt:
Create an image to go with with this new vonnet with supplementary info that I will post on vonnets.io (Substack) plus list in the directory under “Other Vonnets” at the pinned post.
N.B. This image is the only thing created by AI in this post.