Writing with AI

The Narrative Expertise Layer

Many storytellers wonder about the difference between Subtxt and other more generalized AI large-language model services (like ChatGPT or Claude). How is the experience different and is it possible to get the same kind of response out of a more general approach?

Our Unique Approach to Structure

At the heart of Muse and Subtxt lies a narrative expertise layer that acts as a sophisticated intermediary between your question and the response you receive. This layer is the key to delivering more intelligent and contextually appropriate answers tailored to your storytelling needs. It's not just about relaying your questions to a pre-trained Large-Language Model (like ChatGPT); it's about interpreting them through a comprehensive understanding of narrative theory and storytelling practice.

The narrative expertise layer found in Subtxt is built upon decades of narrative theory knowledge, practical storytelling experience, and a deep analysis of various narrative mediums, including film, literature, and digital content.

Contrast this with the default training of a general system like ChatGPT. As these systems, by definition, draws upon a number of narrative structures and paradigms, the responses you receive will conflate several different approaches--many of them incompatible with one another.

Take, for instance, the popular story paradigms of the Hero’s Journey and Save the Cat! While found to be beneficial to many storytellers, the structures they present are subjective Audience-based appreciations of conflict. In sharp contrast, Subtxt and Subtxt Muse are objective Author-based appreciations of conflict.

Many writers find that they don't have a problem with subjectivity: they can get into the minds of the characters relatively easy and find imagining the world around them to be where they find the "fun" of writing. Conversing with an AI over the subjective nature of their work then becomes a case study in wasted time.

These same writers often experience a huge problem in terms of objectivity. That's why they reach out to others for critiques or join writer's groups in an effort to hear what everyone else thinks of their work. Conversing with an AI over an objectified appreciation of their work now becomes less a waiting game for what their first readers think and more an appreciation of Subtxt and Subtxt Muse's expert analysis.

Subtxt gives you the objectivity you can't find anywhere else.

Note

The benefit of using Subtxt Muse vs. a more general approach is not simply a matter of referencing Dramatica theory. These models have been trained on an incomplete and often contradictory (or even incomplete) understanding of the theory.

For example, you might get a response from ChatGPT that seems reasonable when you ask it to analyze the Four Throughlines of a narrative. But if you look closely at the answer, and then compare it against Subtxt, you'll find that often there is a blending or conflation of the Main Character and Objective Story Throughlines (e.g., the Main Character Throughline is really just an illustration of the Protagonist in the OS).

With Subtxt, you can be assured that you have a master in Dramaitca ensuring that the responses reflect the very best understanding of that ground-breaking theory.

When you ask a question of Subtxt Muse, this layer processes it not just for its literal meaning but understands the underlying narrative principles you're inquiring about. It considers the specific context of your story, the narrative challenges you're facing, and the theoretical underpinnings that can offer solutions.

This process ensures that the responses you get are not generic but are instead customized to your story's unique narrative structure, themes, and character dynamics. It leverages a vast library of curated content, from scholarly articles to real-world case studies, ensuring that every piece of advice is backed by proven narrative strategies.

In contrast to the broader, more general capabilities of ChatGPT or Claude, the narrative expertise layer in Muse and Subtxt provides a specialized, focused approach. It's like having a seasoned narrative consultant who understands your story's nuances and is equipped to offer guidance that aligns with narrative best practices and innovative storytelling techniques.

This layer is what sets Muse and Subtxt apart, ensuring that the advice you receive isn't just knowledgeable but also deeply relevant and practically applicable to your storytelling project.

Fine-tuning Content Moderation

An additional benefit of Subtxt is its tailored Content Moderation system. Unlike general models like ChatGPT or Claude, which apply broad content moderation rules to cater to a wide array of uses and users, Subtxt is specifically designed for the domain of storytelling. This specialized focus allows Subtxt to fine-tune its content moderation policies to better suit the needs of creative fictional writing.

In the realm of storytelling, especially in genres like horror, thriller, or dark fantasy (think of a gripping vampire tale), what might be considered too violent or inappropriate for general-purpose AI tools is often essential to the narrative. Subtxt recognizes this nuance and adjusts its content moderation to accommodate the unique requirements of storytelling. This means that you, as a writer, can explore complex and mature themes without worrying about your content being unjustly flagged or censored.

This fine-tuning capability is crucial for maintaining the authenticity and integrity of your creative vision. It allows you to express your narrative with all its intended intensity, complexity, and depth, ensuring that the essence of your story remains intact. Whether you're depicting a dramatic battle scene, a suspenseful confrontation, or exploring dark themes, Subtxt is equipped to handle these narrative elements with the understanding that they are part of a fictional, creative process.

By leveraging this tailored approach to content moderation, Subtxt ensures that your storytelling can flourish without constraints, enabling you to fully immerse in your creative process and express your narrative voice without compromise. This adaptability to storytelling nuances makes Subtxt an invaluable tool for writers seeking to push the boundaries of their imagination and craft compelling, authentic stories.

Using Your Favorite Prompting Techniques

Writers adept at crafting effective prompts for AI systems like ChatGPT (or Claude) may find it challenging to apply these techniques directly to Subtxt Muse, as the two platforms serve distinct purposes. ChatGPT's outputs provide somewhat-competent illustrations of storytelling, while Subtxt Muse is dedicated to uncovering the underlying narrative structure, or the Storyform (subtext) of a work. Therefore, strategies that work for ChatGPT might not translate well to Subtxt Muse due to its unique context and terminology.

However, by setting up a Muse Persona in Subtxt for Storytelling Only, you can somewhat replicate the ChatGPT experience, bypassing the deeper theoretical aspects of Subtxt. This approach allows for more expressive collaboration with the AI, free from the content moderation constraints typically found in ChatGPT.

For optimal results, leverage Subtxt Muse to gain insights into your story's narrative conflicts and employ your ChatGPT prompting skills to generate the actual storytelling content.

(This carries on the methodology of using Subtxt to know your story, not write your story).