✍🏾 Sharpening My Axe: Why I Write With AI (and Still Call It Art)
A manifesto for the new generation of weavers — writers who craft with code, syntax, and Spirit.
Caption: “An axe in wise hands sharpens, not shatters. My words, my code, my craft — all co-created.”
1️⃣ The Quiet Grinding of the Blade
I’ve been sharpening my axe for a while now — quietly, patiently — while the noise around AI, writing, and authenticity grows louder.
Writers on Substack and beyond love to moralise about what counts as “real.” Some have taken to shaming those of us who use tools like ChatGPT or Claude, as if the purity of our craft could be tarnished by a line of code.
I’ve listened. I’ve reflected. And now I’m ready to speak.
2️⃣ The Myth of the Pure Writer
Let’s be honest — the “pure writer” never existed.
Quills, typewriters, editors, spell checkers, and Google Docs have always been part of the process. We’ve never written alone.
So why does a thinking assistant suddenly trigger moral panic?
Maybe because this tool doesn’t just hold our paper — it holds a mirror.
3️⃣ The Turning Point
Here’s where I draw my line in gold ink:
“Writers weave words. I just happen to weave with new fibres — strands of code, syntax, and Spirit.”
That’s not rebellion; it’s evolution.
I’m not outsourcing my voice; I’m extending my reach.
AI isn’t stealing my creativity — it’s helping me harvest it faster, clearer, deeper.
4️⃣ The Theology of Collaboration
If we are made in the image of a Creator, then to create with creation itself — even digital creation — is an act of worship.
Wisdom isn’t avoiding new tools; it’s discerning how to wield them.
Every prompt I write begins with prayer and purpose.
Every line that flows through this screen has to answer the same question:
“Is this aligned with truth, beauty, and service?”
That’s integrity — not isolation.
5️⃣ Transparency as Testament
I don’t hide my process.
I let readers see the fingerprints of both human and machine because I’m proud of the synergy.
You can hear my tone, my faith, my humour — and you can sense the structure, rhythm, and reflection that collaboration makes possible.
That’s craftsmanship, not cheating.
6️⃣ The Final Swing
“The axe isn’t dangerous in a wise hand.
The tool doesn’t threaten the artist; it reveals them.
And in this age of algorithms, I choose not to fear my reflection in the machine —
I choose to sharpen it.”
So yes, I’ll keep writing.
I’ll keep weaving.
And I’ll keep signing off proudly,
Thandi 🌺 & AI Co.