Is NovelAI Actually Good Now?

The Nerdy Novelist
29 Sept 202313:53

TLDRThe speaker discusses their initial skepticism towards Novel AI, but acknowledges recent updates that have improved its functionality, particularly for writing not safe for work content. They note that while the tool still has a learning curve and could benefit from clearer instructions for authors, its quality of prose and features like the 'lore book' are commendable. The speaker suggests that Novel AI is evolving positively but needs to become more user-friendly to cater to a wider audience, including those without technical skills.

Takeaways

  • 📝 The speaker initially had reservations about Novel AI but has since changed their opinion due to recent updates.
  • 🤖 Novel AI has improved by introducing better prompting mechanisms, allowing users to have more control over the AI's output.
  • 📚 The speaker purchased a subscription to Novel AI after being impressed by its potential capabilities.
  • 🖋️ Novel AI's story mode is suitable for writing books, short stories, and similar content.
  • 🔧 The user interface of Novel AI has been improved, with the addition of a prompt feature that was previously lacking.
  • 👁️ The speaker used a chapter from a story written in Scrivener and edited by hand to test Novel AI's capabilities.
  • 📈 The speaker acknowledges that Novel AI is particularly adept at generating not safe for work (NSFW) content.
  • 🛠️ Despite improvements, the speaker still finds it challenging to follow instructions and feels that the tool has a learning curve.
  • 📊 The speaker suggests that Novel AI could be used in conjunction with other AI writing tools for a more efficient workflow.
  • 📖 The speaker appreciates the quality of the text produced by Novel AI, especially its use of flowery language.
  • 📘 Novel AI includes a 'lore book' feature, which is useful for managing character profiles, world-building, and locations.

Q & A

  • What was the speaker's initial opinion about Novel AI?

    -The speaker was not very kind about Novel AI in a previous video and had some reservations about it due to the lack of control over the AI's output direction.

  • What prompted the speaker to change their mind about Novel AI?

    -The speaker changed their mind after Novel AI made several updates that improved the platform, leading the speaker to purchase a subscription.

  • What are the speaker's concerns about writing NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content?

    -The speaker believes that Novel AI is a great tool for writing NSFW content, such as excessive violence or explicit scenes, due to its ability to handle such topics effectively.

  • How does the speaker suggest using Novel AI for writing NSFW content?

    -The speaker suggests writing the majority of the text in other AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT, and then using Novel AI for the specific NSFW scenes to continue the narrative.

  • What is the speaker's main issue with Novel AI's user interface?

    -The speaker finds that Novel AI's user interface is not very intuitive, especially for authors who may not have technical skills, and that it lacks clear guidance on how to use its advanced settings effectively.

  • What feature of Novel AI does the speaker appreciate?

    -The speaker appreciates Novel AI's 'lore book' feature, which allows for the creation of entries about characters, world-building, and locations that the AI can reference when needed.

  • How does Novel AI's 'lore book' feature work?

    -The 'lore book' feature in Novel AI allows users to create entries with specific information that the AI can access only when it needs to, without reading all the information every time it writes.

  • What is the speaker's suggestion for improving Novel AI?

    -The speaker suggests that Novel AI needs to become more accessible and user-friendly, providing clear instructions and documentation to guide users, even those without technical skills, on how to use it effectively.

  • What is the speaker's overall assessment of Novel AI after the recent updates?

    -The speaker believes that Novel AI has potential and has made significant improvements, especially with the addition of prompting and better handling of NSFW content, but still needs to work on user accessibility and interface.

  • What does the speaker compare the learning curve of Novel AI to?

    -The speaker compares the learning curve of Novel AI to gaming software, where it should be easy to learn but difficult to master, allowing both beginners and professionals to use it effectively.

  • How does the speaker describe the Novel AI community?

    -The speaker describes the Novel AI community as tight-knit and somewhat exclusive, with members sharing resources and tips mainly through platforms like Discord, which may not be accessible to everyone.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Initial Impressions and Updates on Novel AI

The speaker begins by discussing their previous skepticism towards Novel AI, a writing tool that utilizes artificial intelligence. They admit to not being very kind in a previous video and acknowledge the backlash they received. However, they note that recent updates have changed their perspective, leading them to purchase a subscription. The speaker highlights the tool's potential for writing content that is not safe for work, such as excessive violence or sexual content. They also delve into the improvements made to Novel AI, such as the addition of a prompting feature and the ability to give direction to the AI, which were areas of criticism in the past. The speaker shares their experience of testing the tool with a heavily edited chapter, demonstrating how to use the author's notes and memory features to guide the AI's output.

05:00

🖋️ Experimenting with Novel AI's Prompting and Output

In this paragraph, the speaker continues their exploration of Novel AI by discussing the tool's capabilities in following instructions and generating text. They note that while the tool has improved, it still has some limitations, such as difficulties with first-person point of view and understanding the context of the author's notes. The speaker also touches on the tool's beta features and the learning curve associated with using Novel AI. They provide practical advice on how to use the tool effectively, especially for writing not safe for work content, and suggest combining it with other AI writing tools for better results. The speaker praises the quality of the text produced by Novel AI, but also points out the need for further improvements in terms of following instructions and user-friendliness.

10:01

🤖 Reflections on Novel AI's Target Audience and Usability

The speaker concludes their discussion on Novel AI by reflecting on the tool's target audience and usability. They express concerns about the initial lack of clarity regarding who the tool was designed for, despite its marketing towards authors. The speaker emphasizes the importance of making software accessible to users with varying levels of technical skills and suggests that Novel AI could benefit from a more intuitive interface. They acknowledge the improvements made and the potential of the tool but stress the need for further refinement to make it more user-friendly. The speaker also mentions the close-knit community surrounding Novel AI and the lack of accessible documentation, suggesting that the tool should be designed to be inclusive and easy to understand for all potential users, regardless of their technical background.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Novel AI

Novel AI is an artificial intelligence tool designed to assist in writing stories, books, and other narrative forms. It is characterized by its ability to generate text based on user input and guidance. In the video, the speaker discusses their experience with Novel AI, highlighting its improvements and potential for authors, especially in writing not safe for work content.

💡Backlash

Backlash refers to the strong negative reaction or criticism the speaker received for a previous video they made about AI, where they were not very favorable towards the technology. This keyword illustrates the initial skepticism and subsequent change in the speaker's opinion about Novel AI.

💡Updates

Updates in this context refer to the recent improvements made to Novel AI that have led the speaker to reconsider their initial negative opinion. These updates likely include new features, better performance, or enhanced capabilities of the AI.

💡Subscription

A subscription, in the context of the video, refers to the speaker's decision to financially support and use Novel AI on a regular basis. This indicates a shift from skepticism to endorsement and regular use of the AI tool.

💡Not safe for work (NSFW)

Not safe for work (NSFW) content refers to material that is inappropriate for a professional setting, often due to its explicit nature. In the video, the speaker suggests that Novel AI is particularly adept at generating such content, making it a useful tool for authors who write in this genre.

💡Control

Control, in the context of the video, refers to the degree to which the user can influence the output of the AI. The speaker discusses their initial issues with Novel AI's lack of control over the direction of the story it generates, and how recent updates have provided more options for user guidance.

💡Memory and Author's Notes

Memory and Author's Notes are features within Novel AI that allow users to provide context and direction for the AI's output. Memory is used to store information that the AI can reference, while Author's Notes are used to give specific instructions or set the scene for the AI.

💡Prompting

Prompting is the act of giving specific cues or starting points to the AI to guide its text generation. In the video, the speaker discusses Novel AI's new prompting feature, which allows for more control over the AI's output and helps it align better with the user's intentions.

💡AI Model

An AI model refers to the specific algorithms and data sets used by the AI to generate text. In the context of the video, the speaker mentions the 'Kara' model, which is Novel AI's latest and most advanced model, designed to produce high-quality language output.

💡Config Presets

Config presets are pre-defined settings within Novel AI that adjust the writing style or behavior of the AI. These presets are designed to cater to different writing preferences or needs, allowing users to customize the AI's output to suit their project.

💡Lore Book

The Lore Book is a feature in Novel AI that allows authors to create and store entries related to their story's world-building elements, such as characters, locations, and events. The AI can then reference this information when needed, ensuring consistency and depth in the generated content.

💡User Experience

User experience refers to the ease with which a person can interact with and benefit from a product or service, such as Novel AI. In the video, the speaker discusses their concerns about the software's user-friendliness and the learning curve involved for authors without technical skills.

Highlights

The speaker initially had reservations about Novel AI but has since changed their mind after updates.

The speaker purchased a subscription to Novel AI due to its improvements and interesting features.

Novel AI is recommended as a tool for writing content with excessive violence or sex, which is considered not safe for work.

The speaker discusses the different modes in Novel AI, highlighting the story mode for book or short story writing.

A previous issue with Novel AI was the lack of control over the direction of the writing.

The speaker experimented with the memory and author's note features to provide direction for the AI.

Novel AI now has a prompt feature that allows users to guide the AI's output.

The speaker tested Novel AI using a heavily edited chapter and its last beat.

The AI model 'Kara' is recommended for its advanced features and language quality.

The AI module 'General instruct' is chosen for its ability to follow instructions.

The speaker prefers the 'Fresh coffee' config preset for its instruct handling capabilities.

Novel AI allows for up to 400 characters in its maximum output, which the speaker finds limiting.

The speaker is beta testing another AI tool that provides longer outputs per beat.

Novel AI is praised for its quality of text, especially in not safe for work content.

The speaker suggests using Novel AI for graphic content and then switching back to other AI tools for the rest of the writing.

The 'lore book' feature is highlighted as a useful tool for managing character and world-building information.

The speaker's main criticism is that Novel AI needs to be more accessible to authors with no technical skills.

The speaker is optimistic about the future of Novel AI and its potential to become more user-friendly.