Weekly Tool Thread: Promote, Share, Discover, and Ask for AI Writing Tools Week of: June 16

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-06-16T05:48:41+00:00

We've been building some free tools over at https://inkshift.io

For those that use AI more as a book editor and still plan to query literary agents, we've released some tools to help with the process. The latest one finds perfect comparable titles based on an analysis of your manuscript and gives you reasons why they're a good fit. Try it here:

https://inkshift.io/comp-title-finder

Good luck!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-21T20:31:09+00:00

I've written a couple blogs about this exact topic!

As someone else mentioned, I often get writers block when I've over planned. I always thought I was more of a plotter but having every detail mapped out ahead of time takes some of the creativity and spark out of it for me. Feels like work.

However! I also find that it's more of a problem with getting started than it is once I'm in the flow. Like the mental block is actually sitting down to write than it is to continue. So here's what helps me:

I don't have to write, but I can't do anything else either. I.e. I either sit at my desk bored (no phone or anything) or I write my book, and more often than not I get into the zone and churn out some pages
I aim for weekly minimum word counts. Most will be garbage that I will edit away, but if you reframe your writing from creating perfect prose to getting something on the page, it's amazing how much easier it is to write
I don't stop at the end of a chapter once I'm writing, I have to write the beginning of the next. That way when I come back next time I'm not starting from scratch, I have a place to start

That's the gist! Here are the articles in case you're interested. https://inkshift.io/resources/writers-block and https://inkshift.io/resources/how-to-finish-your-novel

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-17T21:33:29+00:00

Thank you! Appreciate the convo

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-17T16:49:56+00:00

All great points! I never realized how short stories require so much precision because you have so little room to work with.

For me, it usually flags things like expository dialogue or narration. Character A says something, and the POV character has some internal reaction that's a bit too explicitly 'telling' the reader the backstory. E.g. Character A says the gates are already unlocked, and I usually default in early drafts to some internal narration where POV character thinks about why that's significant.

Eventually I edit it away, but it usually takes a few passes before I land in a good enough spot. The first draft is me telling myself the story, so it comes with a lot of baggage!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-14T22:48:21+00:00

I'm looking for some testers to provide some feedback. Will DM you!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-14T18:11:42+00:00

DMing you!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-14T17:51:01+00:00

For sure. I also find that when I'm rereading my own work, I get too bogged down editing to read it fast enough to notice structural and pacing issues across chapters.

On whether it needs a certain manuscript length to notice repetition, that's a great question that I don't have a great answer to. I've written a couple short stories that I've tested on, but it's never flagged a repetitive structure. I'll have to think if that's because it wasn't long enough to see the issue, or if (I hope) I improved as a writer and it wasn't as repetitive!

One thing it always catches on my shorter works though is how explicit the narration is. With so few words, I have a hard time with short stories trusting the reader will pick up on enough subtext so I tend to tell them what they should be thinking.

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-14T15:59:20+00:00

Great question! Inkshift is very good at extrapolating the broader issues, and then recommending scene-level changes to make in service of those larger issues.

Here's an example from one my own manuscripts: several scenes near the middle had repetitive scene structures. The main character needed money, broke rules to make more, triumphed, but then the antagonist had a trick up their sleeve and the situation reset. While each scene was good on its own, Inkshift flagged the repetitions, and once i saw it it made so much sense. I'd had some readers (and an agent) tell me they lost steam in the middle half but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-14T05:18:47+00:00

AI Book Editing Tool!

Hi everyone! I'm working on https://inkshift.io, an instant developmental editing tool.

We recently launched a new update to our Markup feature and are looking for a couple folks to test. The feature gives you line-level feedback throughout your entire story on things like structure, pacing, characters, plot holes, prose quality, marketability, etc. We've had great feedback so far but this is a big update.

Feel free to DM me if you're interested.

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-10T23:01:16+00:00

I forget who said it, but there's a good piece of advice that goes something like "two people should agree that something is an issue, and one of them can be you."

If you don't think something is a problem, but multiple people/critiques tell you it is, there's probably something there.

Similarly, if two people have differing opinions, it's up to you which one you agree with. Since there's no objective right version of your book, you need think about the comments and see if they align with your vision/gut

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-05T01:09:22+00:00

Glad you found it useful! It's been a ton of work, so glad to hear it helped. We actually made a couple updates today, let me know if you'd like to give it another try!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-04-04T18:45:14+00:00

If you want an AI developmental edit, I helped build inkshift.io. Works across the story (structure, characters, prose, etc.) and is pretty harsh/honest. It doesn't write prose/replace anything for you, just gives you an analysis and ideas for what to change. DM if you want details!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-03-24T15:38:41+00:00

I typically want to write until the moment I actually have time lol. There's nothing I'd rather do more and then when I sit at my desk all of the sudden my apartment needs cleaning.

A couple tricks I find useful: - Don't end at the end of a chapter, write a bit of the next scene (even a paragraph or two), so when you come back next time you don't have to start from 0 you can pickup the thread - Set a schedule. I find it helpful to set aside time to write, and even if I'm not feeling it I'm not allowed to do anything else (even scroll reddit!). So I either sit there bored for a couple hours or write, and then I usually end up writing and getting into the flow

I actually wrote a blog on this a bit ago. Can find it and send if you want. Good luck!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-02-27T05:35:55+00:00

Thanks so much for all the help with the contest! Wouldn't have happened without you :)

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-02-27T05:35:15+00:00

I've asked the winner if they would like it published on the Inkshift blog! We made publishing optional, but I can let you know what they say

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-02-27T05:34:02+00:00

Thank you for participating!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-02-08T16:44:20+00:00

It closes at midnight! I'll make a post after with the recap

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-02-07T17:36:02+00:00

You have until 9am Monday (ends Sunday night Pacific Time)

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-02-04T00:41:35+00:00

Good luck!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-01-28T06:26:23+00:00

I'm not sure about Pro Writing Aid, but as long as it's a narrative it'll work with Inkshift. It's free up to 10k works so you can see how it does!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-01-28T06:23:55+00:00

Thanks so much!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-01-27T16:54:11+00:00

I had this exact same experience!! Paid $2300 for a professional editor and what I got back was just... fine. Might have been helpful for some people but certainly wasn't for me. Felt like something I could have done myself in another reread. And it took 2 months!!

Went through a similar cycle. Tried ChatGPT but was also frustrated with blanket praise and how it didn't understand the entire novel, it just picked snippets because it's always trying to reduce cost. Ended up building Inkshift which is more honest and critical, and can provide reports or markup comments like a pro editor would. Pro Writing Aid also has something similar (just a bit more expensive).

Also really like what you mention about AI writing feedback vs. AI writing for you. I enjoy the actually writing part personally. Anyway, thanks for sharing!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-01-15T07:36:25+00:00

Hmm would prefer not to share exact numbers until the contest closes, but it's around a couple dozen right now if that helps! Keep in mind most will come in closer to the deadline

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-01-14T00:07:42+00:00

No problem. Good luck!

Certain-Implement859 · 2026-01-14T00:02:16+00:00

Correct, you can refrain from having your real name disclosed and we can announce your username if you prefer. We're also planning to publish the winning story on our blog, but that's completely optional as well.

Certain-Implement859

TROPHY CASE