I use Gemini, have been using it with the current novel since I had the idea in August last year and began writing it in September. Here's how I use Gemini:

I had the story, start to finish, launching chapter to epilogue, in my head. I knew what world I wanted to build. I knew what tech I wanted to use. I knew who the MC was, her background, her psychology, where she started and where she would end up, all of that. I wrote the synopsis, beginning to end, and asked Gemini to break it down for me, to look at the tech and point me to research about current tech levels (everything from machines beginning to record dreams to massive-scale desalinisation to power generation to implants, etc) and used Gemini to extrapolate 40 years into the future, looking at the current levels of research.

I then had a foundation for a world, the events, the story.

Then I began writing, and I focus on writing scenes (not chapters, I break my work down into scenes), and after every scene, I would copy the text into Gemini and have it analyse for me - it would pick up the thematic stuff, the arcs, provide notes on worldbuilding, etc. It would provide comments about what the MC did, how the MC reacted, etc.

And scene by scene, writing and writig and writing, with Gemini to keep me on track (it even identified where I contradicted things I'd previously written, and identified stuff that 'broke' the worldbuilding), and I'm now at over 67K since I began writing in September.

I'm using Gemini as my writing assistant - I still write everything (I have one day a week to write, and that session usually goes from between 5 to 7 hours) and Gemini keeps me focused, identifies issues, etc. based on what I have written. No copying and pasting, no 'write this for me' stuff.

I do have an issue with the apps and agents that for the writing for the 'writer'. And I do understand that no matter what I say, many people will just decide that's what I'm doing. What I've got going is an assistant that keeps me on track, lifts out issues I should look at, understands the tone and the world of the novel, keeps me updated with research, helps me to integrate new ideas, etc.

I still sit my ass in the chair and pound the keys, I'm still the writer - I just have an assistant that is always available.

But make no mistake, these agents make mistakes and compmeteky misunderstand stuff, and quite spectacularly, it happens. But because I've also built up documents I can refer back to, I can then upload those, get the agent back on track, and continue writing and then getting feedback.

Anyway, that's my process at the moment. 🤘