#and randomthunk is one of my go-tos for writer's block also

[the-last-teabender]

It's been days but I'm still thinking about how someone basically asked Neil Gaiman for passive permission to use AI for writer's block and he was like "I recommend having a friend instead"

and a lot of people were like "lol yeah but your friend was Pterry" and SURE. POINT.

But the majority of friends I consult when I have writer's block are not prolific beloved authors. And many aren't authors, period.

The story I just sent in to an editor? The friend who got me unstuck is a mechanic by trade, a writer once in a while for fun. He's also known me for half my life, knows what kinds of stories I like to write, and knows what makes an entertaining story for the readership I was writing for (since he's part of it). The whole second half of the story - the good part - came about because of his suggestion. You can read it probably later this year and let me know if he was helpful, but I'm pretty sure you'll agree that he was.

Your consultant for writer's block doesn't have to be The Late Sir Terry Pratchett to be worthwhile. A friend who knows you and enjoys a good story will still help you infinitely more than an algorithm whose only chance of knowing anything about you is if it was fed one of your stories.