How to Write Fiction Without Guardrails: A Guide to Mastering NovelAI
If you have experimented with mainstream AI tools like ChatGPT or Jasper to write fiction, you have likely hit "The Wall."
You know the one. You are trying to write a gritty fight scene or a complex character interaction, and the AI suddenly stops. It lectures you on safety, refuses to generate the conflict, or worse—it steers your dark fantasy story into a cheerful, moralizing fairy tale.
For authors who need creative freedom, this is a dealbreaker.
This is where NovelAI works differently. It doesn’t function like a helpful assistant waiting for instructions; it functions like a dedicated co-author who is ready to write anything you start. But because it works differently, it requires a different workflow.
Here is how to move from "fighting the AI" to building immersive, consistent worlds using NovelAI.
The Shift: From "Chatting" to "Co-Writing"
The biggest mistake writers make when switching to NovelAI is treating it like a chatbot.
In tools like ChatGPT, you usually type a command: "Write a scene where the hero enters the tavern." In NovelAI, you simply start writing the scene yourself: "The hero kicked open the tavern door, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword..." and then you hit Send.
The AI reads your style, your tone, and your pacing, and it continues the text exactly where you left off. It mimics you. If you write in short, punchy sentences, it will too. If you use flowery, Victorian prose, it will match that energy.
Actionable Tip: Don’t ask it questions. Just write. If you want the story to go in a specific direction, type the first half of the sentence and let the AI finish the thought. This gives you significantly more control over the narrative voice.
The Secret Weapon: Mastering the "Lorebook"
One of the most frustrating aspects of AI writing is "amnesia." You are three chapters deep, and suddenly the AI thinks your blue-eyed protagonist has brown eyes, or it forgets that magic is illegal in your world.
NovelAI solves this with a feature called the Lorebook. Think of it as a wiki that the AI reads instantly before generating every new paragraph.
Here is how to set it up for a cohesive story:
1. Create Entries for Key Elements
Don’t overload the AI. Focus on the essentials:
Characters: Name, appearance, personality, and key relationships.
Locations: Atmosphere, sensory details (smells, sounds), and geography.
Factions/Groups: Their goals and how they dress or speak.
2. Use "Trigger Keys"
For every entry, you assign "keys." If you have a character named "Eldric," you set "Eldric" as the key.
How it works: The AI ignores the Lorebook entry until the word "Eldric" appears in the story. Once it does, the AI "activates" that memory. This keeps the AI focused only on what is relevant to the current scene, preventing it from getting confused by too much data.
3. Keep Descriptions Punchy
The AI works best with clear, vivid traits rather than long backstory essays.
Bad: "Eldric was born in a small village and had a sad childhood where he learned to..."
Good: "Eldric: 30 years old. Scar over left eye. Cynical, speaks in short sentences. Wields a rusty axe."
Steering the Story with "Author’s Note"
Sometimes the AI needs a nudge regarding the vibe of the story, not just the facts. NovelAI has a powerful tool for this called the Author’s Note.
This injects a subtle instruction into the AI's "brain" that influences the style of the text it generates.
Examples of effective Author’s Notes:
[Style: Dark, gritty, sensory-heavy]– Great for horror or dark fantasy.[Tone: Witty, fast-paced, humorous]– Perfect for modern rom-coms.[Writing Style: H.P. Lovecraft]– If you want that specific, archaic dread.
Pro Tip: Place the Author's Note near the top of the context settings (the documentation usually guides you on this placement). It acts as a constant reminder to the AI about how it should be writing, ensuring consistency even during long writing sessions.
Comparison: When to Use NovelAI vs. Other Tools
While NovelAI is powerful, it’s helpful to know where it fits in your toolkit compared to others.
Worldbuilding & Freedom: If you are writing high fantasy, sci-fi, or mature fiction that requires a "Lorebook" to track complex details, NovelAI is the clear choice. Its lack of filters allows for genuine conflict and drama.
Structure & Plotting: If you need help outlining a plot from scratch or brainstorming "beats" for a screenplay, a tool like Sudowrite might be a better starting point before you bring the draft into NovelAI.
Marketing & Copy: If you need to write a blog post about your book, stick to Jasper or Writesonic. NovelAI is a storyteller, not a marketer.
Final Takeaway
NovelAI is not a "magic button" that writes a book for you while you sleep. It is a sandbox. It requires you to be the director, setting the stage with the Lorebook and guiding the tone with your own prose.
But for writers who want a collaborator that respects their creative vision—no matter how dark or complex it gets—it is an indispensable tool.
Your Next Step: Open a free trial account on NovelAI. Create a simple "Lorebook" entry for just one character, and try writing a 500-word scene where the AI has to use those details. You will immediately see the difference in consistency.
