Tag Archives: LLMs

An Essay in Honour of Harold Thimbley by Anna L Cox, Duncan P Brumby & Sandy JJ Gould

What does it mean to write now, in an age of generative AI? Seventeen years after Harold Thimbleby’s much-loved chapter Write Now! was published, we’re still recommending it to our students—not just for its practical advice, but for the way it captures the human side of writing. In this article, we reflect on why Thimbleby’s message continues to resonate, even as tools like ChatGPT reshape how we write. Drawing on a real-world case study, we show how AI can support the writing process—not by replacing the writer, but by working alongside them. When used thoughtfully, AI can help overcome familiar hurdles like perfectionism and procrastination, and even surprise us with fresh phrasing. Yet the essence of good writing remains the same: clarity, voice, and a willingness to think through words. This article is both a tribute to Write Now! and an exploration of what writing can become when new tools meet old habits.