Choosing AI Tools as an Author in Australia

The AI tool landscape for authors has expanded significantly. There are now tools that assist with research, drafting, editing, querying, self-publishing, marketing, and business administration. The challenge is identifying which tools genuinely support your writing practice without compromising the voice and originality that readers and publishers value.

This guide covers the AI tools Australian authors are using in 2026, what each does well, and what to watch out for. Pricing changes frequently — always verify with the provider before subscribing.

Pricing disclaimer: All pricing information is indicative only and subject to change. Verify current pricing directly with each provider before subscribing.

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Writing and Drafting Assistance

ChatGPT (OpenAI)

ChatGPT is the most widely used AI writing tool among authors. It is used for research assistance, generating scene outlines, developing character backstories, producing rough dialogue, drafting synopses, and writing query letters. The key discipline is using it as a thinking partner and scaffolding tool rather than a ghostwriter — AI-generated prose that is used without significant transformation tends to be flat and generic.

ChatGPT is available in free and paid tiers. The paid tier (ChatGPT Plus) provides access to more capable models and features including web browsing for research.

Best for: Research assistance, scene outlining, character development, synopsis drafting, and query letter writing.

Claude (Anthropic)

Claude is an AI assistant from Anthropic that many authors find produces more nuanced and contextually aware responses than other models for creative writing tasks. It handles longer context windows well, which is useful for authors who want to provide substantial manuscript context before asking for feedback or suggestions.

Best for: Long-context tasks, manuscript feedback, and authors who want a different writing style from ChatGPT.

Sudowrite

Sudowrite is an AI writing tool designed specifically for fiction writers. It includes features for generating descriptions, developing scenes, suggesting plot directions, and providing feedback on prose. Unlike general-purpose AI tools, it is built around the specific needs of fiction writing and includes features like "Describe" (generating sensory descriptions of a scene) and "Brainstorm" (generating plot and character ideas).

Best for: Fiction writers who want an AI tool built specifically for the craft of fiction writing.

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Editing and Proofreading

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a comprehensive writing analysis tool that checks grammar, style, readability, pacing, dialogue, and consistency. It produces detailed reports on writing issues and integrates with Word, Google Docs, and Scrivener. It is widely used by Australian authors for self-editing before submitting to agents or publishers.

The tool goes beyond basic grammar checking to analyse stylistic issues — overused words, passive voice, sentence length variation, and pacing — that affect the quality of the reading experience.

Best for: Comprehensive self-editing, style analysis, and manuscript preparation before submission.

Grammarly

Grammarly is a grammar and style checker that integrates with most writing environments. It is less comprehensive than ProWritingAid for fiction-specific analysis but is useful for catching basic errors and improving clarity. The premium version includes more advanced style suggestions.

Best for: Basic grammar and clarity checking, particularly for non-fiction, query letters, and business writing.

Hemingway Editor

Hemingway Editor analyses prose for readability, highlighting complex sentences, passive voice, and adverb overuse. It is used by authors who want to improve the clarity and directness of their prose. It is a simple, focused tool rather than a comprehensive editing suite.

Best for: Improving prose clarity and directness, particularly for non-fiction and commercial fiction.

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Research Tools

Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI is an AI-powered research tool that provides answers with cited sources. For authors researching background information for their books, it provides a faster starting point than traditional search while citing sources that can be verified. The key discipline is treating Perplexity results as a starting point for verification, not as a final source.

Best for: Background research, fact-checking starting points, and identifying sources to verify.

Notion AI

Notion AI adds writing assistance and summarisation to the Notion workspace. For authors using Notion to organise research, character notes, plot outlines, and manuscript drafts, the AI features can help summarise research, generate outlines, and organise information.

Best for: Authors using Notion for manuscript organisation and research management.

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Self-Publishing and Marketing

Atticus

Atticus is a book formatting and writing tool that produces print and ebook files from a single document. It is used by self-publishing authors in Australia for manuscript formatting. It is not AI-powered in the traditional sense but is an important tool for independent authors managing their own publishing workflow.

Best for: Self-publishing authors who need to produce print and ebook files from their manuscripts.

Publisher Rocket

Publisher Rocket is a keyword and category research tool for Amazon KDP. It helps self-publishing authors identify the keywords and categories that will improve their book's discoverability on Amazon. For Australian authors publishing on Amazon, it is a widely used tool for optimising metadata.

Best for: Self-publishing authors optimising their Amazon KDP metadata for discoverability.

Mailchimp / ConvertKit

Email newsletters are an important marketing channel for authors. Mailchimp and ConvertKit are the most widely used email marketing platforms among authors. Both include AI-assisted features for subject line optimisation and content suggestions. Building a direct relationship with readers through email is increasingly important as social media algorithms become less reliable for organic reach.

Best for: Building and managing an author email newsletter list.

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What to Watch Out For

Voice: AI-generated prose tends to be generic and lacks the distinctive voice that makes an author's work recognisable. Using AI-generated material without significant transformation risks producing work that feels flat and impersonal.

Copyright: The copyright status of AI-generated content in Australia is evolving. Authors who use AI as a tool in their writing process — where the human author makes the creative decisions — are likely to retain copyright. Authors should consult the Australian Copyright Council's guidance on AI and copyright.

Publisher and agent policies: Some publishers and literary agents have policies about AI use in submitted work. Authors should understand their submission targets' policies before using AI tools in their manuscripts.

Disclosure: The Australian Society of Authors has been developing guidance on disclosure of AI use in published work. Authors should monitor these developments and consider their own disclosure practices.