AI images aren’t just fun to look at—they’re a creative goldmine. I use them to spark new ideas, sharpen descriptions, and train myself to really see details instead of just skimming over them.

The Unexpected Ways AI Images Help My Writing

1. Story Prompts – When the Image Knows More Than I Do

Sometimes, an AI-generated image throws something unexpected at me, and suddenly, I’ve got a whole new story thread.

Example: I once generated a futuristic Galatean cityscape, and way in the background, there was this tiny, glitchy-looking sign. It made me wonder—what if the Verse had areas where data got corrupted or distorted? That one weird little detail could be turned into an entire subplot.

2. Description Challenges – Turning Visuals into Vivid Words

Looking at an image is one thing. Describing it in a way that actually makes someone feel like they’re there? Whole different skill. It forces me to ditch tired descriptions and dig deeper into the atmosphere.

Challenge: Try to describe a soldier from the future engaged in a battle.

Maybe you will write something like: "The soldier is wearing a bulky armor, covering his whole body and face. He’s holding a menacing weapon that flashes with bright light every few seconds. There’s a lot of smoke in the air, and things seem to be breaking apart around him. He moves quickly, not stopping, even though the ground shakes."

🔥 Tip 1: Now look at the image above and try again.

"The soldier is covered head to toe in sleek, heavy armor, the kind that makes him look more machine than man. His helmet hides his face completely, just a dark visor reflecting the fire and chaos around him. He grips a futuristic weapon, glowing at the tip as it fires a burning streak of energy into the smoke-filled air. Explosions burst in the distance, sending sparks and debris flying. The battlefield is a mess of fire, crumbling structures, and thick clouds of dust, but he moves through it like it’s just another day..." Feel the difference?

🔥 Tip 2: Now try describing an the image without naming any objects. Just focus on textures, lighting, and the mood it gives off.

"The air is thick with smoke and heat, swirling in restless waves, blurring the edges of the world. Glowing streaks cut through the haze, searing bright against the dark, like cracks in reality itself. Shadows shift and pulse under the flickering firelight, sharp and jagged, stretching long across uneven ground. There’s weight in the air—heavy, charged, buzzing with unseen energy, pressing down like a silent warning. 

A figure moves through it all, wrapped in something smooth yet unyielding, reflecting flashes of light that bounce off its surface like quicksilver. The stance is firm, unshaken, carved into the chaos like a statue that refuses to break. Sparks rise and fall, embers dancing in the turbulence, caught between destruction and something almost beautiful. The scene is a storm of motion and stillness, fire and shadow, noise and silence, all colliding in a moment that feels frozen and endless at the same time." What do you say?

3. Training My Eye to Notice More

Good writing comes from noticing the little things—the way light shifts, the background details we usually miss. AI images help me train that skill.

I ask myself:

What’s the first thing my eye is drawn to?

What’s hiding in the background that I didn’t catch at first?

What kind of emotion does this whole scene give off?

Doing this has made my descriptions more immersive and way less generic.

Try It Yourself!

If you’re a writer, give this a shot:

Find or generate an AI image that fits your story’s theme.

Write two descriptions:

One that’s just straight-up objective—colors, shapes, composition.

One that’s all about mood and atmosphere, without naming specific objects.

Compare them—which one pulls you in more?

🚀 Next up: Using AI as a Beta Reader & Feedback Tool (How I Use AI in My Writing Process Post #4)

🔔 Follow along so you don’t miss the next post!

Episode #1 is here.

Episode #2 is here.

Episode #4 is here.

Next episode coming on Sunday!