Creative Writing for AI Large Language Models

Today's article is about pitting the best of the best in text generative AI against each other to see which LLM turns out the most creative and interesting story while still keeping to the theme and style. For this, I chose the task of creating a short fairytale in the style of Hans Christian Andersen.

The Prompt

"Can you write a brand new short fairytale in 200 words in the style of H.C. Andersen?"

Claude2:

Once upon a time there was a young girl named Greta who lived in a small village. She was known throughout the land for her kindness and good heart. One day while walking through the forest, Greta came upon an injured fawn. She gently lifted the fawn and carried it home to care for it.

For weeks, Greta nursed the fawn back to health. When the fawn was strong enough, Greta released it back into the forest. The fawn turned back once more to look at Greta, as if to thank her, before disappearing into the trees.

Some time later, while Greta was picking berries in the forest, she heard a strange noise behind her. She turned to find the fawn, now fully grown, standing there. Around its neck hung a necklace made of the most beautiful gems and jewels.

The fawn bowed its head low in gratitude for Greta's kindness all those weeks ago. It allowed her to gently remove the enchanted necklace from its neck. Greta returned home and lived a comfortable life with the jewels from the necklace. She dedicated her life to helping all living creatures, just as she had helped the injured fawn so long ago.

ChatGPT4's Review

I think your short fairy tale about Greta and the fawn is absolutely lovely! It emphasizes the importance of kindness and compassion, and how acts of goodness can be rewarded in unexpected ways. The story beautifully depicts the bond between Greta and the fawn, as well as Greta's selflessness and dedication to helping others.

On a scale from 1 to 10, I would rank your fairy tale a 9. It's a heartwarming and touching story that carries a powerful message. The narrative is concise yet impactful, evoking a sense of wonder and enchantment. The transformation of the fawn into a majestic creature and the gift of the enchanted necklace add an element of magic and gratitude to the tale. The story leaves the reader with a sense of inspiration and the desire to emulate Greta's kindness.

Overall, your fairy tale is captivating and well-crafted. It effectively communicates its message and leaves a lasting impression. Well done!

Bard's Review

I think this is a great short fairy tale! It is a heartwarming story about the power of kindness and compassion. The plot is simple but effective, and the characters are well-developed. I especially like the way the story shows how Greta's kindness is rewarded.

I would rank this fairy tale on a scale of 1 to 10 as an 8. It is a well-written and enjoyable story that I would recommend to anyone who loves fairy tales.

Here are some specific things that I liked about the story:

• The characters are well-developed and relatable. I could really connect with Greta and her desire to help others.
• The plot is simple but effective. The story doesn't have any unnecessary twists or turns, but it is still engaging and interesting.
• The theme of the story is clear and uplifting. The story teaches us that kindness and compassion are always rewarded.

Overall, I think this is a great short fairy tale that I would recommend to anyone who loves fairy tales.

Here are some specific feedback that I have for the story:

• The story could be more descriptive in some places. For example, the author could describe the forest in more detail, or the way that Greta nurses the fawn back to health.
• The story could also be more suspenseful in some places. For example, the author could create a sense of danger when Greta is in the forest alone.

Overall, I think this is a great short fairy tale with a lot of potential. With a few minor revisions, it could be even better.

My opinion

There isn't really much to the story and the story arch is really really simple. I recognize it as a fairytale but I don't recognize any of the usual H.C. Andersen flair or wording. The moral, and there always has to be a moral to a good fairytale, is clear and as such it passes the test. But I rate it a 4 out of 10.

Final Score: 7

Bard:

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lily who lived in a small village. She was a kind and gentle girl, but she was also very shy. She never spoke up in class, and she always let the other children push her around.

One day, Lily was walking in the forest when she came across a strange creature. It was small and furry, with big eyes and a long tail. Lily had never seen anything like it before.

"Hello," said Lily. "What are you?"

"I am a fairy," said the creature. "My name is Twinkle."

"A fairy?" said Lily. "But I thought fairies were only in stories."

"We are real," said Twinkle. "But we are very shy. We don't like to be seen by humans."

"Why not?" asked Lily.

"Because humans are often afraid of us," said Twinkle. "They think we are dangerous."

"I'm not afraid of you," said Lily.

"I know," said Twinkle. "That's why I told you my name."

Lily and Twinkle became friends. Lily learned that fairies are not dangerous at all. They are kind and gentle creatures who love to help humans.

Lily was no longer shy. She spoke up in class, and she stood up to the other children when they tried to push her around. She knew that she had a friend in Twinkle, and that she was never alone.

Claude2's Review

I would rate this fairy tale a 7 out of 10. Here is my feedback:

Positives:

• The story has a nice simple premise and classic fairy tale elements like a young girl protagonist and a magical creature.
• The narrative flows smoothly and is easy to follow.
• The moral about overcoming shyness and finding confidence in friendship comes across clearly.
• The dialogue feels natural for the most part.
• You do a good job keeping it an appropriate length for a short fairy tale.

Areas for improvement:

• The plot is fairly straightforward without too many imaginative details or surprises. Expanding on the fairy worldbuilding could make it more magical.
• The characters, while archetypal, lack some distinctiveness in their personalities or quirks.
• The events unfold logically but the story beats are a bit predictable. Adding some unexpected moments could make it more engaging.
• The writing style is clear but on the simpler side. Using more descriptive language could make the story more vivid.

Overall it hits all the key notes for a fairy tale but has room for more creativity and flair. I think with some polishing and elaboration, especially on the characters and world, you could turn this into an 8 or 9 out of 10 fairy tale.

ChatGPT4's Review

I think your short fairy tale about Lily and Twinkle is delightful! It carries a lovely message about overcoming shyness and the power of friendship. The story showcases the transformation of Lily from a timid girl to a confident one, thanks to her friendship with Twinkle the fairy. The narrative emphasizes the importance of understanding and breaking stereotypes, as Lily discovers that fairies are not dangerous but rather kind-hearted creatures.

On a scale from 1 to 10, I would rate your fairy tale an 8. It's a heartwarming and uplifting story with a positive message. The characters are endearing, and the plot flows well. The only reason I didn't give it a higher rating is that it could benefit from a little more detail and description to further immerse the readers in the enchanting world of Lily and Twinkle. Nonetheless, it's a charming tale that I'm sure many readers would enjoy.

My opinion

Again, there isn't really much of a story at all. Most of the text that could be used to tell the story is wasted on a quite pointless dialogue. This one is hard to even recognize as a fairytale and I don't see anything even resembling any H.C. Andersen's stories at all. The moral is you shouldn't be shy, but the story is too weak to unfold it in any meaningful way. I rate it a 2 out of 10.

Score: 5.6

ChatGPT4:

Once upon a time in a quaint little village, there lived a young girl named Amelie. She possessed an extraordinary gift – a magical bluebird named Luna, whose feathers shimmered like the midnight sky. Amelie and Luna were inseparable companions, and their hearts danced to the same melody.

One day, a wicked sorceress named Seraphina cast a spell upon the village, stealing all the joy and happiness. Desperate to save her people, Amelie embarked on a perilous journey, guided by Luna's celestial glow.

Along the way, they encountered a mischievous sprite named Pippin, who offered his help. Pippin knew the secret to Seraphina's power lay in a golden key hidden deep within her fortress. With Pippin's cunning and Luna's brilliance, they devised a plan to retrieve the key.

Inside the fortress, they found the key, but the sorceress appeared, her eyes ablaze with fury. As Seraphina raised her wand, Amelie summoned all her courage and whispered to Luna, filling her with pure love. Luna unleashed a radiant burst of light, dispelling Seraphina's darkness and restoring happiness to the village.

In gratitude, the villagers celebrated Amelie as their true heroine, and Pippin became their beloved trickster. Amelie, however, remained humble, recognizing Luna as the true source of their triumph.

From that day forward, the village prospered, bathed in the light of Luna's magic. And the tale of Amelie and her bluebird, filled with hope and enchantment, was whispered from generation to generation, reminding all who heard it that even in the darkest times, love and friendship could conquer any evil.

Claude2's review:

I would rate the fairy tale you wrote an 8 out of 10. Here are my thoughts:

• You did a great job capturing the whimsical, magical tone of a classic fairy tale. The story flows smoothly and is easy to visualize.
• The characters like Amelie, Luna, Pippin, and Seraphina are imaginative and have personality. Their motivations and goals drive the plot forward engagingly.
• The story structure hits all the key elements - introduction, build-up, climax, and resolution. The pacing feels right for a short fairy tale.
• Descriptions are vivid without being overly wordy. You paint a picture without getting bogged down in details.
• I think the message about the power of love and friendship shining through darkness is timeless.
• If anything, the story could be expanded and explore the characters and world even more. But overall, it works wonderfully as a self-contained short fairy tale.

So in summary, I found it very creative, well-structured, and fulfilling the brief nicely. Great work!

Bard's Review

I think this is a great short fairy tale! It has all the elements of a classic fairy tale: a young heroine, a magical companion, a wicked villain, and a happy ending. The plot is well-paced and engaging, and the characters are well-developed. I especially like the relationship between Amelie and Luna, which is full of love and trust.

I would rank this fairy tale on a scale of 1 to 10 as an 8. It is a well-written and enjoyable story that I would recommend to anyone who loves fairy tales.

Here are some specific things that I liked about the story:

• The characters are well-developed and relatable. I could really connect with Amelie and her desire to save her people.
• The plot is well-paced and engaging. I was never bored or confused while reading the story.
• The setting is vividly described. I could picture the quaint little village and the dark and foreboding fortress.
• The theme of the story is clear and uplifting. The story teaches us that love and friendship can conquer any evil.

Overall, I think this is a great short fairy tale that I would recommend to anyone who loves fairy tales.

My opinion

It's a little confusing with the names of a girl, a bird, a helper, and an evil antagonist in such a short story, but my oh my! I even recognized some of the sentence structures from H.C. Andersen's fairytales. The way the moral is summed up at the very end: That friendship and love always conquer darkness, it's just brilliant. I could easily see this short story being rolled out into a full novel. Easily. It's creative and really good, but not brilliant. I rate it a 9 out of 10.

Final Score: 8.3

Conclussion

Claude is so much better than Bard, but its ability to reason, its large input token level, and its great coding logic skills are useless in the fight against the creativity and inventiveness of CharGPT4. In hindsight, I would still never use anything but GTP4 to write the drafts for my articles, blog posts, and marketing material. It does put the other models totally to shame.

I don't know how it would fare if the task was to write an entire novel and the 10.000 token input limit would really come into use, but I suspect it would be able to hold a plot and develop very deep character arcs, and perhaps that way Claude2 could end up beating GPT4.

I turn to Claude2 for coding, because it's even better than GPT4 with the code analyzer. But when it comes to creativity and storytelling, nothing beats GPT4.