How to Write Smarter: What to Automate, What to Own, and How to Save Hours Each Week

Marissa Brassfield -

The "I never write with AI" crowd is giving big rotary phone energy.

Recently, I watched someone spend three hours writing a routine memo that AI could've drafted in 15 minutes. 

That’s 2 hours and 45 minutes—gone. For good. For what? A sense of purity?

Some people still insist on doing every task manually. Not because it’s better, but because it feels better. It reminds me of folks who once argued that calculators would ruin our ability to do math.

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Let’s be clear: Not all writing serves the same purpose. And not all writing deserves your full creative brain.

Here’s how to know the difference—so you can write smarter, save time, and keep your energy focused on what actually matters.

The Two Types of Writing (And Why This Matters)

Think of your writing workload as falling into two buckets:

1. Writing to Process Your Thinking

  • Journaling
  • Strategizing on a whiteboard
  • Capturing personal insights
  • Reflecting after a tough conversation or a breakthrough

This is sacred territory. You should write this by hand. It slows your brain down enough to actually access original thought. These are the moments AI doesn’t belong in.

2. Writing to Communicate Routine Information

  • Client follow-ups
  • Internal updates
  • Repetitive proposals and SOPs
  • Onboarding guides
  • Performance reviews

This is where AI thrives. It helps you communicate clearly, consistently, and efficiently.

When you confuse the two—writing for clarity vs. writing for communication —you waste hours doing work your tools could handle better.

How to Know When to Use AI (A Simple Litmus Test)

Before you start writing, ask:

  • Am I writing to figure something out? (Keep it human.)
  • Am I writing to communicate something I already know? (Use AI support.)

If it’s the latter, don’t white-knuckle your way through it. You don’t get extra points for doing it the hard way.

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You get leverage by knowing where your brilliance is best spent.

The 3-Part Writing Workflow That Saves Me 5+ Hours Per Week

Here’s how I use AI to write smarter, not lazier:

Step 1: Draft with Direction

Use an AI tool like ChatGPT or Claude to generate the first draft. But don’t just say "Write a memo."

Prompt like a director, not a taskmaster:

"Write a client-facing project recap email. Keep it warm but concise. Include these three milestones, and link the shared doc at the end."

Use structure. Use voice tone. You’ll get far better results.

Step 2: Add Human Context

Review the AI draft and add the insights only you have.

  • What’s the real story behind this update?
  • Is there emotional context that should be acknowledged?
  • Can you personalize it with names, nuance, or observations?

This is where you bring the humanity back in.

Step 3: Final Polish + Format

Run the final version back through your AI tool and say:

“Make this 10% more conversational. Break up long sentences. Keep the core message tight."

Never accept the first draft. You’ll end up with a clean, clear message that reads like you wrote it—just on your best day, with a full night’s sleep.

My Favorite AI Writing Tools for 2025

These are the tools I use and recommend to clients:

  • ChatGPT Pro: Great for content, emails, and strategic thinking prompts.
  • Claude AI: Better at long-form writing, nuance, and tone.
  • Superhuman AI: Email drafting and triage built into your inbox.
  • Notion AI: Powerful for content drafting inside docs and team systems.
  • Superwhisper: Voice-to-text capture tool for dictating ideas on the go.

Looking for more? I broke down all my favorites here: The Best AI Tools for Productivity in 2025

Still Doing It the Hard Way? Try This First

Pick one writing task you hate doing but keep getting stuck with.

  • Rewriting the same type of email over and over?
  • Drafting team updates or status reports?
  • Reworking proposals or pitches that feel like copy-paste jobs?

Next time, feed the context into your AI tool. Ask it to draft a version. Then edit it like a human.

The result? 15 minutes of thoughtful input instead of 90 minutes of struggle.

Still Not Convinced? Here’s the Math

Let’s say AI saves you:

  • 15 minutes a day on emails
  • 30 minutes a week on internal updates
  • 1 hour per proposal or client recap

That’s 5 to 7 hours per week. Over a year? 250+ hours saved.

What could you do with that time? More deep work. More leadership. More rest. More life.

AI isn’t the villain. Busywork is.

External Resource That Supports AI for Writing 

To deepen your understanding of how knowledge workers waste time, check out this report from McKinsey on the economic potential of generative AI. Spoiler: they estimate 60% of work time could be automated or accelerated.

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You don’t need to write everything with AI. But you also don’t need to prove yourself by doing it all by hand.

The smart move? Keep the sacred parts sacred. Automate the rest.

That’s how you protect your brilliance—and your time.

Be sure to find me on Instagram, X, and LinkedIn for more tools, systems, and frameworks to help you work wisely—not relentlessly.