Tracy Higley
13 traditionally published novels. 20+ years of craft. First #8 Amazon bestseller in historical mysteries.
How a 20-Year Veteran Finally Found AI That Works With Her Process
What Stood in the Way
Tracy Higley didn't need AI to become a writer. She'd been published since 2002 — 13 books with traditional publishers, then a decade building an indie career. But when she started experimenting with AI in early 2023, something went wrong.
False starts on multiple projects. Stories drifting in directions she didn't want. Plot holes multiplying during editing. Creative excitement fading. More work fixing AI output than it saved.
"I was really handing too much of it over to AI. I wasn't feeling my creativity kicking in. It was like I was on the sidelines while AI was pantsing it."
For a self-described "off the charts plotter" who'd spent 20 years mastering story structure, watching an AI improvise her mysteries was disorienting.
How Everything Changed
The breakthrough came two weeks before her interview. Not a new technique — a return to fundamentals.
"Instead of making up a new process, and instead of copying anybody else's process, I just needed to use my process that I've always used for all my books for 20 some years. But then have the AI help me make it faster, better."
Plotdrive felt like Scrivener with AI built in. Her scene worksheet — the extensive document she'd used for years to plan each scene — now lives in Plotdrive as a template. She duplicates it for each scene, and instead of answering every question herself, she hits "Go" under each section.
The worksheet that once took hours now takes 30 minutes — and it's richer than anything she could produce alone.
The Numbers
"It doesn't necessarily make me faster. But it's so much more fun and not nearly as draining, so I can go longer in the day."
What Tracy Achieved
The Process Transformation
The Craft Transformation
"I just needed to use my process that I've always used. But then have the AI help me make it faster, better."
Other Success Stories
Discover how other authors transformed their writing with Plotdrive
Katherine Owen
Amazon #107 bestseller. Back after 10 years.
"I'm extremely dangerous with AI right now because I got it dialed in."Read Story
Michael Brown
Stanford. Tech founder. First novel at 79.
"Plotdrive made me love doing it. It really did. It's all I want to do."Read Story
Russell Nohelty
77+ books. $400k/year business.
"I didn't think I'd ever write a book again."Read Story