A writer’s assistant

jeffcnichols

I tentatively signed up for a new AI-based writing tool called Spiral. I’m just beginning to explore what it can do for a writer, and my first test was to use it as a research assistant. I asked Spiral “Is Mark Pope a good coach?” The app told me that it was going out to the web to get information relevant to my question and “pondering” before it gave an answer. It pondered for about 5 minutes, and then produced this nicely-formatted answer.

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Mark Pope: A Nuanced Assessment

Based on the latest information, Mark Pope is a good coach with a proven track record, but there are legitimate questions about whether he can meet the elite expectations at Kentucky. Here’s the breakdown:

The Case FOR Pope

Strong Overall Record

  • Career record: 211-120 (.637 winning percentage) over 10 years
  • BYU success: 110-52 in 5 seasons, including a 66-12 home record at the Marriott Center
  • Big 12 performance: Led BYU to 5th place in their first season, beating top programs like #7 Kansas and #11 Baylor

Year 1 at Kentucky Was Solid

  • Went 24-12 and reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019
  • Major wins over Duke, Louisville, and eventual national champion Florida (106-100)
  • Started 7-2 against AP Top 25 teams
  • Won his first NCAA Tournament game as a coach

Coaching Style

  • Known for installing an exciting, fast-paced offensive system
  • Highly regarded for player development and team culture

The Concerns

Year 2 Struggles (2025-26 Season)

  • After a hot start against ranked teams, Kentucky has lost 9 of 11 games vs. ranked opponents
  • CBS Sports and local media are questioning roster construction and in-game decisions
  • Analysts note he may be “overthinking” during tough stretches
  • Perimeter shooting and performance against power-conference teams have declined

NCAA Tournament History

  • Before Kentucky, Pope was 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament (two first-round exits at BYU)
  • His March track record was a red flag before Year 1

The Verdict

Mark Pope is a good coach — his overall winning percentage and program-building at BYU prove that. However, the question isn’t whether he’s good, but whether he’s Kentucky-level great. The early returns are mixed:

  • Year 1: Exceeded reasonable expectations
  • Year 2: Showing concerning trends against elite competition

It’s too early to make a final judgment. As one Lexington Herald-Leader columnist put it: “It’s far too soon to give up on Mark Pope — but there are some warning signs.”

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That’s not bad at all. It would have taken me quite a while – an hour or two – to gather all that data and then write a short article citing it. If I were still in the workplace, or working as a freelance writer, this would be immensely useful. Right away I can predict the rise of “super-employees”, who use tools like this and produce 2x or even 10x the work product they used to. Or produce the same work product 2-10x faster.

Then…I told Spiral I was writing a murder mystery on the Moon, and it responded with this:

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That’s a compelling premise, Jeff! A murder mystery on the Moon offers some fascinating constraints—limited suspects, no easy escape, unique forensic challenges in low gravity and a sealed environment.

What can I help you with? Are you looking for:

  • Research on lunar science, Moon bases, or space travel logistics?
  • Help writing specific scenes, chapters, or content for the novel?
  • Something else like brainstorming plot elements or working through story problems?

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Hmmmm. I’ve been stuck on the novel for months, and have pretty much given up. Too many edits, too many versions, just confused on how to finish. But can I use Spiral to restart the writing process? Maybe help with some problematic plot elements, or help me fill in more/better scenes in Act 2 (I think I have a solid Act 1 and Act 3 – the book’s middle is what has me stuck.)

There’s probably a fine line between using an AI tool for research and plotting, versus using it to generate the actual text. Publishers are already taking a hard line – no AI-generated stories allowed. So proceed with caution.

But this might be what it takes to get me writing again.