Toward Personalizable AI Node Graph Creative Writing Support: Insights on Preferences for Generative AI Features and Information Presentation Across Story Writing Processes

Abstract

As story writing requires diverse resources, a single system combining these resources could improve personalization. We leverage the broad capabilities of generative AI to support both more general story writing needs and an understudied but essential aspect reflection on the moral (lesson) conveyed. Through a formative study (N=12), a user study (N=14), and external evaluation (N=19), we designed, implemented, then studied a prototype plugin for FigJam supporting visualization of the story structure through customizable node graph editing, LLM audience impersonation (chatbot and non-chatbot interfaces), and image and audio generative AI features. Our findings support writers’ preference for leveraging unique interplays of our breadth of features to satisfy shifting needs across writing processes, from conveying a moral across audience groups to story writing in general. We discuss how our tool design and findings can inform model bias, personalized writing support, and visualization research.