The development of large language models (LLMs) capable of following instructions and engaging in conversational interactions sparked increased interest in their utilization across various support tools. We investigate the utility of modern LLMs in assisting professional writers via an empirical user study (n=30). The design of our collaborative writing interface is grounded in the cognitive process model of writing that views writing as a goal-oriented thinking process encompassing non-linear cognitive activities: planning, translating, and reviewing. Participants are asked to submit a post-completion survey to provide feedback on the potential and pitfalls of LLMs as writing collaborators. Upon analyzing the writer-LLM interactions, we find that while writers seek LLM's help across all three types of cognitive activities, they find LLMs more helpful in translation and reviewing. Our findings from analyzing both the interactions and the survey responses highlight future research directions in creative writing assistance using LLMs.

翻译：能够遵循指令并进行对话交互的大语言模型（LLMs）的发展，激发了人们对其在各类支持工具中应用的兴趣。我们通过一项实证用户研究（n=30）考察了现代LLMs在协助专业作家方面的效用。我们协作写作界面的设计基于写作的认知过程模型，该模型将写作视为一个包含非线性认知活动（规划、转译和审校）的目标导向思维过程。参与者被要求提交一份完成后的调查问卷，以反馈LLMs作为写作合作者的潜力和不足。通过分析作家与LLMs的交互，我们发现，尽管作家在三种认知活动中都寻求LLMs的帮助，但他们认为LLMs在转译和审校方面更有用。我们对交互和调查问卷结果的分析，凸显了利用LLMs进行创意写作辅助的未来研究方向。