The author's AI rulebook: Work with GPT without betraying your voice (or conscience)
I make AI my writing partner, not a ghostwriter. Which means there are things I will (and won't) do with AI.
AI can be a powerful partner in the writing process, but what can ever replace the human touch? The answer is definitely not the AI of today. I’d argue it’ll never be the AI of the future either (because the human touch is just that), but that’s a conversation for another day.
Key Takeaways:
The best way to avoid plagiarism is to rewrite any AI-assisted ideas BEFORE they go into your draft
Whether you have a manuscript, poem, or short story, there’s no compelling reason to paste it into an AI chat
AI can definitively craft a story, but the lack of human touch will always be a detriment for the reader connection
And so I’ve given myself some clear boundaries around my writing and AI. Simple rules that ultimately aid me in keeping my voice and originality. The core idea: use AI not to write for me, but to enhance my space to be creative. Keep reading for not only my three rules but practical tips on how to abide them in my every day use.
Sidebar: I’ll admit, I’ve experimented with using AI to write stories, but haven’t finished one (though it’s obvious you can get stories out). My issue being that it didn’t feel right to write or read. Something was missing.
Rule 1: AI never writes for me
Every word of my drafts (a list that includes short stories, scripts, flash fiction and manuscripts), and all their dialog and description, always originate from me.
That’s because I have a core belief that a writer’s voice is synonymous with that ordered ping ponging of ideas that is unique to any given brain. Selfishly, this is to preserve my joy of writing more than anything, but it also saves me time. AI is not a substitute for human creativity and originality (they’re more like a summary of it).
Add all that up, and there’s a much higher chance of prose I like coming straight from the source — me.
Practical tips:
Don’t ask it to write manuscript chapters or short stories
Don’t paste in your stories (by and large, I haven’t found many reasons to do so anyway)
There’s little harm in sharing character profiles or setting details (and sharing them can open up some great brainstorming)
Rule 2: I do everything I can to avoid plagiarizing
In my other life (software engineering), I once had someone tell me: Security means going farther than you think you need to. That’s an accurate mantra for avoiding plagiarism. And I’m not talking the “my homework isn’t my homework” type. It’s entirely possible for AI to write in someone’s voice, and you’ve probably tried it already.
To the brethren of authors, plagiarism of style is the point. Granted, that’s a real (and pessimistic) fear for only the most established writers. But you don’t really want to get on Stephen King’s bad side, do you?
Would the poems of Walt Whitman drip with the same feelings if they were spit out by technology? In word choice, maybe, but in the all-important reader connection? As writers, I think it’s imperative we believe they wouldn’t.
But the more salient point for today’s aspiring authors. I can inherently write like Woody Allen all day long (I don’t), but in 2024 there’s a whole lot more reason to call into question if that’s a happy coincidence or a blatant act of copycatting.
Practical tips:
Don’t ask it to write your chapters or short stories (the easy answer)
Avoid pasting AI-generated descriptions or dialogue into your drafts
When you ask chatGPT to “write like X”, use a role (“horror author” or “16th century romantic”) as opposed to actual writers
If you admire elements of another writer’s style, AI can help you understand the tenets of said style (to learn from)
Rule 3: I filter each (and I mean every) word before it goes in
As a writer of historical fiction, there are times I use AI to help stir ideas about my time periods. For example:
In short and rough wording, please describe a vacant warehouse in Kansas City in 1890. You must use at least 100-200 words.
I use those ideas as a starting point. I personalize (and elevate) ideas by editing words for tone and scrutinizing pacing.
Practical tips:
Work from the essence of what AI provides, not the phrasing
AI tends to make both predictable (and drab) verb choices, start by rewriting those
Don’t forget that AI is terrible for fact-checking
Rule 4: I have no rules about using AI for my promo and marketing
Do I use it to write promotional materials? From dawn till dusk. That said, I do still make sure that what gets posted aligns with my tone and voice. In a lot of ways I’m still developing my marketing voice (meaning it’s harder to expect AI to nail it). But more importantly, I have a standard.
Practical tips:
The best way to ensure consistency is in the act of giving everything a final once over
Define your own tone and voice before leaning into AI (or AI will do it for you)
Your authorial voice is not the same as your marketing voice (though it can be if you want)
The unwritten rule: We read things because a human wrote them
Would the average moviegoer be so enthralled by Star Wars if it weren’t George Lucas behind it, but AI? Or would the poems of Walt Whitman drip with the same feelings if they were spit out by technology? In word choice, maybe, but in the all-important reader connection?
As writers, I think it’s imperative we believe they wouldn’t. Maybe that’s the most important rule of all.
By collaborating with AI, I can expand my creative bandwidth, but the stories I tell remain firmly human, and more importantly, me. What lines do you draw in the sand around your use of AI?
All of that said…
AI can be an elite brainstorming tool, where it can help with:
Brainstorming character flaws and arcs
Coming up with plot devices
Creating plot twists for mysteries
Constructing complex fantasy world governments
Crafting eerie atmosphere descriptions for horror
Generating thematic symbolism for literary fiction
Designing multi-dimensional antagonists for thrillers
Creating historical accuracy for dialogue in historical fiction
Developing intricate heist plans for crime novels
Designing magic systems for fantasy novels
Creating relationships and interpersonal conflicts
Developing conspiracy theories for dystopian stories
Crafting social hierarchies for dystopian or fantasy settings
Crafting red herrings for murder mysteries
Generating alternate history timelines for speculative fiction
Designing cursed objects for horror stories
Generating evocative names for characters and places
Suggesting spiritual or religious systems for fantasy worlds
Outlining intricate puzzles or clues for adventure novels
Creating detailed battle strategies for military fiction
Sub-Prompts
Define and explore your own use of AI with these additional sub-prompts:
Sub-prompt 1: Identify ways AI can help brainstorm for your genre
I'm coming up with a list of ways I as a {GENRE} author can use AI to brainstorm during the novel writing process. I've provided some example ideas below, but I need you to provide at least 20 more ideas. These ideas should be very detailed. You must phrase your examples similarly to the ones I’ve provided.
GENRE = ["Historical Fiction", "Horror", etc.]
-- Brainstorming ideas START --
Developing character profiles
Providing research ideas for a character or place
Generating ideas around setting (particularly helpful for historical fiction or fantasy)
Free-thinking events in your timeline or world (sci-fi/fantasy)
-- Brainstorming ideas END --Sub-prompt 2: Describe the style of a given writing sample
This one sits in the danger zone. Use it to help create the mental model for your style, not to feed right back to AI.
Please review the following writing sample and give me a very detailed description of the writing style. You must describe the writing style of this sample in less than 300 words. You must format your output as a bulleted list. You must be descriptive and consider all of the following elements inherent to writing style, including:
1. Diction: The specific words an author chooses to use, impacting the level of formality and meaning conveyed.
2. Tone: The author's attitude towards the subject matter, which can be serious, humorous, sarcastic, etc.
3. Voice: The perceived personality of the author as expressed through their writing.
4. Syntax: The arrangement of words within a sentence, including sentence length and complexity.
5. Point of View: The perspective from which the story is told (first person, third person limited, etc.)
6. Figurative Language: Literary devices like metaphors, similes, and personification used to create imagery.
7. Imagery: Vivid descriptions that appeal to the reader's senses
8. Rhythm: The flow and cadence of the writing, influenced by sentence structure and word choice
-- Writing sample START --
[Include writing sample - or multiple - of your writer of choice]
-- Writing sample END --