How to Write a Full Book Using ChatGPT

The Nerdy Novelist
13 Oct 202338:32

TLDRIn this informative video, author Jason, an experienced writer of 12 published books, shares his expertise on leveraging AI, specifically Chat GPT, to assist in the book writing process. He emphasizes the importance of the 'fractal method', starting from a small concept and progressively expanding it into a full synopsis, outline, and manuscript. Jason highlights the need for human validation at each step to ensure accuracy and alignment with the author's vision. He demonstrates how to use Chat GPT for both fiction and non-fiction, including generating ideas, creating detailed outlines, and drafting chapters. For fiction, he uses the 'Save the Cat' beats, while for non-fiction, he prefers a hybrid approach where he writes the creative parts and AI handles the informational sections. Throughout the video, Jason stresses the significance of personal input and the AI as a tool for productivity, not replacement.

Takeaways

  • 📚 Jason, an author with 12 published books, shares his expertise on using AI for writing.
  • ✍️ For non-fiction, GPT 4 is preferred over GPT 3.5 for higher quality and accuracy.
  • 🚀 GPT's new features, like image analysis, are useful for writers, and integration with Dolly 3 is anticipated for book cover creation.
  • 📈 The 'fractal method' involves expanding a small concept into a larger synopsis, outline, story beats, and finally a full manuscript.
  • 🤖 AI can assist with the grunt work of writing but requires human validation at each step to ensure accuracy and alignment with the author's vision.
  • 🧠 It's crucial to interject human input and edit AI-generated content to maintain the author's unique style and voice.
  • 💡 Brainstorming ideas can be done through AI with prompts, but the author should have a genuine interest or expertise in the subject.
  • 🧩 Character and world development is essential and should be fleshed out, even when using AI to generate story elements.
  • 📝 When outlining, ensure the AI focuses on creating engaging chapter summaries, and avoid weak openings that lack action.
  • 🔍 Validate each chapter and story beat generated by AI, enhancing and adjusting them to fit the narrative's flow and quality standards.
  • ✅ For non-fiction, use a hybrid approach by writing creative sections like hooks and stories yourself, and letting AI handle more informational parts based on your input.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of discussion in the video?

    -The main topic of discussion in the video is how to use AI, specifically Chat GPT, to write a full book, covering both fiction and non-fiction.

  • Who is the speaker in the video?

    -The speaker in the video is Jason, who is an author with experience in writing and publishing 12 books and is an expert in using AI for book writing.

  • What are the potential issues with using GPT 3.5 for writing a book?

    -Using GPT 3.5 for writing a book could result in lower quality output, especially for non-fiction, where it might provide incorrect information or make mistakes.

  • What is the 'fractal method' mentioned in the video?

    -The 'fractal method' is a process where you start with a small concept for the book and then progressively expand it to a larger synopsis, outline, and story beats, eventually writing the entire prose.

  • Why is it important to validate the AI's output at each step when writing a book?

    -It is important to validate the AI's output at each step to ensure accuracy, consistency with the writer's vision, and to maintain the intended style and direction of the book.

  • What is the role of custom instructions in using AI for writing a book?

    -Custom instructions allow the AI to remember specific guidelines for the entirety of the chat, which can be useful for maintaining consistency in the book's content and style.

  • What is the recommended approach for writing non-fiction with AI?

    -The recommended approach for writing non-fiction with AI is a hybrid method where the author writes the creative parts like hooks and stories, and the AI generates the more informational sections based on the information provided by the author.

  • Why is it suggested to use GPT 4 for writing a book rather than GPT 3.5?

    -GPT 4 is suggested over GPT 3.5 because it offers higher quality output, more features, and better performance, especially for non-fiction, where accuracy and quality of information are crucial.

  • What is the significance of Publisher Rocket in the context of the video?

    -Publisher Rocket is mentioned as a valuable tool for finding keywords relevant to an author's expertise, which can help in increasing online visibility and targeting the right audience for their books.

  • What are the key elements that should be included in every chapter or major section of a non-fiction book?

    -Every chapter or major section of a non-fiction book should ideally include a hook to draw the reader in, a story to illustrate and prove the hook, and detailed information on how to apply or understand the concepts discussed.

  • Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of being an expert or having a genuine interest in the subject when writing non-fiction?

    -The speaker emphasizes this because writing non-fiction requires credibility and depth of knowledge. It's important to write about subjects one is passionate about or has expertise in to provide valuable, accurate, and engaging content to the readers.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Writing Books with AI: An Expert's Perspective

Jason, an experienced author of 12 published books, discusses the use of AI in writing. He emphasizes the importance of AI writing tools like GPT 4 for their advanced features and the potential for creating book covers with AI. Jason introduces the 'fractal method' of writing, which involves expanding a concept into a full novel through incremental steps, and stresses the need for human validation at each stage to ensure accuracy and alignment with the writer's vision.

05:00

🚀 From Idea to Synopsis: Crafting a Superhero Story

Jason demonstrates the process of brainstorming a high-concept superhero story with a unique twist using AI prompts. He highlights the need for a detailed synopsis structured in the traditional three-act format. The AI generates a synopsis, which Jason refines to ensure it aligns with his creative vision. He also discusses the importance of character and world development, which are crucial for creating a compelling narrative.

10:04

📝 Outlining and Writing the Fictional Narrative

The paragraph details the process of transforming a synopsis into a chapter outline using the 'Save the Cat' beats. Jason points out the importance of fleshing out each chapter and the need for human input to refine the AI-generated content. He also covers the process of writing detailed action beats for a script and emphasizes using proper nouns for clarity. The paragraph concludes with the first draft of a chapter, showcasing how AI can assist in writing prose.

15:05

🖋️ Editing and Refining the Manuscript

Jason talks about the iterative process of editing and refining the text generated by AI. He suggests that while AI can be a powerful tool for improving productivity, the writer must take responsibility for the quality of the final manuscript. He also hints at a future video that will delve deeper into the editing process and how to effectively use AI to enhance one's writing.

20:07

📚 Non-Fiction Writing: Expertise and Research

In this paragraph, Jason addresses the process of non-fiction writing, emphasizing that it should be approached by those who are genuinely interested in the subject or are already experts. He outlines a method for brainstorming book ideas based on one's areas of expertise and provides an example prompt for generating 20 book ideas. The paragraph also touches on the importance of not merely chasing niche markets but providing valuable content.

25:09

🎓 Structuring Non-Fiction Content with AI Assistance

Jason illustrates how to use AI for structuring non-fiction content by expanding on a chosen book idea into a comprehensive list of topics that could become chapters. He discusses the efficiency of GPT in handling non-fiction due to its accuracy and formatting capabilities. The paragraph also includes a brief sponsorship message for Publisher Rocket, a tool for finding keywords, and concludes with an outline of 20 potential chapters for a book on self-publishing and SEO for authors.

30:10

📝 Writing Non-Fiction: A Hybrid Approach

The final paragraph details Jason's preferred approach to writing non-fiction, which involves a hybrid of human creativity and AI efficiency. He explains that he writes the creative parts, such as hooks and stories, himself and then uses AI to construct the informational sections based on the key points he provides. Jason also discusses the importance of storytelling in non-fiction and how it can make the content more engaging. The paragraph ends with a reflection on using AI as a productivity tool rather than a replacement for human effort.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Chat GPT

Chat GPT refers to a language model developed by OpenAI that is capable of generating human-like text based on given prompts. In the video, it is used as a tool to assist in writing both fiction and non-fiction books, demonstrating its utility in content creation and the automation of certain writing tasks.

💡Fractal Method

The Fractal Method is a writing technique described in the video where the process starts with a small concept and gradually expands it into a larger synopsis, outline, and story beats before writing the entire prose. It is a strategic approach to ensure a structured and progressive development of a book's content.

💡GPT 3.5 and GPT 4

GPT 3.5 and GPT 4 are versions of the GPT model, with GPT 4 being a more advanced and higher-quality version suitable for writing tasks. The video suggests that while GPT 3.5 can be used, especially for non-fiction, GPT 4 is preferable for its enhanced capabilities and reduced likelihood of errors.

💡AI Writing

AI Writing involves the use of artificial intelligence to assist in the writing process. The video's host, Jason, an expert in writing books, demonstrates how AI can be utilized to generate ideas, outlines, and even full chapters, emphasizing the importance of human validation and input at each step to ensure the writing aligns with the author's vision.

💡Custom Instructions

Custom Instructions is a feature within the Chat GPT model that allows users to provide specific directives for the AI to follow throughout a session. In the context of the video, custom instructions are used to guide the AI in generating content that adheres to the author's style and requirements, such as 'show don't tell' or 'deep point of view'.

💡Story Beats

Story Beats are specific points or events in a narrative structure that drive the story forward. The video discusses using AI to generate detailed action beats for a story, which are then fleshed out to create engaging and dynamic chapters in a book.

💡Non-fiction

Non-fiction refers to a genre of literature that presents information based on real-life events, people, or phenomena. In the video, the author emphasizes the importance of expertise when writing non-fiction and how AI can be used to structure and draft chapters, especially in areas where the author has in-depth knowledge.

💡Validation

Validation in the context of the video means the process of reviewing and confirming that the AI-generated content is accurate, aligns with the author's intended message, and is free from errors. It is a crucial step in the AI writing process to ensure the final output meets the author's expectations and maintains quality.

💡Superhero Genre

The Superhero Genre is a category of fiction characterized by stories about superheroes, who are individuals with extraordinary abilities using their powers to fight against evil. In the video, a superhero story serves as an example of how AI can help in brainstorming and structuring a fiction novel.

💡Publisher Rocket

Publisher Rocket is a tool mentioned in the video that helps authors find keywords relevant to their books, which can improve the visibility and discoverability of their work on platforms like Amazon. It is used for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) purposes to help authors increase their online presence.

💡SEO for Authors

SEO for Authors refers to the practice of optimizing one's writing to rank higher in search engine results, thereby increasing the visibility of their books to potential readers. The video discusses how AI can assist in outlining and drafting chapters related to SEO strategies tailored for authors.

Highlights

Jason, an author with 12 published books, shares his expertise on using AI to write a book.

AI models like GPT 4 are more suitable for writing non-fiction due to their higher quality and lower error rates.

The 'fractal method' involves expanding a book idea step by step from concept to full synopsis, outline, and story beats.

AI can assist with the 'grunt work' of writing, but human input is crucial for accuracy and maintaining the author's vision.

GPT Plus offers extra features like image analysis, which can be useful for writers.

The upcoming Dolly 3 is expected to enhance AI writing capabilities, possibly including book cover creation.

When using AI for outlining, it's common to start with a high-level concept and iteratively add more detail.

Character and world-building are important steps, even when using AI, to ensure depth and uniqueness in a story.

AI-generated outlines can lack action or focus on characters, necessitating author intervention to improve them.

The 'Save the Cat' beats is a popular outlining process that can be adapted for use with AI in writing fiction.

AI can help write detailed action beats for a story, but authors should validate and personalize each beat.

When writing prose with AI, it's important to establish a writing style that suits the genre and author's voice.

Editing AI-generated content and then resubmitting it for improvement can lead to better manuscript quality.

For non-fiction, authors should draw on their expertise or deep interest in a subject to ensure authenticity and value.

AI can provide a list of potential chapter topics for a non-fiction book based on the author's areas of expertise.

Publisher Rocket is a recommended tool for finding keywords and analyzing categories, useful for both fiction and non-fiction authors.

Non-fiction writing with AI benefits from a hybrid approach where the author writes creative sections and AI handles informational content.

Every good non-fiction chapter should have a hook, a story, and informative content structured for reader engagement.

AI writing tools should be used as a productivity aid rather than a replacement for the author's creativity and expertise.