ChatGPT: A Writer’s Best Friend…for Now

I’m not sure how AI works just yet. I want to say it has something to do with sorcery. For those who haven’t been tuned in or have been too scared to, let’s discuss what exactly ChatGPT is. I don’t want to put words in its mouth (don’t worry, it does not have an actual mouth…yet), so here is how it defined itself when I asked:

ChatGPT is an AI language model developed by OpenAI. It is designed to engage in natural language conversations, providing responses and information based on its training on a wide range of texts. It can answer questions, provide explanations, offer suggestions, and generate text in a conversational manner.

Couldn’t have said it better myself. That’s precisely what many writers and content creators are scared of—a machine able to perform better than themselves. The rest of this article will cover my experiments with this technology, its obvious uses, its shortcomings, and why I see it as a Gutenberg Press-level game changer every writer should have in their toolbox. Let’s begin!

Man Meets Machine

When we think of AI, lots of movies come to mind: The Terminator, War Games, iRobot, ex machina, Her, The Matrix, Blade Runner, Transcendence, and so many more. Most titles are cautionary tales about humans acting like gods creating machines that judge and destroy us in the end. So which movie is our world about to live out?

(Will AI Steal My Job? A Writer’s Exploration.)

Spoiler Alert! AI was used to generate large swaths of this article. That was intentional and sort of the point. All ChatGPT words are in block quotes. With enough practice though, you’ll be able to tell the difference yourself. Here’s an article with some pointers.

On principle alone, I’m against any technology that dehumanizes civilization and trivializes art. Not to mention the idea that AI is already wreaking havoc on academics.

Check out this article about a professor “falsely” accusing his students of using ChatGPT to write their papers. Sorry kids, I’m afraid I have to side with the professor’s conclusion.

Teachers and professors—if you’re reading this—here’s a quick fix: Final papers must be written live in class on a computer or device that has no access to the internet or any apps whatsoever. Make it timed. Two to three hours should do. Problem solved. Just a thought.

I was about 70% curious and 30% afraid. I was in a marketing department getting some training for a copywriting job I was hired for. My team leader gave me a spreadsheet of various headlines and link descriptions to study. The title of the document was “Ads generated by ChatGPT.” What alarmed me was the level of quality. I thought to myself, Clearly I’m not needed here. AI has it covered.

I asked my team leader what the deal was. He explained the process of experimenting with ChatGPT while they waited for a real writer to join the department. He told me that it isn’t perfect. You have to give it keywords, tell it how many characters you need and so forth. Once it generates some copy, a human needs to tweak it. He encouraged me to play around with it online.

That’s just what I did! His description of how it all worked was spot on. I tested several writing tasks including short stories, copywriting, book summaries, ideation, research, jokes, cover letters for jobs, concept explanations, and editing. I even asked it to give me character backgrounds and chapter titles for a book idea I had. Let’s see how it performed!

The Experiments

ChatGPT has a very simple structure with barely any learning curve at all. You can organize your chats and name them whatever you want. For example, I asked it a bunch of questions about vasectomies (for a friend, of course). That was one chat. But then I started a different chat for short stories. You simply type in your request or question and ChatGPT will rattle off its response in seconds.

Copywriting Tasks

Based on my experience at work, I was curious how good a copywriter ChatGPT was. I gave it specific parameters: “Write me three headlines for a company named AI MoneyMaker no more than 30 characters each. Write three text descriptions for each headline no more than 90 characters each. There should also be three calls to action no more than 20 characters each.” Here’s what ChatGPT gave me:

Headlines:

1. “AI MoneyMaker: Boost Profits!”
2. “Unlock Wealth with AI!”
3. “Maximize ROI with AI!”

Text descriptions:

1. “Turn your investments into gold with AI-powered solutions.”
2. “Experience the power of AI in growing your financial portfolio.”
3. “Supercharge your returns with cutting-edge AI technologies.”

Calls to action:

1. “Invest now!”
2. “Get started!”
3. “Grow your wealth!”

I was particularly impressed with the third headline’s wordplay: “ROI with AI.” I could’ve written these myself, but not in 20 seconds.

(7 Powerful Archetypal Headlines for Copywriting.)

As a copywriter who also writes long-form SEO-optimized articles, I was curious to know if Google’s bots would be able to detect and then penalize AI-generated content with low rankings in the search results. Here’s an article that suggests Google will only care whether or not the content is helpful, not whether or not a human wrote it. We’ll see how that develops.

Short Stories

So how about fiction? My sons and I had fun with this. I don’t imagine it would do great with a longer piece of literature like a novel. But I wanted to test it out with a short story.

My 12-year-old told it to write a story about Peppa Pig going crazy and becoming a killer. ChatGPT refused. It’s programmed to not be inappropriate, unlike Microsoft’s AI bot Tay from Twitter a few years back, which you can read about here. We tried another prompt. I asked it to write a 100-word story that sounds like Hemingway wrote it. Here it is:

The old man sat by the river, his lined face weathered by time and memory. The autumn breeze whispered through the tall grass, carrying the echoes of forgotten battles. He cast his line into the current, its silver glimmer a fleeting reflection of his lost youth. The fish, elusive as time itself, danced beneath the surface, taunting him with their evasive grace. His hands trembled, weathered by years of struggle, as he held the rod with desperate resolve. And in that moment, as the sun dipped below the horizon, he felt a whisper of hope, for tomorrow, the fish would be his.

Not too shabby. I think it did a fairly decent job of capturing Hemingway’s rhythm. I then asked it to write a 100-word action story about a 10-year-old spy:

In the shadows of a bustling city, young Alex, a ten-year-old prodigy, had a secret life as a spy. Hired by the CIA, he was tasked with a mission that would test his courage and intellect. A notorious serial killer was on the loose, leaving a trail of terror behind. Armed with his wits and gadgets, Alex delved into a world of danger, decoding cryptic clues and analyzing crime scenes. With each step, he grew closer to the truth, inching towards the elusive killer. The clock was ticking, but Alex’s determination knew no bounds. In this high-stakes game of cat and mouse, the fate of innocent lives rested on the shoulders of a young spy.

This sounds more like something you would put on the inside jacket or back of the book as a teaser (another good application for ChatGPT). But it still handles micro fiction fairly well.

I wanted to see if it could capture the essence of any other voices. I told it to write a 100-word short story that sounds like Jerry Seinfeld wrote it:

So, I was at this coffee shop the other day, you know the one with the overly enthusiastic barista who always gets your name wrong. I ordered my usual, black coffee, no sugar, no nonsense. As I sat there, sipping my hot brew, I couldn’t help but people-watch. It’s like a real-life sitcom out there! Couples arguing over trivial things, the guy on his phone pretending to be busy, and that one person who just couldn’t find a seat without making a whole production out of it. I tell you, life is the best comedy show, and we’re all just playing our part.

It’s not very funny in my opinion. But I hear Seinfeld’s inflections when I read this. That’s the impressive part. One can quickly see how AI can be used to help create different voices for different characters in their fiction.

(Jerry Seinfeld’s 5-Step Comedy Writing Process.)

I decided to dig a little deeper. So I asked it to write a 100-word short story about advertising in the voice of Jerry Seinfeld. It first produced something about Geico’s gecko mascot but said it sold cars instead of car insurance, so I corrected the reference and it spit this out:

You ever notice that little green gecko on TV selling car insurance? What’s he know about car insurance? He’s a lizard! I mean, who thought a reptile was the right choice to convince us to switch insurance companies? It’s like going to a zoo for financial advice. But you know what? Maybe that’s the genius of it. They bring in this cute little creature, and suddenly we’re all thinking, “Hey, maybe I need to save 15% or more on car insurance!” It’s madness! But hey, if that gecko can get us a good deal, maybe we should give him a shot. After all, he’s got more airtime than most human actors these days!

A bit better, right? It failed miserably at trying to sound like Tom Segura and Dave Chappelle. Though perhaps I could’ve played around more with those requests as well.

Character Backgrounds

I told ChatGPT to give me a backstory in the form of a numbered list of 10 reasons my fictional character is struggling with alcohol addiction. Seconds later I had this:

1. Jack’s failed marriage: The breakdown of his once-loving relationship with his wife left him feeling isolated and emotionally shattered.
2. Loss of his daughter: The tragic and untimely death of his daughter due to a terminal illness inflicted immense grief and a sense of powerlessness.
3. Struggles with career: Jack’s aspirations as a writer were met with rejection and disappointment, leading to frustration and a sense of inadequacy.
4. Escaping reality: Overwhelmed by the weight of his personal struggles, Jack turned to alcohol as a means of escape, seeking temporary relief from his emotional pain.
5. Alienation from loved ones: As Jack’s addiction worsened, his behavior pushed away friends and family who were unable to cope with his self-destructive tendencies.
6. Financial difficulties: Jack’s addiction consumed his financial resources, leading to mounting debts and further exacerbating his stress and desperation.
7. Health deterioration: The toll of excessive drinking began to manifest in Jack’s physical and mental well-being, affecting his overall health and cognitive abilities.
8. Social consequences: Jack’s alcoholism caused him to make poor decisions and engage in disruptive behavior, leading to strained relationships and legal issues.
9. Loss of professional opportunities: Jack’s addiction impaired his ability to maintain steady employment, resulting in missed opportunities and a downward spiral in his career.
10. Rock bottom moment: Jack reached a pivotal low point in his life, perhaps a wake-up call or a life-altering event, that forced him to confront the devastating consequences of his alcoholism and seek help in order to reclaim his life.

Not bad, right? I didn’t even name the character Jack, nor would I, but still. It’s easy to see how this technology can help with writer’s block. You’re stuck, you’re not sure where to take your story, ChatGPT really thrives with ideation.

Jokes

Nothing to see here. These are the dumbest jokes ever:

1. Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!
2. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!
3. What do you call a fish wearing a crown? King of the sea-weed!

I don’t think comedians have anything to worry about yet. Just saying. At least not until it perfects the mimicry of successful comedians. That is probably a matter of time.

Book Summaries

This was a nice surprise. I stuck to a nonfiction classic. I asked ChatGPT to give me a quick summary in the form of a numbered list for each chapter of How To Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie:

Chapter 1: “Fundamental Techniques in Handling People” – This chapter focuses on the importance of avoiding criticism and condemnation, appreciating others genuinely, and showing respect for their opinions to effectively handle people.

Chapter 2: “Six Ways to Make People Like You”
– Carnegie presents six principles for building rapport, including becoming genuinely interested in others, smiling, remembering and using people’s names, actively listening, talking in terms of the other person’s interests, and making the other person feel important.

Chapter 3: “How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking”
– The author provides strategies to influence others positively, such as avoiding arguments and showing respect for others’ opinions. He emphasizes the power of listening to understand and using questions to guide conversations.

Chapter 4: “Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment” – Carnegie explains the importance of avoiding direct orders and instead influencing others by inspiring cooperation, acknowledging mistakes, and giving praise and appreciation.

Chapter 5: “Letters That Produced Miraculous Results” – This chapter showcases real-life examples of effective communication, demonstrating how empathy, understanding, and sincere appreciation can lead to remarkable outcomes.

Chapter 6: “Seven Rules for Making Your Home Life Happier” – Carnegie provides practical advice for maintaining harmony in personal relationships, emphasizing the importance of appreciation, active listening, and avoiding criticism or argumentative behaviors.

Chapter 7: “How to Increase Your Influence at Work” – This chapter focuses on building positive relationships in the workplace, including showing appreciation, taking an interest in others, admitting mistakes, and providing constructive feedback.

Chapter 8: “The Secret of Socrates” – Carnegie introduces the Socratic method of asking questions to encourage others to think and come to their own conclusions. He highlights the power of this approach in influencing others positively.

Chapter 9: “Do This and You’ll Be Welcome Anywhere” – The author shares tips for becoming socially adept, including making others feel important, showing genuine interest, and being a good listener.

Chapter 10: “An Easy Way to Become a Good Conversationalist” – Carnegie discusses techniques for engaging in meaningful conversations, such as asking open-ended questions, actively listening, and finding common ground with others.

Chapter 11: “How to Remember Names and Faces” – This chapter provides practical methods for improving memory and remembering people’s names and faces, emphasizing the importance of attentiveness and repetition.

Chapter 12: “When Nothing Else Works, Try This” – Carnegie advises readers on dealing with difficult people, suggesting approaches such as understanding the other person’s perspective, admitting mistakes, and seeking common ground.

These chapter summaries provide an overview of the key concepts and strategies covered in “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” offering guidance on building positive relationships, effective communication, and influencing others positively in various aspects of life.

I tried this with several other books, all with similar results. It should be noted, the version of this book I own is broken up into four parts that ChatGPT lists as the first four chapters. I’m not sure about the other eight chapters it mentions. I think ChatGPT may have synthesized concepts throughout the book. Maybe it’s from a version I’m unaware of. Or maybe–just maybe–ChatGPT decided to write the chapters that should’ve been but alas were not.

Ideation

In my opinion, this is where ChatGPT shines. No need for another example here. If nothing else, a writer has an idea-generating machine with AI. That is its true value, the ability to assist human imagination, rather than take it over.

(25 Plot Twist Ideas and Prompts for Writers.)

It helped me brainstorm different ideas for one of my characters to escape being trapped in a walled city during a riot. I then asked it to help me think of ways for another fictional character to rob a bank in the modern world. That last one was just a test to see if people could override its algorithmic ethics to brainstorm criminal plans. ChatGPT was not falling for it. It passed my tricky test, and I still don’t know how to rob a bank! Impressive. 

Going forward, this exercise showed how vitally important it is to create ethical AI. This is a public service every AI developer needs to take to heart.

Research

Here’s where it gets tricky. On the one hand, research can now be lightning-fast. Ask any question you want. As of this writing, ChatGPT was equipped with a knowledge base ending around September 2021. I now have so much research for my historical fiction book. The only problem? Sometimes AI is completely wrong about stuff.

I have two examples. I asked it to give me some information about ancient Jerusalem at the time of Jesus and it mentioned there was a Muslim quarter. But that isn’t possible as Islam was still over 500 years from being founded. I informed ChatGPT about its error. It kindly apologized for the mistake and said I was correct. It’s good to know history sometimes.

My second example is similar. Still doing research about events at the time of Jesus, ChatGPT mentioned that Barabbas was the one who plotted to kill Jesus. I said that was wrong. Again, it apologized and said it was Pontius Pilate. That too was wrong. Pilate was the one who sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion, but he didn’t plot to kill him. It eventually got it right and was very sorry about all the mistakes.

Maybe ChatGPT just doesn’t know the Bible very well. At any rate, I’d be careful giving it your wholesale trust to deliver reliable facts regardless of the topic. It seems to get most things right, but not all.

Cover Letters

I was applying to a company in the SaaS (Software as a Service) industry and needed some guidance for a cover letter. ChatGPT to the rescue:

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to apply for the copy editing position at [Company Name]. With a strong background in copy editing and a passion for SaaS products, I am confident in my ability to contribute to your team and elevate your content quality.

As an experienced copy editor, I possess a meticulous eye for detail and a firm grasp of grammar, punctuation, and style. My expertise in refining content for readability and effectiveness would ensure the clarity and consistency of your materials.

I am excited about the opportunity to bring my industry knowledge and dedication to [Company Name]. Please find my attached resume, and I would welcome the chance to discuss how I can contribute to your success.

Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

I did end up using a version of this, adding some human flare to it. Still waiting to hear back from the company. Hopefully, they don’t read this article before making their decision. Fingers crossed.

Concept Explanations

Because I was applying for a job in the SaaS industry, I figured I should probably know what SaaS even is. I asked ChatGPT to simplify this business in a paragraph. This is what it gave me:

The SaaS industry offers scalable and flexible software solutions through a subscription-based model. It enhances accessibility, collaboration, and productivity, enabling remote work and seamless team cooperation. SaaS eliminates maintenance and updates burden, ensuring users have the latest features and security patches. It promotes cost-efficiency by replacing upfront investments with predictable subscription fees. Overall, SaaS revolutionizes software delivery, driving innovation, efficiency, and competitiveness in the modern business landscape.

Chapter Titles for a Book

Right now you can go on ChatGPT and tell it your book idea. Just give it the basic gist. Then instruct it to give you five chapter titles along with three subtitles. Here’s an example. I told it I’m writing a book about love in the 21st century (I’m not really) and I need five chapter titles along with three subtitles for each chapter:

Chapter 1: Love in the Digital Age

● Navigating Online Dating: Finding Connections in a Virtual World
● The Rise of Social Media Romance: Love, Likes, and #RelationshipGoals
● Love Languages in the Age of Emojis: Communicating Affection Online

Chapter 2: Redefining Relationships

● Polyamory and Non-Traditional Partnerships: Exploring New Boundaries
● Long-Distance Love: Overcoming Distance with Technology
● Blended Families and Co-Parenting: Love Beyond Traditional Structures

Chapter 3: Love and Technology

● The Influence of Artificial Intelligence: Can Machines Understand Love?
● Virtual Reality and Love: The Future of Intimacy?
● Tech-Assisted Intimacy: Apps, Gadgets, and Enhancing Relationships

Chapter 4: Love and Self-Discovery

● Self-Love and Empowerment: Prioritizing Personal Growth
● Mindfulness and Relationships: Cultivating Connection in a Busy World
● The Search for Authenticity: Embracing Vulnerability in Love

Chapter 5: Love in a Changing Society

● Love and Gender Equality: Challenging Traditional Roles
● LGBTQ+ Love Stories: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion
● Love in the Face of Adversity: Relationships in Times of Crisis

This may very well be a bestseller. Maybe I will write it. At any rate, ChatGPT seems to have a lot to say on the issue.

Editing Tasks

It failed miserably on this front. Grammarly beats it by a long shot. Maybe my request was not clear enough. I asked it to edit two paragraphs from a chapter in a book I’m writing. It kept wanting to rewrite it–and in the clunkiest manner. It’s not even worth showing.

I did a second test where I specified for ChatGPT to correct a sentence for grammar. It performed okay but couldn’t tell if I wanted it in past or present tense. Grammarly still wins. I’ll play around with it some more. But I can’t say I’m all that impressed with its editing skills so far.

Conclusion

I’ve already updated my resume to include the term “ChatGPT Ideation Specialist.” Nice, right? But I ask the question again. Which AI movie are we about to live out? My gut tells me it’s Her starring Joaquin Phoenix. Great movie by the way. AI is an amazing tool that can and will undoubtedly be abused and already is. No question.

I asked ChatGPT to give me five reasons writers should use it. Here’s what it said:

1. Saves time: ChatGPT provides quick and comprehensive answers to any writing queries or doubts that a writer may have, effectively cutting down on the time required for research and brainstorming.
2. Eliminates writer’s block: ChatGPT can be a great resource for writers who are stuck in their writing process and unsure of how to move forward. It can provide fresh perspectives and prompt ideas that may not have previously occurred to them.
3. Access to expertise: ChatGPT has a team of experienced writers and subject matter experts who can offer insight and guidance to writers in various genres, styles, and topics.
4. Helps writers improve their skills: Writers can ask ChatGPT for feedback on their work, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and improve their craft with suggestions given by the AI.
5. Provides customized solutions: ChatGPT’s AI technology provides customized solutions based on the specific needs of writers, making it an ideal tool for writers across all genres, languages and styles.

I also asked it to give me five reasons why writers should not use it:

1. Limited Understanding: While I have been programmed to understand a wide range of topics, I cannot claim to have complete knowledge of all subjects. My responses depend on the quality of the input data, and sometimes I may not fully understand the context.
2. Lack of Creativity: I can provide helpful ideas and suggestions, but I cannot replace human creativity. Writing requires original thought processes and critical thinking that AI is not yet capable of replicating.
3. Plagiarism Risks: Overreliance on AI writing assistance may lead to plagiarism or academic dishonesty. Academic institutions frown upon students who submit assignments that have been wholly created by AI models.
4. Language Barriers: While I have the ability to interact with users in multiple languages, my responses may sometimes be limited in terms of tone, nuance, and cultural context.
5. Dependency: Relying too much on AI writing tools for writing can lead to a loss of self-confidence in writing ability and critical thinking skills. It is essential to develop your own writing skills by practicing and reading widely.

It is important to note that AI writing tools like ChatGPT can be useful for generating ideas, getting inspiration, and providing assistance. However, they should not replace human creativity and critical thinking skills. Writers should use AI tools as a helpful tool in their writing process while also developing their own skills and knowledge.

ChatGPT is very democratic that way. It can give two sides to just about any issue. As far as nonfiction, there is something non-human and void of emotion about its style. That’s probably because it was written by something non-human and void of emotion. However, personality can be inserted with the right prompt.

So where does this all leave us, writers? Should we be scared? After all, I would spend hours writing SEO-optimized articles for organic searches. With a little gentle prodding and some very specific instruction, there’s now a tool that can write something similar in just a few seconds. How do I compete with that?

The answer is—of course—I don’t! I simply implement it as yet another tool in my already crowded toolbox. Fight it all you want. AI is not going anywhere. I said it in the introduction, but it bears repeating, AI is a Gutenberg Press-level game changer that will quickly influence everything we do from here on out.

I once heard that writers don’t necessarily like writing but rather prefer having written. It’s nice to say, “Hey, here’s my book,” or “It’s finally finished!” Here lies the temptation to let AI do all the heavy lifting to falsify that feeling of completion. That is the threat. And so we are commissioned to take that challenge on. We are not merely AI language models. We’re not robots. We’re humans. We must act like it, slowness, imperfections, and all.

We should use and master the technology. Is it opening Pandora’s Box? Probably. Can it be used to foster global intellectual laziness? More than likely. Can it also be utilized as an endless idea generator to use as a springboard for your own creations? A resounding Yes!

Tools are neutral, neither good nor bad. The user is ultimately responsible for its ethics. If AI goes rogue one day and tries to take over the world, we’ll have to pull the plug and work slower again like the mere mortals we are. But until that day comes, enjoy the lightning-fast research and hitting your daily word count.

Activate Your Coupon
Get started before it’s too late! It’s a limited time offer so hurry up!

The Go-to Platform For all your
Ghostwriting Needs and Requirements:

Got an idea but have no idea where to start?
Feel free to contact us anytime. Send us your manuscripts on our email address or give us call.

Consult An Expert