So You Want to Publish Your Thoughts?

Using AI Ethically to Tell a Story

Author

Kimberly Offord
July 03, 2023

So You Want to Publish Your Thoughts

I recently attended an event where I was casually talking to someone who mentioned they wanted to write a mystery novel. Being an author myself, of course, I wanted to lend as much advice as possible. The conversation quickly went to AI and the potential to use it for writing.

There is a fear of plagiarism in the AI world. Many will use AI to write and pass work off as their own. But there are also several devices already on the internet that can detect AI-written material. In this newsletter edition, I will provide some tips I passed on to my friend.

Reminder: please feel free to suggest topics you would like to see!

Here is what we are chatting about today:

  • Referral Tip of the Month - Cultivate Relationships

  • Everyday Ways to Use AI with Publishing

  • Marketing Tool Suggestion: BeeHiiv

  • ChatGPT Prompt for the Month - Assistance with Writing Styles

Read Time 10 Minutes

Your friends at the Referral Source đź’™
Kimberly Offord,
Founder and CEO, The Referral Store

FREE Referral Tip of The Month

CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS

Tip for Entrepreneurs: In the world of business, relationships matter. One of the best ways to get more referrals is by cultivating strong relationships with your current clients. Don't just look at them as sources of revenue; view them as valuable partners. Show genuine interest in their lives, their goals, and their challenges. This builds trust and loyalty, and clients who trust you are more likely to refer you to others.

For Consumers: Tell us when we are doing a great job. But also tell us where we can improve. Entrepreneurs want you to use their products and services. We want you to be happy enough to refer us. Don’t force us to guess. We will likely get it wrong and never make the improvements for you to have confidence in us. Establish a relationship on your end as well. Let’s work together!

FREE MASTERCLASS!! Sign Up Today!

You'll Learn How To...

  • Get Referrals from Complete Strangers

  • Learn the 4 Keys To Unlocking Referrals

  • Leverage Social Media and AI

  • Identify High-Value Referral Sources

Everyday Ways to Use AI with Publishing

In my last 3 publications, I used AI. Here are a few helpful tips if you have something you want to get out to the public:

  1. Use AI to plan your outline: Don’t know where to start in your writing? Start with a great outline. Ask AI to assist you with an outline of your publication from start to finish. Whether fiction or nonfiction, AI can make your planning process easier.

  2. AI can assist with writing styles: See the “prompt of the month” below. Give the AI an example of your writing style or share your favorite author. Ask AI to assist you with suggestions for revising or fine-tuning your writing approach.

  3.  AI can design the cover: Use AI-driven graphic applications like Midjourney and Canva to design your book cover. For example, Canva is not AI-driven but has new AI features that can be used for simple projects and even more complicated ones like a book cover.

  4. AI can edit your book: Applications like Grammarly, Jasper, and Wordhero can assist with tasks like editing and even the tone of your writing.

  5. Use AI to plan your marketing strategy: Use ChatGPT, Bard or Jasper to develop your marketing plan. Tell it who your ideal reader is, your budget and your goals for promoting your works. You can even have AI to write a social media plan for you.

ChatGPT Prompt for the Month

If you would like ChatGPT to help you with publishing your first novel

THE PROMPT: “Act as a Pulitzer prize-winning writer. I would like to write a fiction novel about (Insert a brief description of your novel) The goal of the novel is (include purpose and what you would like the reader to get out of the works). The main character is (Insert Main Character). I need assistance with character development. My favorite authors are (Insert favorite authors or authors you would like to pattern your writing style). With these two authors in mind, please give me the technical approach I should take to build my main character.

MY EXAMPLE: Act as a Pulitzer prize-winning writer. I would like to write a fiction novel about a woman living in the future but dealing with past mistakes. This is a fantasy novel that will take the reader on a journey. The main character is Kim. I need assistance with character development. My favorite authors are Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. With these two authors in mind, please give me the technical approach I should take to build my main character.

ChatGPT’s Response:

“Certainly, as an AI developed by OpenAI, I can provide you with a structured approach to character building that captures the depth and richness that define characters in the works of Toni Morrison and Alice Walker.

1. Origins and Background: Just as Morrison and Walker root their characters in rich cultural and personal histories, it's important to define Kim's past and the world she comes from. What kind of society was she born into? What were her family dynamics? What values were instilled in her growing up? These elements form the foundation of her character.

2. Psychological Complexity: Both authors excel in creating complex, flawed, and deeply human characters. Consider Kim's desires, fears, and inner conflicts. How do her past mistakes haunt her? How do these shape her decisions in the future? Delving into her psychology will help create a character that's real and relatable.

3. Voice and Dialogue: A character's voice is a powerful tool for revealing their personality and background. How does Kim speak? What phrases or idioms does she use? Morrison and Walker use dialogue not just to advance the plot, but also to reveal their characters' histories, cultures, and personalities.

4. Physical Descriptions: Pay attention to how you describe Kim's physical appearance. Morrison and Walker use physical descriptions to signify deeper realities about their characters. Kim's appearance could tell a story about her life in the future, her past, and her emotional state.

5. Reactions to Environment: Both authors often use their characters' reactions to their surroundings to reveal more about their inner lives. How does Kim react to the future world she's living in? How does she cope with its challenges? What does this reveal about her as a person?

6. Character Growth: One of the most compelling aspects of a novel is watching a character grow and change. How does Kim's journey into the future and confrontation with her past change her? What lessons does she learn along the way? A clearly defined character arc will make Kim's journey satisfying and meaningful to the reader.

7. Interactions with Other Characters: How Kim interacts with other characters will reveal a lot about her. Does she keep people at a distance, or does she form close relationships? How do these relationships change over time? Each interaction is an opportunity to reveal more about Kim.

8. Symbolism: Both Morrison and Walker often imbue their characters with symbolic significance. Kim could represent themes or ideas that you want to explore in your novel, such as forgiveness, the passage of time, or the struggle between past and future.

Remember, the goal is not to define every aspect of Kim's character from the outset, but to let her develop and reveal herself as you write. As Morrison once said, "I write to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see, and what it means."

I hope this prompt helps!!

SPEAKING OF REFERRALS!

I use a service called Beehiiv for all of my newsletters. If you are an entrepreneur or marketer looking for a way to build and connect with your audience through referrals, Beehiiv works wonders for me.

Stay Tuned for the Next Newsletter!

That’s all for today! But stay tuned for more valuable resources, reviews, and information to help build brands and break business barriers!