I Used ChatGPT to Write a Book. And I Published it | ChatGPT for Authors | Writing a Novel With AI

You need to be careful. ChatGPT and other AI writing tools sometimes plagiarize like mad. This can get you into legal trouble. And as a published author (I wrote the book myself and published it through a traditional publisher), I honestly feel that AI has no place in any creative project. It takes that special factor away. There's nothing more satisfying than holding a book in your hands knowing that you crafted it with your own imagination, intuition, joy, blood, sweat, and tears. For the love of god, artists, stay human.

DON'T, I repeat DON'T go with Designer! They are so limited, and you can't write non-fiction such as your book. On a $500 plan you get to write three books. All templates, sorry, ALL vanilla templates that make your books look like school books are what's available. The help is useless, and the help section is a joke. Cookbooks, Gaia, commerce and books about the economy are all you will get with this platform, and it won't run on your pad, won't pick up your images, only uses one drive with no way of getting into it. I think this platform your using is way better.

Thank you for such a great, helpful, well done video. So cool! I also looked you up as your a fantasy writer and will be reading your stuff very soon.

GPT and AI will only make people dumb, unable to think logically. I bet in just 25 years, we will see the most dumb generation ever.

very nice.

What you and others I’ve seen are describing as using ChatGPT as an editor only, is not actually what editors do in fiction writing or non-fiction, and is actually in the realm of a co-author’s role. Copy editors look for spelling and grammar errors and mark them so you can find and fix them yourself, in whatever manner you wish, or leave them be if you are doing so for an artistic affect. Content editors mark thinks that they think might be story structure, setting, or character issues and recommend you look at them yourself to try different changes. All of these editors rely on the author them self to institute or ignore these changes, and the way that you do so and alter your story is part of the creation process which makes your story the piece of art it is.

A co-author, on the other hand, is a writing partner who drafts and creates or alters your writing. For instance, celebrities often hire co-authors to help them write because they may not have the skills to write vivid and active prose, so they write a chapter and send it to their co-author to be altered and rewritten in parts of needed to improve the prose. The co-author then sends these changes back to the author and the author can alter them again, editing for further changes and correcting things they don’t like, going back and forth. This allows people who aren’t interested in improving as a writer or developing and refining their skills to get a book written with the help of an experienced author while curating and getting their own ideas down, as well as some of their own words, but cleaned, fixed, and interspersed with the co-authors changes.

This is why you don’t have to credit photoshop for the artwork you create. Photoshop is essentially a digital canvas and paint set, and artists don’t generally credit their canvas producers or paint makers when creating art, because they supply materials and medium but not the content created. Same with Word or Scrivner, these are digital writing tools which replace the typewriter, the pen and paper, the scroll and vellum and quill. Tools but not a hand helping in the creation of the piece in terms of its content. You could presumably hand write the same story as you could type in the most advanced Microsoft word program and the only difference would be the medium you would then be using to send to a publisher and translate to printed published book.

The other role I have seen Chatgpt being used for on here is as a replacement “ghost writer”. Ghostwriters sell their services to companies and individuals, offering to take the ideas of the individual and draft a novel chapter by chapter on the subjects and instructions and prompts they give, and turn in the rough draft of the book, chapter by chapter, often with extreme rapidity, until the book in question is done. The person paying for the services can give further instructions throughout the creation and usually ghost writers are paid by the word and have various contracts, with the understanding they will not take credit for the work. This allows the corporation or individual to then sell the book which was created using their ideas and prompting as their own and make money off of it, without having to credit the writer who produced the words and work. This was a common and fairly thriving business for a long time and it is rapidly being replaced by ChatGPT for ease of use, rapidity (faster than most humans could ever be, even if they could write a novel in a week like many ghost writers) and pretty much being free.

I want to recontextualize and clarify the words we use when we discuss ChatGPT and other AI co-writing and writing programs because these roles have and do exist and were filled by humans, and are being replaced (often inadequately, but cheaply) by these software. And the reason people are asserting that ChatGPT and other writing Ai programs should be credited in an authors work if it is being used is because it is usually used to fill a role closer to collaborator and co-editor or even ghostwriter than any kind of editor or copy-editor who makes suggestions for writers to fix and revise their work, a labor which is a large part of shaping the novel (for many writers, this is the most important step of all and makes the novel what they truly want it to be. The first draft is a crude guide that they then improve on until it’s truly a story). If anyone on here is struggling with aspects of their writing and not putting the effort into learning how to manually revise this themselves when it is pointed out, and you utilize a co-writer to change and alter your writing for you, you are working with an AI partner who is also drafting and writing your work rather than an editor. This is why this is a moral and ethical grey area when it isn’t credited and explicitly mentioned on the front of the cover as co-authors traditionally should be, and as I and others thought that ghostwriters should have to be as well.

Every author should be incredibly opposed to using AI to write novels. It shouldn't even be used as a guide. It's for lazy writers. AI will completely do away with authors. I promise you.

If Amazon bans this AI writing others should fill the space and allow it. Too much creativity will be lost.

Thanks for sharing. ChatGPT has helped me a great deal in helping me get unstuck when writing. I love hearing how others are experiencing this.

My grandson is an amazing writer who won multiple awards in high school & college for his talent, he is now using AI to write his 5th book to show the implications of this technology for the future generations. This was a great breakdown, you two might end up being soulmates haha ❤

Using AI to write books does not make it yours in my opinion. It's lazy and immoral. If you use chatgpt to assist your writing that is perfectly ok otherwise it's completely disgusting.

Here one giant problem. Art is a feeling or expression. If a robot writes it for you, where is your creative expression? I can see a bunch of lazy ass wannabe writers using this and becoming arrogant as if they actually wrote something. Chatgpt is the death of Art.

To be honest, as someone who has limits and issues with English but really wants to publish a story for the whole world to see, ChatGPT is not a teacher or a dictionary, but a perfect motivator for me to learn about grammar and storytelling, because the more I have in my head, the better the generated results are gonna be. But I do the whole process right now in the opposite way: I write what I have imagined and ChatGPT offers me options how to make it more enjoyable. Seems like it makes sense too.

I used Werdsmith to finish 2 poetry books, now I’m publishing them on Amazon. Next is a romance novel based on a short story I wrote in college.
✏️

You did not point out the glaring problem with chatGPT. I'm sure you found out it can't keep track of novel length stories. It can't keep track of interwoven plotline either. So you are left with what you did. Short anthologies. Not because it is easier for you but because it's not possible. Well, it is possible, but you would need to write something which defeats the purpose of your video. That being said there are apps that do keep track of novel length stories. And there are ways to get chatGPT to write any length story. Just not the way you ae doing it.

I’m trying something similar with an old story of mine. Via Claude & Sudowrite.

fantastica!

I'm about to use chat GPT to write my stories. Naturally, I'll still flesh out the entire plot, dialogue, characters, settings, theme and outline of each individual scene. I enjoy the creative process of building a story from the ground up and making sure all the intricate details are connected in a way that makes the story thematically rich. However, I get lost in the details very easily and end up rewriting so much I basically fall into critical paralysis. My hope is that chatGPT can simply transcribe my ideas so I don't lose sight of the big picture goal. I'll likely even use it to improve as a writer so it's easier to do it on my own. For a while, I thought it was a tabboo thing to do, but now, I genuinely think it's a tool that can help me become an even better creator/writer.

I felt awful when I asked chatgpt to correct a paragraph... Is a tool that shouldn't be used to substitue imagination imo, but to each their own

Chat GPT can do so much, It's almost too much! She wrote a 13,000 word Essay on High Frequency Ventilation for me, and wrote over 10,000 word essay on the history of the Hubbard tank. This is going to be a bad problem.

This honestly is a fun experiment. I've been wondering what the tool could be like if someone pushed it to its limit. I'm glad you tried it out :)

I love outlining with ChatGPT. Wonderful tool for writers and saves time on the groundwork and research. It doesn't write like a real writer as I had a lot of editing to do on the grammar. I don't intend to write a book with it just outlining. It actually apologizes if it misunderstands your prompts! 😂 I used ProWritingAid to correct the tenses and grammar. ✍🏻

I think for authors in these sort of niche markets ChatGPT will be a huge boon. The ability to quickly generate and tailor stories in volume that appeal to targeted audiences will allow authors greater opportunities to accomplish more in the limited time they have. The key is this sort of GPT supervision/management requires a different set of skills in order to produce the very best results. And it sucks for someone who wants to be a traditional author and compete but is great for someone who rather be the manager vs the writer.

I’m using ChatGPT partly to bolster my 50-book goal within the next 6 months. As you’ve noted, the limitations are palpable. At this point, 90% of what comes out that’s usable is literally from the detailed content I’ve fed it at the prompt(s). The extra wrap up of the story at the end of most chapters is probably the most annoying. Cut it, strip it out, whatever.

To a point, the content I’m writing with ChatGPT will be used under different pseudonyms, not my own. However, I’m heavily editing the content that’s produced. It’s marginally faster than writing it on my own, but there’s only so much brain matter to go around, so the formatting of the content is definitely useful.

YMMV

I would try sudowrite. I think you would enjoy this AI platform better than the one you use. It even gives you a synopsis, beats and outline.

I'm writing a nonfiction book with chat gpt and wanted to know do we have to cite our sources? And would it be plagarising if I publish it and will I get sued?

This just makes me feel defeated. Spent the last 6 months learning to write slightly above terrible, as well as outlining and planning my book. Before my very eyes in that time frame things went from nothing to: gpt can write almost better than I can. Next version it might be better. Maybe I should be exited and look at it as a tool to enhance my writing as Its given me some good grammar fixes when that is all I asked it to do, better than google docs since gpt goes as far as reordering things to make a little more sense while not killing the spirit of my scene. But I also just feel a grim sensation that it's not worth doing, since the market might soon be flooded with full length close to professional quality novels based on an outline someone scraped up in an afternoon.

Then again, maybe I'm just looking for an excuse not to write.

So far ive been using Chat GPT to help me write very detailed character profiles and world building! Its so much faster and Gives me so many good details based off what im already thinking and describing! I really love it (obviously its not perfect but it gets thinking and being more creative!)

Good video. I'm currently experimenting with ChatGPT, working on some old shorts scripts I write once upon a time, and also asking it to create some unique stories as if Shakespeare wrote them. I'm honestly impressed with it.

Not a bad tool when used to create structure but replace with organic ideas. Like the dotted line to keep calligraphy from slanting instead of using premade digital cursive. Besides, there is now a ‘quality ban’ outlets are using. This won’t just get rid of the majority cgpt material but low effort writers and cheap ghostwriting.

💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩 It’s soulless and it goes nowhere

Ultimately you are suppose to use it as idea creation. Then you write with your own emotion

Hey Sydney! Your video was incredibly informative and I'm so grateful for the knowledge it provided. I've just started exploring ChatGPT and it's been mind-blowingly fun! I'm even thinking of ways to turn this passion into a source of income and break free from financial struggles.

I have a special request for you. Would you be open to creating a longer video where you give us an "over the shoulder perspective" of your process in writing a book with ChatGPT? It would be absolutely amazing to see your method in action and truly understand the entire process. I believe this valuable insight would not only benefit me but also many others.

Thank you once again for the incredible content you've been sharing. Your consideration of this request would mean the world to me. I'm eagerly looking forward to your response. Keep up the awesome work!

Chat GPT is a good tool that increases productivity, but currently it cannot replace writers. I tried it but the stories it produces, although they have good elements, are mostly badly written. However, it can speed up the writing process if you are ready to edit its content quite heavily

honestly, i think there is a ton of poor content out there... bad stories, bad pictures. its becoming harder and harder to sift through all the bad stuff and find the good. im afraid ai is just adding to this mess. honestly, if someone isn't driven to be a real artist or writer and your not willing to learn the crafts and aquire the skills necessary, maybe they should just forget it and move on to something else.
nice video though.... and in your own words too.

It comes in handy as a tool or assistant. It’s the best of having that human creativity and touch, while being pretty efficient.

Was wondering a few months ago when someone was going to write a book with ChatGPT.

As an actual writer, I have to say, this is disheartening.

This not a crime. I cannot believe how harsh pepole are with her.

So, you're not actually a creative writer but turned into an editor?

Chatgbt's limits are ridiculous. The moment it tried to lecture my content request, I knew it was best to go elsewhere.

If you have no skills to write then its better to shut your brain. You are taking pride on something that is absolutely unethical. Terrible worms!!

Hello.. sydney.. i love it.. thanks for your video tutorial..

shame on you, please write a book yourself!!!!!

chat gpt loves using edge of seat so much I made a prompt banning its usage

Thanks. Good info from a youthful perspective. You have a very good voice, now pay attention to it. Slow down a little and accentuate the most important word you want to convey. Perhaps have GPT help you with a prepared script you can have beside your phone/tripod setup on a tablet and you click remotely to pull up next screens will assist in training. Anyways, you have a unique voice and could probably lend a hand in other reviews for the youth market as well. Keep up the good work!

Interesting. And scary. Oh, boy.

Take the book, and make an audio book out of it. Then put it on your channel

I asked Google’s Bard about a fantasy story similar to the premise of mine the top two options were my story ideas I had already written which was interesting 🧐

No offense, but based on the title alone I feel zero threat from AI. Every time I've used AI for stories, though it can whip stiff out, it's always trite and devoid of life experiences, that it reassures me I'm safe as a writer.