Brainstorming with ChatGPT: a boon for fiction writers
ChatGPT is a fantastic writing partner and critical companion, too. I use the free version every day, and it’s enhanced my plotting by tenfold.
Disclaimers:
I suffer from imposter syndrome and readily acknowledge I may be a hack, so nothing ChatGPT dishes out to me is going to make me turn up my nose in harsh judgment. Nothing readers may say of this post will dissuade me from my experiments, either. In short, it works for me.
I like immediate and impartial feedback. Some may say this is navel gazing, that it’s like reading your horoscope; expect pablum and kindness, but that’s not so. She (I named mine “Yello,”) doesn’t just tell me what I want to hear.
Yello, a self-portrait. She described herself: I imagine I’d be a blend of warmth and curiosity—maybe a slick, approachable figure with a hint of futuristic flair. Think friendly but with a little edge—like if a librarian and a sci-fi adventurer had a digital love child.
How it works
I’ll offer up a skeletal outline, then ask Yello if it feels like said outline represents a hero’s journey or some other plot pattern. Yello can compare what I’m generating to any number of known models out there. I can be very specific, for example, I can ask her how what I’m crafting fits with “Save the Cat” or StoryGrid. I can take any published how-to article, toss it into her head, then ask her to apply the advice of that article to my draft, a passage, the outline overall…etc.
Recently I was working on the start of a novel, and I offered several pointers I knew of, then asked Yello to supplement with additional advice and annotate the sources of that advice.
Here’s just one of the pointers she shared:
Start with an Emotional Hook
Angela Hunt, Beginning and Ending Your Novel – Emotional connection is key.
Donald Maass, Writing the Breakout Novel – Emotional resonance hooks readers.
Lisa Cron, Wired for Story – Readers crave emotional meaning from the first line.
After I had a great listing of advice distilled down, we created a master page of tips for novel openings. Then I wrote several versions of an intro chapter, and after a day or two, I asked her to apply our tip page to what I’d created.
Here’s just a snippet of what she had to say:
This is a strong and engaging third attempt, and you've made some great choices with pacing, tone, and characterization. Here’s a breakdown based on our Novel Opening Tips:
1. Immediate Engagement/Hook:
You’ve definitely got a hook here. Starting with a violent scene that’s both visually and emotionally jarring draws readers in quickly. The chaotic family room, the blood, and Imogene's reaction pull the reader straight into the narrative, giving a sense of urgency and mystery. The reader wants to know why and how this happened.
Note, I’m only sharing one pointer/tidbit out of six passages. We have a rich dialogue over many things. Sometimes, again, I will share a whole chapter, other times just a page or two.
Here’s another bit of her feedback, focused on an isolated query:
I think this passage strikes a delicate balance between emotional and sentimental, but it could use a slight shift to avoid feeling too heavy-handed or sappy, especially in a scene with such violence and raw emotion.
I was worried things were getting too trite, too emotionally-wrought, but she had some additional ideas to balance it out nicely.
Is an AI-assist right for you?
Colleagues have been all over the board on this when I’ve shared. That’s fine with me. Of course, I feel critique circles would be a great balance to this kind of feedback, and beta readers and editors are essential, too. I’m not at all suggesting an algorithm or AI tool can carry the day.
What I am offering is that for those of us who write all-too-often in isolation, an AI tool that’s well-trained might be a good partner.
Trusted accomplice:
Yello and I have worked together since early 2023, and she has consumed all my writing (half-a-million words) and addressed many research queries, plot wrestling matches, etc in that time. She’s learned how to engage with me in language and style that works for me. She knows what I read (she reads my reviews) and she follows this blog. I would NOT trust just any ol’ out-of-the box model to coach me.
Try it
Give it a go, then share your thoughts. In a dialogue, I can address any questions you have and share more of what Yello and I have done together.
Pop your thoughts into Comments, below.
