How to Write a Novel with AI – Priming the AI

Today I created the first true lesson in “Novel Commander”, my series for teaching students how to write novels with AI.

This one was all about sharing the specific prompts I use to prepare ChatGPT to write engaging fiction.

Here’s some of what I covered in the lesson.

Priming the AI

I covered why it’s important to prime ChatGPT with specific prompts. That begins with Role Definition. Then I share the exact prompt I use for the job.

Priming prompt

General Novel Writing Rules

Untrained AI writing is unnatural, overly embellished, repetitive, or just plain boring.

This is why in the next prompt I share, I train it on the difference between showing vs. telling. This makes for better overall output.

General novel writing rules

More General Novel Writing Rules

This next block is a personal favorite I created myself. It boils all sentences in a piece of fiction to 5 types. (Yes, only 5.)

These sentence types -when used effectively- are used by the greatest fiction works of all time to incredible effect. Now all Novel Commanders will instantly have this power to shape their prose with this single custom prompt.

5 Types of Fiction Sentences

Combining Prompts

Finally, I cover how to combine all 3 prompts together. (The complete prompt is included for greater work efficiency.

Difference between free and paid ChatGPT

Also included this quick demo.

How Writing with GPT-4 Saves You Time

It took longer than expected to put this lesson together, but I’m happy with how it turned out.

Want to get all the prompts to boost your way to a complete novel?

Become a Novel Commander, here.