This post begins documenting my experience of writing a book with AI.
As mentioned in my last post, I had submitted a traditional book proposal to a major publisher in October 2008 and was turned down because I was not a celebrity. Also, the stock markets had dropped almost ten percent in a single day, and the appetite for mass market financial books would probably remain in free fall for a long while.
Discouraged, I put the book proposal away for over 15 years. Despite never having written the book due to a lack of publisher interest, I still harbored an affection for the idea of the book and its potential implementation. When AI emerged as a viable tool for text generation in 2023, I thought, Why not?
After a few experiments (see here and here), I began to create what I thought would be a practical method for having ChatGPT or other AI software write my book for me. Here are the steps I prepared:
- Give the original outline to AI
- Let the AI generate corresponding text
- Based on evaluation of the resulting text, either continue “writing” or modify the method to accommodate the AI’s strengths and weaknesses as I perceived them.
Let’s begin
Here are the first few prompts for the book, in which I gave the original outline (one chapter at a time) and allowed the AI to generate the corresponding text.
My prompts in blue text and ChatGPT’s responses in black text:
I have written an outline for a book. The full title of the book is I Don’t Like Cat Food: Making Your Money in Retirement Last As Long As You Do: New Strategies for Baby Boomers in a Changing Economy. What do you think the book is about?
Based on the full title, “I Don’t Like Cat Food: Making Your Money in Retirement Last As Long As You Do: New Strategies for Baby Boomers in a Changing Economy,” it suggests that the book is primarily focused on financial planning and retirement strategies for baby boomers. Here’s a breakdown of what the book could potentially cover:
- Retirement Financial Management: The book likely provides guidance on managing personal finances during retirement. It may offer strategies for budgeting, investment, and wealth preservation to ensure that retirees can maintain a comfortable lifestyle without outliving their savings.
- Adapting to a Changing Economy: The title implies that the book acknowledges the challenges posed by a changing economic landscape. It might explore how economic shifts, such as market fluctuations, inflation, or technological advancements, impact retirement planning. The book could provide insights into adjusting retirement strategies accordingly.
- Longevity and Lifestyle Considerations: Given the reference to making money last as long as you do, the book might address the financial implications of increased life expectancy. It could delve into topics like healthcare costs, insurance, and maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle throughout a longer retirement period.
- Baby Boomer-Specific Concerns: As the title suggests, the book likely tailors its advice to the baby boomer generation, addressing their unique financial circumstances, challenges, and opportunities. It might consider factors like social security, pension plans, downsizing, and transitioning from the workforce to retirement.
- Practical Tips and Strategies: The book might provide practical tools, tips, and case studies to help baby boomers make informed financial decisions. This could include advice on investment diversification, creating a retirement income plan, minimizing taxes, and adjusting financial goals as retirement progresses.
Overall, the book seems to be a comprehensive guide aimed at helping baby boomers navigate the complexities of retirement planning and financial management in a changing economy.
That’s correct. Here is the outline for Chapter 1, please write it for me. Chapter One: Why start at the end of the story? Imagine you’re stocking your refrigerator for a party. What will you need? Food, drinks, condiments, ice? It all depends. How much and what kinds of fun are you hoping to have? How long will the party last? What kinds of troublemakers might crash your party? Now let’s assume this party will last for the rest of your life. Does that change how you will stock your refrigerator? It should. Topics: Getting ready by adjusting your mindset. Taking control of the story of your life by defining the end.
Chapter One: Why Start at the End of the Story?
Introduction:
In this chapter, we will explore the significance of beginning the journey towards a secure retirement by envisioning the end goal. By drawing a parallel between stocking a refrigerator for a party and preparing for retirement, we will discuss how adjusting our mindset and defining the end of our financial story can help us take control of our lives and make informed decisions for a prosperous retirement.
Section 1: The Party Scenario
To illustrate the concept of planning for retirement, we begin with an analogy of stocking a refrigerator for a party. We invite readers to imagine the preparations they would make for a typical gathering, considering factors such as food, drinks, condiments, and ice. The quantity and variety of items depend on the anticipated level of enjoyment, the duration of the party, and potential unexpected guests.
Section 2: Translating the Party Scenario to Retirement Planning
Expanding on the party analogy, we introduce the idea that retirement can be considered as an extended party—the rest of your life. We emphasize the need to recognize the long-term nature of retirement and its influence on decision-making. By framing retirement as a lifelong event, we highlight the importance of stocking our metaphorical refrigerator adequately, not just for the immediate future, but for the years and decades to come.
Section 3: Adjusting Your Mindset
To effectively prepare for retirement, it is essential to adjust our mindset. We discuss the need to shift from a short-term perspective to a long-term outlook. By acknowledging that retirement can last for several decades, we encourage readers to embrace the idea of proactively planning for financial security and well-being.
Section 4: Taking Control of Your Life Story
We explore the notion that retirement is an opportunity to take control of the narrative of our lives. By defining the end of our financial story, we can set meaningful goals, envision the kind of lifestyle we desire in retirement, and work towards achieving it. We discuss the power of intentionality and how envisioning our desired outcome allows us to make informed choices and take proactive steps toward a fulfilling retirement.
Conclusion:
In this chapter, we emphasized the importance of starting at the end of the story when it comes to retirement planning. By likening retirement to a perpetual party and considering the long-term implications, we highlighted the need to adjust our mindset, take control of our financial story, and proactively prepare for a secure and enjoyable retirement. With this foundation in mind, we can now delve into the specific strategies and considerations that will shape the rest of our financial journey in the subsequent chapters.
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This was a somewhat promising start, but it wasn’t exactly book material. I continued in this manner for all 18 planned chapters of the book, with similar bland responses for each chapter prompt.
Clearly I was failing the prompt test, or the AI was failing the creative demands of what I was asking from it. To make the experiment work, I would need to change tactics.
Remember…
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Out of the box, the AI can’t process your thoughts the way you would like.
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Bland, generic writing is exactly what was first delivered (and what we’re trying to avoid).
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Even if I figure out a way to prompt-engineer better or to trick the AI into providing something better, is that really a victory?
Curious? Contact me. Find me on LinkedIn.
Coming next week: Step 2: Injecting personality into AI text
You may find of interest:
I asked AI to write the book I never got around to [3rd in this series]
Ways to use generative AI in marketing [2nd in this series]
Beyond perfect [1st in this series]