Bland, generic writing from an AI (as described in the previous post) is not exactly advantageous for the financial writer or his clients. How was I going to imbue it with style? Here’s what I tried first:
Let’s rewrite Chapter One. Your summary is below, but I want to see a more casual and discursive narrative. [also included: Chapter 1 summary produced by ChatGPT previously]
Chapter One: Why Start at the End of the Story?
Introduction:
Alright, folks, let’s kick off this retirement planning journey with a little exercise in imagination. Imagine you’re throwing a party—a big bash to celebrate life, love, and everything in between. Picture yourself standing in front of a refrigerator, ready to stock it up with all the essentials for a legendary party. Now, bear with me here, because we’re going to connect this party scenario to retirement planning. Trust me, it’ll make sense!
Section 1: The Party Scenario
So, you’re throwing this epic party, right? You’ve got guests coming over, and you want to make sure everyone has a good time. What’s the first thing you think about? Food and drinks, of course! You start considering how much grub you’ll need, what kind of beverages will quench everyone’s thirst, and maybe even some fancy condiments and snacks to impress your guests. Oh, and let’s not forget the ice—we don’t want warm drinks, do we?
Section 2: Translating the Party Scenario to Retirement Planning
Now, let’s take a step back and look at retirement as if it were a never-ending party. Yep, you heard that right—retirement is like an extended fiesta, lasting for years or even decades. Just like planning for a party, you need to think long-term. It’s not just about having enough to get by today or tomorrow; it’s about making sure you’re stocked up for the long haul. After all, you want to enjoy the good times, relax, and have the financial freedom to do the things you’ve always dreamt of, right?
Section 3: Adjusting Your Mindset
Here’s where we need to do a little mindset shift. Retirement isn’t some distant, abstract concept—it’s a real and tangible part of your life. You’ve got to start thinking beyond the next paycheck or the next year. Retirement can stretch on for decades, my friends, and that means you need to plan accordingly. It’s time to wave goodbye to short-term thinking and embrace the long-term vision. Trust me, your future self will thank you for it.
Section 4: Taking Control of Your Life Story
Now, here’s where things get really interesting. Retirement is an opportunity—a chance for you to take control of the story of your life. By defining the end of your financial story, you can set goals and envision the kind of retirement lifestyle you want. Do you see yourself traveling the world? Pursuing a passion project? Spoiling your grandkids rotten? Whatever it is, you’ve got the power to make it happen. By being intentional about your retirement plans, you can make informed choices and take proactive steps towards creating the future you desire.
Conclusion:
In this chapter, we’ve learned the importance of starting at the end of the story when it comes to retirement planning. By connecting the party scenario to retirement, we’ve highlighted the need to think long-term, adjust our mindset, and take control of our financial narrative. So, get ready, folks! We’ve set the foundation, and now we’re ready to dive into the nitty-gritty details and strategies that will shape the rest of our financial journey. Let’s make this retirement party one for the ages!
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Okay, as far as I was concerned that didn’t work. More strenuous attempts would be necessary.
After several attempts along these lines I realized that I needed to put my creator hat back on and stop trying to outsource the big ideas that underpin and support a long narrative like a book.
What the AI text was missing was character — and that was what I now needed to supply ChatGPT in order to give it the correct level of human interest, as opposed to accuracy of information.
This new prompt, in response to the text above, opened up a new avenue and began to help me get results that were closer to acceptable…
That was better. Money is a serious topic so we don’t want to be TOO casual and discursive. Let’s rewrite the chapter again and introduce two characters, a married couple called Carla and Matt. We can introduce many of the same ideas for Chapter One through their household conversations. Example: Carla said, “Retirement is an opportunity — a chance for us to take control of the story of our life.”
Chapter One: Why Start at the End of the Story?
Introduction:
Meet Carla and Matt, a happily married couple who are about to embark on a journey towards a secure and fulfilling retirement. As they sit down at their kitchen table, sipping their morning coffee, they engage in a conversation that sets the stage for their retirement planning adventure.
Carla said, “You know, Matt, retirement is more than just a distant concept. It’s an opportunity for us to take control of the story of our life.”
Matt nodded, his eyes filled with anticipation. “Absolutely, Carla. We’ve worked hard all these years, and now it’s time to reap the rewards. But where do we begin? How do we make sure we have a secure and enjoyable retirement?”
Section 1: The Party Scenario
Carla leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Imagine, Matt, that we’re throwing a big party—a celebration of the life we’ve built together. Just like any good host, we want to make sure our guests have a fantastic time. And that starts with stocking the refrigerator with all the essentials.”
Matt chuckled, picturing the scene. “I get what you’re saying, Carla. We’d consider how many people are coming, how long the party will last, and what kind of food and drinks everyone would enjoy. We’d want to have enough to go around and make sure everyone leaves satisfied.”
Section 2: Translating the Party Scenario to Retirement Planning
Carla’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Now, let’s take that party scenario and apply it to our retirement. Think of it as a never-ending party—the rest of our lives. We need to stock our metaphorical refrigerator with the financial resources we’ll need to have a good time and live the lifestyle we desire.”
Matt nodded, fully engaged in the conversation. “You’re right, Carla. Retirement isn’t just a short-term endeavor. It’s a long-term journey, and we need to plan for the decades ahead, not just the immediate future. We want to make sure we have enough to enjoy the good times and handle any unexpected surprises that may come our way.”
Section 3: Adjusting Your Mindset
Carla leaned forward, her voice filled with determination. “To make this happen, Matt, we need to shift our mindset. We’ve been so focused on our day-to-day lives and building our careers, but now it’s time to think about the bigger picture. Retirement is our chance to step back, reassess our goals, and start thinking long-term.”
Matt nodded in agreement. “You’re spot on, Carla. It’s time to break free from the mindset of living paycheck to paycheck and start envisioning the kind of retirement we want. We have the power to shape our future, and it starts with embracing the idea that retirement is not just a destination—it’s a journey that requires planning and intentionality.”
Section 4: Taking Control of Your Life Story
Carla smiled, a sense of empowerment radiating from her. “Matt, by defining the end of our financial story, we can set meaningful goals and make choices that align with the lifestyle we desire in retirement. It’s like writing our own narrative, creating a future that reflects our dreams and aspirations.”
Matt grinned, feeling a surge of motivation. “Exactly, Carla. We have the opportunity to write the next chapter of our lives, and it all starts with being intentional about our retirement plans. We can make informed decisions, take proactive steps, and build a solid foundation for the future we envision.”
Conclusion:
In this chapter, we’ve joined Carla and Matt as they kickstart their retirement planning journey. Through their conversations, we’ve explored the significance of starting at the end of the story. By likening retirement to a perpetual party, we’ve emphasized the need to adjust our mindset, think long-term, and take control of our financial narrative. Carla and Matt are now ready to dive into the specifics and strategies that will shape the rest of their retirement adventure. So, grab a cup of coffee, gather around the kitchen table, and let’s explore the exciting path towards a secure and fulfilling retirement.
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Breakthrough! This latest response was so much closer to what I was hoping to see that it set me on a different journey than the one I thought I was starting.
By inventing and naming two human characters, I gave the AI something to position as mouthpieces for its financial wisdom. Could this approach sustain the subsequent chapters?
Remember…
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Accuracy is nice, but style is more compelling.
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Fake imagination needs a real guidance counselor.
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Beyond the bare-bones factual information delivered, a sense of adventure can provide narrative momentum in a personal finance context.
Curious? Contact me. Find me on LinkedIn.
Coming next week: Step 3: Character references
You may find of interest:
Step 1: Giving the outline to AI [4th in this series]
I asked AI to write the book I never got around to [3rd in this series]
Ways to use generative AI text in marketing [2nd in this series]
Beyond perfect [1st in this series]