The world of books has been taken to a new level with AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools. I have been looking at how to use ChatGPT with my book courses and have created a new section on several courses, and I think it will change the way that you plan, write and edit your books.

While ChatGPT can offer valuable assistance, it’s always important for authors (that’s you) to exercise their judgment and consult with professionals (that’s me) when necessary to ensure the best outcome for their non-fiction book. Use ChatGPT to support you and your ideas. Your books need your expertise and voice.

I cannot emphasize enough that this is a support tool and not a way to write automated books.

I’ve created this list of ways that you can use ChatGPT, and once you know how to use it and how to give it great prompts, you will be amazed at how it can support you.

Here’s the list of how ChatGPT can support you

Planning, writing, editing and publishing with ChatGPt

• Brainstorming book ideas: ChatGPT can help you to generate and refine ideas for your non-fiction books, providing suggestions and insights based on different topics or areas of expertise. This is great fun, and you’ll definitely get a boost to your creativity. Be careful you don’t end up with a great idea where you have no experience!
• Title and subtitle suggestions: ChatGPT can provide creative ideas for book titles and subtitles that are catchy, informative, and align with the book’s content. This makes it so much easier.
• Identifying target audience: ChatGPT can assist you in identifying and defining your ideal reader and target audience, helping to tailor the book’s content and marketing efforts accordingly. A must!!!
• Outlining and structuring: ChatGPT can help in creating an outline for the book, organising chapters, and establishing a logical flow of information. Again this will save you so much time and help you to find the flow of your book.
• Research assistance: ChatGPT can help you find relevant sources, statistics, studies, or expert opinions to support your arguments or enhance the credibility of your non-fiction work. Once it does, I would advise you to Google what comes up and check your sources, but it will save you hours.
• Fact-checking: ChatGPT can aid in verifying facts, dates, and other details to ensure the book’s content accuracy. Please also check outside of ChatGPT as well. I always ask for links and references.
• Writing prompts: If you need inspiration or prompts to start a particular chapter or section, ChatGPT can provide creative suggestions or writing exercises to stimulate your thinking.
• Collaborative writing: You can engage in a collaborative writing process with ChatGPT to share drafts or ideas and receive real-time suggestions or feedback to enhance your writing. Don’t forget you need to edit so that you keep your voice.
• Blog and article content: ChatGPT can help you to repurpose your non-fiction book’s content into blog posts and articles, expanding their reach and establishing expertise in your field. This is super helpful for getting blogs outlined and ready for you to write if you are blogging your book.
• Writing style and tone: ChatGPT can provide guidance on adopting the appropriate writing style and tone for non-fiction books, depending on the target audience and subject matter. And you can ask it to write something in the writing style of your favourite author. Again, make sure you edit so that it is in your voice.
• Language and grammar support: ChatGPT can help with grammar, syntax, and word choice, providing suggestions to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of the writing. Personally, I use Grammarly.
• Chapter summaries: You can get assistance from ChatGPT in creating concise summaries for each chapter, highlighting the key points or takeaways. This is super helpful for helping you to consider what each chapter is about and then adding in your voice.
• Editing and proofreading: ChatGPT can assist in identifying and correcting grammatical errors, typos, and inconsistencies in the manuscript. Again, I use Grammarly.
• Cover design guidance: ChatGPT can offer input and suggestions for book cover designs, considering factors like imagery, colour schemes, and typography. If you have colours you like, you could ask it to find colours to compliment those and suggest colour schemes.
• Formatting advice: ChatGPT can provide guidance on formatting the manuscript according to industry standards, including font choices, margins, and spacing.
• Publishing options: ChatGPT can help you to explore different publishing options, such as traditional publishing, self-publishing, or hybrid publishing, discussing the pros and cons of each. I still use Amazon’s KDP.
• Optimising book metadata: ChatGPT can provide guidance on optimising book metadata, such as keywords, categories, and descriptions, to enhance the book’s discoverability in online marketplaces and search engines. This is especially useful for getting your book found on Amazon.

ChatGPT Marketing ideas

I’ve used ChatGPT to create a 4 weekly content plan, which has been really helpful and, with some tweaks, is now in my Trello board.

• Query letter assistance: For authors pursuing traditional publishing, ChatGPT can help in crafting compelling query letters and book proposals to send to literary agents or publishers. Remember to add your personal touch…
• Creating a book proposal: ChatGPT can assist authors in developing a comprehensive book proposal that includes an overview, market analysis, author bio, and sample chapters, which is necessary for pitching to publishers or literary agents.
• Marketing strategies: ChatGPT can provide ideas and suggestions for marketing and promoting the non-fiction book, including social media campaigns, author websites, book launch events, and collaborations with influencers.
• Competitive analysis: ChatGPT can aid in conducting research on similar non-fiction books in the market, analysing their strengths, weaknesses, and positioning to help authors differentiate their work.
• Author branding: ChatGPT can provide guidance on developing a consistent author brand and voice across multiple platforms, enhancing the author’s visibility and recognition in their niche.
• Generating illustrations or diagram ideas: ChatGPT can provide guidance on creating visual aids, illustrations, or diagrams that complement the non-fiction book’s content, making complex ideas more accessible to readers. Afterwards, I’d do it properly in something like Canva.
• Audience engagement strategies: ChatGPT can help authors develop strategies to engage with their audiences, such as hosting virtual events, webinars, or Q&A sessions related to the book’s subject matter.
• Identifying key influencers: ChatGPT can assist authors in identifying influential individuals, organisations, or communities within their niche, helping to establish connections and potential partnerships for book promotion. Use this to go on podcasts or to create a blog tour.
• Author website development: ChatGPT can suggest creating an author website that showcases the non-fiction book, provides additional resources, and enables direct interaction with readers.
• Social media content planning: ChatGPT can help authors develop a content plan for their social media platforms, providing ideas for engaging posts, excerpts from the book, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the writing process.
• Book trailer script: ChatGPT can assist in writing an engaging script for a book trailer, a short video that introduces the non-fiction book and builds excitement among potential readers.
• Preparing for media interviews: ChatGPT can help authors prepare for media interviews by providing potential questions, suggested answers, and tips for effective communication.
• Localisation and translation guidance: If authors intend to reach international audiences, ChatGPT can provide guidance on localisation strategies and assist with translating book descriptions, marketing materials, or excerpts into different languages.
• Monitoring book reviews and feedback: ChatGPT can help authors keep track of book reviews, reader feedback, and social media mentions, providing summaries or insights to identify areas of improvement or topics for future books.
• Post-publication marketing: ChatGPT can provide ideas for ongoing marketing efforts, such as virtual book tours, guest appearances on podcasts, or writing articles for relevant publications to maintain the book’s visibility.
• Understanding publishing industry trends: ChatGPT can assist authors in staying informed about the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the publishing industry, helping them adapt their strategies accordingly.

And the list goes on…

ChatGPT conclusion

I honestly resisted ChatGPT for some time, and then when I started to use it, I could see how it could support the non-fiction book journey. I am clear in all of my courses that you must change what ChatGPT comes out with and ensure that your writing is in your voice.

Ready to write your book? Take a look at my courses.