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Hello readers,
Over time, I’ve shared classes and suggestions from writing knowledgeable weblog — beforehand 10 years {of professional} running a blog – what I’ve discovered. Not too long ago, I’ve had some main adjustments in my workflow, and needed to share extra.
Pre-AI running a blog workflow
My pre-AI workflow for running a blog — what I’ve been doing for over years — seems one thing like this:
- Have fascinating conversations at work or with pals/colleagues
- Randomly seize my cellphone, and e mail myself the title of a weblog submit
- These have punchy opinions/titles that develop simply to weblog posts – some examples:
- “what must occur for web3 gaming to work”
- “classes discovered from launching video games that apply to internet and cell apps”
- “why startups ought to ignore social media haterade”
- and many others
- Not too long ago, I’ve been utilizing this app, E mail Me, which is opens to a textual content field and it’s a one-button ship (additionally good for articles to learn later, todo listing objects, and many others)
- These have punchy opinions/titles that develop simply to weblog posts – some examples:
- Later, after I’m doing e mail, I do certainly one of two issues:
- If I’m motivated, begin a weblog submit instantly with the title
- Or put it into my Notes app the place I gather an extended listing of 100+ titles which can be on the backlog
- I typically write on the weekends and attempt to do a full essay in a single sit – normally take 2-3 hours
- Very very hardly ever do I’m going again and proof learn or rewrite them (don’t blame me! I’ve been writing for hours!)
- Normally the essays are scheduled to exit Monday/Tuesday morning at 9am
- The day the submit goes out, I do a light-weight proof-read after which as soon as it goes out, I write a tweetstorm directing site visitors
This entire course of has served me nicely for years. Ultimately, there’s no actual magic to it — 99% of the battle is carving out a couple of hours on Sundays to jot down when there’s a many dozens of emails that have to be returned, Netflix reveals to be watched, and video games I needs to be “researching” for my job as a video games business investor.
However prior to now yr, I’ve experimented with altering my workflow to include a lot of new generative AI instruments — significantly ChatGPT. I needed to share some experiences with what it appears to be good at, and what it’s not.
Submit-AI running a blog workflow
After ChatGPT was launched, I started to experiment with it in numerous methods — listed here are a couple of methods the place it’s been helpful.
First, writing from a clean web page is difficult. Generally it’s simpler to only generate a primary draft of one thing, even when it’s not nice, simply to get your inventive juices going. I’d use a immediate like this:
I’m writing a weblog submit about how Gen Z consuming extra video, taking part in video games, and different types of wealthy and interactive content material will imply that they may learn much less long-form textual content like newspapers and books. Write me a primary draft of a 5 paragraph essay that explores this matter, however solely use 2-3 sentences for the opening and shutting in order that it’s terse and punchy. Be opinionated.
And ChatGPT returns one thing that kind of is sensible? However studying the outcomes extra intently, it lacks examples and story-telling, and statistics or the rest. I don’t like Paragraph 3 right here, because it misses a chance to speak about how a lot of YouTube is training functions, for instance. The writing is a bit too stiff and formal, and doesn’t match my very own private model.
Normally, it’s simply not that good.
However after watching a web page like this and discovering all the issues, I can then iterate fairly simply. I can put in a followup immediate to vary out Paragraph 3 and join it to a special level. Or I can simply begin enhancing it and rewriting it fully, and even when on the finish 90% of it’s totally different, it’s nonetheless higher than beginning with a clean web page.
Brainstorming outlines, lists of matters and questions, and extra
If ChatGPT is weak at precise writing, the place I discover it excels is as a non-judgmental brainstorming accomplice that doesn’t care if in case you have silly concepts or in case your writing is boring. It’s supremely helpful for producing outlines of weblog posts, making lists of matters, and making a bunch of questions you may reply as inspiration, and many others. On this use case, the AI doesn’t should have a 100% hit price on its content material. If it creates lists and lists of content material, however 20% conjures up you in your precise work, then that’s a hit.
For instance, let’s say that you realize you need to write a weblog submit about alternatives to construct new apps in VR. You possibly can ask one thing like:
I’m writing a weblog submit about new app concepts in VR. What are 15 questions that somebody would possibly ask me about this matter? Make them spicy, and if useful, cite statistics to make the questions extra fascinating
It comes again with a mishmash of questions, some that are dumb and uninteresting — like the primary, one, which is simply asking what VR apps will likely be helpful. But it surely additionally has a bunch of fascinating ones on esports, content material creation, company coaching, and many others.
You may additionally think about utilizing this as a fairly useful device in case you are making a brand new podcast and are interviewing visitors. Or if you wish to write a brand new essay that critiques some present paradigm. (“Give me 10 questions from somebody who’s skeptical of of the worth of AI security”). And after getting an fascinating query, it turns into straightforward to ask it to stipulate a whole weblog submit about it.
For instance, I typically discover it helpful to jot down prompts for outlines specifying particular matters and concepts.
Take the idea of Ok-12 training and VR – are you able to write an overview increasing on the promise and in addition skepticism round this concept? Specifically contact on the idea of mixing entertaining and gaming and studying, as one of many factors. Create 6 sections, and put 3 sub-bullets underneath every. Use robust opinions and ask powerful questions.
I’ll depart it to an train for the reader, however the outcome will not be unhealthy. It’s a good start line.
ChatGPT works nice for outlines for lengthy type writing additionally. And as a lot of you realize, I wrote my ebook 3 years in the past with out the advantage of AI. The ebook is on community results, and I ended up making an overview that acts in numerous levels, and makes use of examples from iconic tech firms. I can immediate ChatGPT with one thing like this:
Create an overview for a ebook on community results for cell apps and web sites. Stage out the define in order that it begins on launching a product from zero, and the problems there, versus the levels of scaling the product, then hitting market saturation. Be sure you’ll be able to weave within the points going through community effects-driven merchandise like social networks, marketplaces, courting apps, and collaboration instruments. Write a ten part ebook, with 3-5 sub-bullets. The primary sub-bullet in every part ought to all the time be an instance of an iconic tech firm, like Uber, Airbnb, Dropbox, Tinder, Slack, or others. Please make the great define for a ebook centered on community results focused at professionals working within the tech business
The outcome truly isn’t unhealthy. It’s not the best way that I wrote it, because it begins to dive into every class of product quite than increasing on the broad idea. However once more, it’s not a nasty start line. I may simply have imagined utilizing this for brainstorming and prototyping functions, iterating by way of totally different variations in describing the concept. It might need helped me work at extra of a conceptual degree within the early months, with out getting dragged into the trivialities of writing all the varied sentences.
Cleanup — initially, and on the finish
Lastly, one of many suggestions I’ve for people who’re combating writing is to easily discuss out their concepts aloud. A few of us are sometimes extra verbally wired, and we’ll join disparate concepts and make fascinating connections when requested a query, however flop once we’re simply watching a clean textual content. The voice characteristic in ChatGPT’s cell app — and in addition merchandise like Oasis AI — are fascinating in which you can go stream of consciousness on a subject, and these merchandise can clear them up considerably. The output isn’t that usable, IMHO, however you may then go and add/edit the outcome and develop it additional.
It’s highly effective once you mix this with AI-generated outlines. Simply give ChatGPT a subject or higher but, an opinion (“open supply merchandise have unhealthy client UX!”) and have it give you an overview of the argument. Then begin speaking by way of the argument, and file it. Course of it in one of many new AI apps, after which get it all the way down to textual content. Then edit from there.
The opposite place the place AI-driven cleanup may also help is on the finish, if you wish to be sure to sound skilled, or like an knowledgeable, and never an fool. You possibly can have ChatGPT rewrite content material and incorporate a special tone. Or feed it some examples to quote and construct off of. The flexibility to wash up concepts and textual content material throughout after which after the creation circulate is all fairly fascinating.
There’s a bunch of issues ChatGPT can’t but do
I’m excited for all of the ways in which generative AI will assist the writing course of. I discover edges to its capabilities that can quickly be addressed, I’m certain. However listed here are some apparent ones that I discover on a regular basis:
- I would like it to have all the information, as much as in the present day (or in real-time), as a result of I would like it to make use of examples and cite numbers which can be as latest as potential
- Some genAI instruments can generate photographs, which is beneficial, since I need to create charts and figures, sketches of ideas, and even the little lead picture that sits on high of every essay
- It’d be best if it was linked to Twitter and different social media platforms, in order that you can tweet out content material simply — writing tweetstorms through AI can be nice!
- I need to practice it on a corpus of my very own writing, in fact, and in addition writers that I respect. Proper now it takes some work to customise the tone of voice to what I would like
- There’s information, paperwork, and different information that I need to feed into ChatGPT, after which have it make the most of the content material as a part of its arguments and ideas. Think about a routine job like, “hey, take this 10,000 phrase chapter and summarize it right into a 100 entry tweetstorm” can be massively useful. Proper now it will probably’t do this
There’s much more to go right here, nevertheless it’s extremely promising.
Once I’m running a blog today, no marvel I discover myself with WordPress open in a single window, after which ChatGPT within the different. And I discover myself spinning up new chats, copying and pasting backwards and forwards. It’s the primary time in 10+ years that I’ve discovered my workflow considerably change, and I’m excited to see what occurs subsequent.
PS. Get new updates/evaluation on tech and startups
I write a high-quality, weekly e-newsletter protecting what’s taking place in Silicon Valley, centered on startups, advertising and marketing, and cell.
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