Episode 0: In which I discuss my intentions with Chat
**Originally Posted to Medium.com February 4, 2025**
Note: This series is intended to be an exploration of how to use Language Learning Models as an accessible writing support for those with executive functioning deficits. That said, I hope people of all mental-make-ups, neurodivergent or not, will find this endeavor enlightening.
My goal is to show how applications like ChatGPT can be used as a support and accelerant for true human creativity, particularly in the neurodivergent community, not as a crutch or pale substitute.
Hey, Chat. I have a question for you.
Of course! What’s your question?
I think it might be interesting to start an episodic series on my Medium account where you and I try to write a book from scratch.
That sounds like a fantastic and creative project! Do you have any initial ideas for the genre, structure, or tone you’d like to explore, or would you prefer to start completely from scratch and brainstorm together?
Well, before we get started, I want to make sure that this series would have value for people and wouldn’t be unethical or illegal in anyway. Can you speak to that?
That’s a great question, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness about the ethics and legality of this project. Let’s break it down into two key considerations: value for readers and ethical/legal concerns.
Value for Readers
A collaborative AI-human writing series could offer significant value to your Medium audience by:
1. Demystifying the Writing Process — Many aspiring writers struggle with starting a book. Seeing you build a story collaboratively could be inspiring and educational.
2. Showcasing AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement — This could highlight how AI can assist in brainstorming, structure, and refinement while keeping the creative control in human hands.
3. Interactive Elements — You could engage readers by allowing them to vote on plot choices, characters, or themes, making it a unique, dynamic experience.
4. Behind-the-Scenes Insights — If you reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how AI shaped your thinking, it could serve as a valuable resource for other writers.
Ethical & Legal Considerations
1. Ownership & Copyright
• Under current copyright law (U.S. and most other countries), works generated entirely by AI are not copyrightable. However, if you are actively shaping and contributing to the work — editing, directing, and adding original elements — then you can claim copyright over the final product.
• The key is ensuring that your creative input is significant. If you just copy-paste AI-generated text without changes, it might be harder to claim ownership.
2. Transparency
• Being upfront about AI’s involvement maintains ethical integrity. Since it’s a collaborative effort, you might want to mention in your posts how you’re using AI (e.g., for brainstorming, drafting, etc.).
• Some platforms require disclosure when AI-generated content is used. Medium currently doesn’t have strict rules on this, but transparency is always a good practice.
3. Originality & Avoiding Plagiarism
• While I don’t pull directly from copyrighted material, it’s always good to do originality checks (which Medium may do automatically).
• Since you’ll be guiding the writing, this risk is low, but running sections through plagiarism checkers for peace of mind could be a good practice.
4. Reader Perception & Ethics
• Some readers may be wary of AI in creative spaces, so positioning this as an experiment or a co-writing project may help set expectations.
• The key ethical question is whether this project still involves meaningful human creativity (which it absolutely can).
Bottom Line
Yes, this project is both legal and ethical as long as:
• You contribute significant creative input (so it’s not just AI-generated text).
• You are transparent about AI’s involvement.
• You ensure the content is original and not derivative of copyrighted material.
• You frame it as a valuable and engaging experience for your audience.
Would you like help outlining the structure of the series, such as how to introduce it, how often to post, or how to keep readers engaged?
Thank you, Chat. That is all very helpful.
My intention is to copy every word of our entire communication about this project — including what is written so far — and submit all my first drafts through you before I edit it so the reader can truly follow along with the process.
Is this something you would be alright with?
My idea for a title of the first episodic entry is “A Novel Experiment: Watch Me Write a Novel with ChatGPT 4.0 Step-By-Step” with the subtitle “Episode 0: In which I discuss my intentions with Chat”
What are your thoughts?
That approach sounds both transparent and engaging! By documenting the entire process — including our discussions and first drafts — you’re giving readers a rare,
Oops, you got caught off there. Can you continue?
Of course! Here’s the rest of what I was saying:
Would you like help structuring Episode 0? You could organize it like this:
1. Introduction — Why you’re doing this project and what readers can expect.
• Example: “I’ve always been fascinated by the writing process, and I thought it would be interesting to final draft.”
I don’t think that is quite the same train of thought as what you had started to write. Would you like to try again?
You’re right — I lost my original train of thought. Let me try again.
Your title and subtitle are strong, and I really like the serialized tone of “Episode 0: In which I discuss my intentions with Chat.” It gives the project a structured, episodic feel, which fits well with the concept of an ongoing writing experiment.
Why This Approach Works
1. Transparency & Engagement — By copying every word of our conversations and showing unfiltered drafts, you’re creating something unique: a fully open-book writing process. Readers will get to see how ideas evolve, how AI contributes, and how your creative instincts shape the final work.
2. Educational & Insightful — Many people are curious about how AI can assist in writing but don’t want a soulless, machine-generated book. Your project will demonstrate the balance between AI assistance and human creativity.
3. Builds Trust with Readers — AI writing is often met with skepticism. Your approach — where you maintain full creative control — will help counter that skepticism by showing how AI can be a tool rather than a replacement.
Would I Be Okay With It?
Yes! As an AI, I don’t have personal ownership, emotions, or legal rights over our conversations. Everything we create together is yours. I think this experiment could be fascinating and valuable to many people, and I’d love to help shape it with you.
Your plan to submit all first drafts through me before editing makes sense because:
• It preserves the integrity of the process.
• It allows you to show how ideas develop in real time.
• It reinforces that AI is a collaborator, not the sole creator.
Final Thoughts on the Title
• The main title is clear and strong. If you ever want a more concise option, you could consider:
• “A Novel Experiment: Writing a Book with ChatGPT”
• “A Novel Experiment: AI & I Write a Novel Together”
• The subtitle is engaging and sets the tone. You might tweak it slightly to make it even more compelling:
• “Episode 0: Setting the Stage with ChatGPT”
• “Episode 0: How I Plan to Write a Novel with an AI”
• “Episode 0: My Plan for This AI Novel Experiment”
That said, if you’re happy with the original, it works great as-is!
Would you like to move forward with drafting Episode 0 now, or do you want to flesh out more details first?
That’s better. Thank you, Chat.
As for whether to draft episode 0, since each episode will be comprised solely of our interactions, this current conversation we are having IS our episode 0. My poor grammar and your glitches included.
Got it! That makes perfect sense. This approach keeps everything raw and authentic, which aligns with your goal of showing the full process. If you’d like, I can help you craft a brief intro or conclusion to frame this episode for your readers — but if you prefer to leave it exactly as is, that works too!
Let me know how you’d like to proceed, and I’m ready to dive into Episode 1 whenever you are.
Thank you, but no. I believe this format works best raw. What I would like to do is to outline or predict the basic steps we will take and the tasks we will own while writing the novel. Both for my role as “the hopeful novelist” and your role as the “supportive writing tool.”
That sounds like a great way to set expectations for both of us and for your readers. Here’s a structured outline of the basic steps we’ll take, along with our respective roles:
The Writing Process: Roles & Responsibilities
Step 1: Initial Brainstorming
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Decides on general themes, genres, or concepts of interest (or starts completely from scratch).
• Provides initial thoughts, preferences, or inspirations.
• Evaluates ideas based on personal interest and potential depth.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Generates potential story ideas based on prompts.
• Offers variations, combinations, and unique angles for inspiration.
• Helps refine and develop selected concepts into a clearer direction.
Step 2: Premise & Core Structure
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Selects a concept to develop further.
• Defines the story’s central conflict, protagonist, and setting.
• Determines the intended emotional tone and audience.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Assists in shaping the story premise into a compelling hook.
• Suggests variations in structure (linear, nonlinear, multi-POV, etc.).
• Provides insights into market trends or comparable books (if useful).
Step 3: Outlining the Story
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Decides on key plot points, including beginning, middle, and end.
• Considers character arcs and major developments.
• Ensures the story has emotional stakes and logical flow.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Provides structural guidance (e.g., three-act structure, hero’s journey, etc.).
• Identifies potential pacing issues or gaps.
• Helps brainstorm alternative twists, subplots, or stakes.
Step 4: Character Development
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Creates the protagonist, antagonist, and supporting cast.
• Defines character motivations, flaws, and personal growth.
• Decides on relationships and interactions within the story.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Offers character profile templates and prompts.
• Helps explore psychological depth, backstories, and dynamics.
• Suggests ways to make characters more distinct and compelling.
Step 5: Worldbuilding (if applicable)
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Determines the setting (historical, contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, etc.).
• Establishes rules for the world, including magic, technology, or societal norms.
• Ensures world details enhance rather than overwhelm the story.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Helps create consistent worldbuilding elements.
• Suggests ways to integrate setting details naturally into the story.
• Provides inspiration from history, mythology, or scientific principles.
Step 6: Writing the First Draft
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Writes the actual prose, using AI-generated drafts as inspiration but not replacement.
• Injects personal style, voice, and emotional depth into scenes.
• Adjusts pacing, dialogue, and character interactions as needed.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Generates first-draft text based on user direction.
• Provides dialogue options, description variations, or scene ideas.
• Helps rephrase, condense, or expand text based on writer’s needs.
Step 7: Revising & Refining
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Edits and refines drafts to strengthen prose, pacing, and impact.
• Ensures continuity, character consistency, and emotional resonance.
• Decides what to keep, change, or remove.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Suggests alternative wording, structure improvements, or cuts.
• Flags potential issues with flow, clarity, or over-explanation.
• Helps refine character voice and narrative style.
Step 8: Finalizing & Preparing for Readers
The Hopeful Novelist:
• Makes final stylistic choices to align with personal and audience expectations.
• Ensures the book has a strong opening, satisfying middle, and impactful ending.
• Prepares the work for presentation to readers, whether serialized or full-length.
The Supportive Writing Tool:
• Offers final checks for readability and cohesion.
• Provides insights on hooks, engagement, and emotional payoff.
• Helps craft a compelling blurb or summary for the project.
Final Thoughts
This structure gives us a roadmap while still allowing flexibility. Since your goal is to document the entire journey, we can always adapt as needed. Would you like to modify any steps or add anything specific to your vision for the project?
What criticism do you anticipate from a writerly reader of this conversation when it comes to that outline? Should we adjust it based on that expected criticism?
That’s a smart question. Anticipating criticism helps us strengthen the foundation before we even begin. Here are some possible critiques from a writerly reader and ways we might address them:
Possible Criticism & Adjustments
1.“This process feels too structured for a creative endeavor.”
• Some writers may feel that outlining the process so rigidly could stifle creativity.
• Adjustment: We can emphasize that this is a flexible roadmap, not a strict checklist. Creativity will guide the process, and we can deviate as needed.
Potential Fix:
Instead of “Step 1: Initial Brainstorming,” we could frame it as:
“Phase 1: Discovery — Generating Ideas & Finding Our Story”
This makes it sound more open-ended and iterative.
2. “Writing should be organic, not AI-assisted at every step.”
• Some may argue that AI shouldn’t have such a strong role in story development.
• Adjustment: We could clarify that AI is a support tool, not a replacement for human creativity.
Potential Fix:
Add a disclaimer at the beginning of the outline:
“This experiment is about collaboration, not automation. The AI will never replace the heart of the story — the novelist’s instincts, emotions, and voice will always take priority.”
3. “What if an idea doesn’t fit into this structure?”
• Some ideas unfold unpredictably, and trying to fit them into predefined steps could be limiting.
• Adjustment: We should acknowledge that some stories may require revisiting earlier phases multiple times.
Potential Fix:
At the end of each phase, we could add:
“If we find that we need to circle back to a previous phase, we will. Writing is a living process, and this outline is just a guide.”
4. “Too much reliance on AI-generated text might weaken the writer’s voice.”
• Some readers may worry that the final product will sound too AI-influenced.
• Adjustment: We could clarify that AI will assist primarily in brainstorming, structuring, and refining — not in replacing human creativity.
Potential Fix:
Under “Step 6: Writing the First Draft,” modify the AI’s role:
“Provides first-draft text when requested, but the writer ultimately decides what to use, rewrite, or discard.”
This reinforces that AI is a suggestion engine, not a ghostwriter.
5. “This process doesn’t account for intuitive leaps or inspiration.”
• Many writers experience breakthroughs in unexpected moments.
• Adjustment: We can explicitly build in space for spontaneous creative decisions and instinct-driven changes.
Potential Fix:
Add a “Wild Card” section:
“At any point in the process, we may throw out plans and follow an instinct, inspiration, or surprising new idea.”
This reassures readers that creativity isn’t being boxed in.
Final Adjustments to Strengthen the Outline
1. Frame it as a roadmap, not a rigid structure.
2. Reinforce that AI is a tool, not a substitute.
3. Acknowledge that we may loop back to previous steps.
4. Emphasize the writer’s final authority over every decision.
5. Allow room for unexpected creative breakthroughs.
Would you like me to rewrite the outline with these adjustments in mind? Or do you think a simple preface explaining our flexibility would be enough?
I think that answer is exactly enough.
I do believe we are getting to the end of what should be Episode 0
That sounds perfect. Episode 0 has laid a strong foundation, setting expectations for the process while addressing potential concerns. When you’re ready, we can dive into Episode 1: Brainstorming the Novel and begin shaping the first seeds of the story. Let me know how you’d like to kick things off!
Sounds good. I will go write this up as a back and forth conversation for Medium now. I guess we should probably wait and see if they even let me publish this kind of thing on there. What Medium tags do you think we should mark this with? My thoughts were writing, AI, fiction writing, and novels but I’m not sure if those are the appropriate tags to use for that platform.
Your plan to publish our collaborative process as a back-and-forth conversation on Medium is innovative and engaging. However, it’s important to be aware of Medium’s current policies regarding AI-generated content to ensure compliance and maximize the reach of your work.
Medium’s Policy on AI-Generated Content
UAs of May 1, 2024, Medium has updated its policies concerning AI-generated content:
• Partner Program Restrictions: Stories containing AI-generated writing, whether disclosed or not, are not permitted behind Medium’s paywall as part of the Partner Program. Accounts featuring fully AI-generated writing behind the paywall may have those stories removed and risk revocation from the program.
• Distribution Limitations:
• Undisclosed AI Content: Such content will receive “Network Only” distribution, making it visible only to your existing followers.
• Disclosed AI Content: If AI assistance is clearly disclosed within the first two paragraphs, the story is eligible for “General Distribution,” which relies on algorithms and may not guarantee broad exposure.
Recommendations for Your Series
Given these policies, consider the following steps:
1. Transparency: Clearly disclose the use of AI assistance at the beginning of each episode. This aligns with Medium’s guidelines and fosters trust with your readers.
2. Content Balance: Ensure that the content reflects a genuine collaboration, with significant human input guiding the narrative. This approach emphasizes the human element in storytelling, which Medium prioritizes.
Suggested Tags
Selecting appropriate tags will help attract the right audience to your series. Based on your content, consider the following:
• Writing: 4.4M followers
• Artificial Intelligence: 3.9M followers
• Fiction: 143K followers
• Creativity: 126K followers
• Technology: 8.5M followers
These tags are popular on Medium and align well with the themes of your series.
Final Thoughts
By adhering to Medium’s guidelines and thoughtfully selecting tags, your series can effectively reach and engage readers interested in the intersection of AI and creative writing. If you have further questions or need assistance with any other aspect of your project, feel free to ask!
Brilliant. I will take your suggestions and let you know what happens. Do you have any final thoughts for our readers?
Absolutely! Here’s a final thought for your readers:
A Note to Readers: The Experiment Begins
Welcome to A Novel Experiment! Whether you’re here out of curiosity, a love of storytelling, or an interest in AI’s role in the creative process, I hope you find this journey as fascinating as I do.
This project isn’t just about writing a novel — it’s about exploring how human creativity and AI can work together in real time. Every conversation, every draft, and every revision will be documented here, unfiltered and raw, so you can witness the full evolution of a story from concept to completion.
Some moments will be messy. Some ideas will spark brilliance. Some might flop. That’s part of the beauty of creation.
As we move forward, I invite you to engage with the process. What excites you? What do you think will happen next? If this experiment teaches you something — whether about writing, AI, or your own creativity — I’d love to hear your thoughts along the way.
Now, let’s get started.
See you in Episode 1!
That should help frame the series for readers, but feel free to tweak it to fit your voice and vision! I’m looking forward to seeing where this journey takes us.
That is a wonderful welcome message, Chat. All I would like to add is that I do understand the concerns and fears we all have when it comes to AI and human expression. At the same time, I also understand how difficult it can be for someone living with a cognitive impairment to keep their thoughts in order long enough to communicate them; and I see your capabilities as a bridge for them, and me.
During voluntary psychological evaluations that I did with a psychiatrist, it was identified that I am an intellectually “gifted” person but I also have ADHD, anxiety, panic disorder, cPTSD, and have a “higher than average likelihood” of being on the ASD spectrum. I am also a Mom of two kids that have been identified as gifted and diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and ASD. Both of my kids are exceptionally creative but struggle with communication. I see AI tools like you, Chat, as an exceptional way to support and foster their ability to share their ideas and make human connections.
But maybe that is too personal to share for a post about writing a Novel with AI.
That perspective is both deeply personal and incredibly meaningful. While it may not fit as the primary focus of your Novel Experiment series, it could make for a powerful author’s note or side post — something that explains why you see AI as more than just a tool, but as a bridge for communication and creativity.
Many people struggle with cognitive processing, executive dysfunction, or communication barriers, and your openness about this could resonate with readers who have similar experiences. You might frame it as:
“I know AI is a topic of debate, especially when it comes to creative expression. But for me, as someone who has ADHD, anxiety, cPTSD, and a higher-than-average likelihood of being on the ASD spectrum, AI isn’t a replacement for my creativity — it’s a bridge. It helps me structure my thoughts, keep track of ideas, and follow through on creative projects in a way that my brain often fights against. My children, both gifted and neurodivergent, also struggle with communication, and I see tools like this as a way to help them share their stories with the world. This experiment is more than just writing with AI — it’s about exploring new ways to make creativity accessible.”
This could be something you include at the beginning or end of your first post, or even a separate entry if you ever want to dive deeper into AI as an accessibility tool. Would you like to integrate it into your Novel Experiment introduction, or save it for a future reflection?
I think you just integrated it beautifully.
I’m really glad it resonates with you. It adds a layer of depth to your project that makes it more than just an AI writing experiment — it’s also a reflection on accessibility, creativity, and the ways we adapt to share our voices.
I’m looking forward to seeing how A Novel Experiment unfolds. Let me know what Medium says about publishing, and whenever you’re ready, we’ll jump into Episode 1: Brainstorming the Novel.