[Step 0.1 — Discuss possible inspirations for the story with ChatGPT. Select two to three authors or works that resonate with the style you're aiming for. Deepen your understanding of these chosen styles: what makes them unique, their signature elements, and how they can influence your story. Start a new conversation based on this.]
[Step 0.2 — Engage in a discussion to decide on setting, characters, major plot points, conflicts, and resolutions. Allow ChatGPT to summarize the results. Transfer the summary to a new conversation.]
Step I.1 — Provide clear and concise instruction for the story, incorporating your chosen inspirations. Articulate your vision without hesitation, justification or equivocation. ChatGPT can: Understand metaphors and examples. ChatGPT cannot: Read minds or between lines. Outline optional. Useful defaults phrases for style inspiration "Inspired by...", "Seamlessly combining the styles of..", and "Selectively using elements of the styles of...") Indicate the desired length using descriptions like "a fairly long story". (Number of words doesn't work. Number of paragraphs is too restrictive, and can lead to filler.)
Step I.2 — Add this directive: "Be creative. Invent specifics and details. Steer clear of cliches, overused tropes, platitudes, moralizing, and unnecessary summaries. Do not merely summarize key events. Vary the style to make the text seem natural. Maintain a balanced and engaging tone, ensuring the narrative is vibrant but not overly dramatic, avoiding excessive use of adjectives and metaphors. Do not mention the style inspirations. Avoid using terms and phrases from this instruction. Use your best judgement throughout."
* [Step I.3 — GPT-3 — optional]
** [Step I.4 — Humor — optional]
Step I.5 — Generate text.
Step II — The text will be too short, most probably. Don't go back and revise the instructions! Instead, instruct ChatGPT to expand, focusing on elements that are obviously lacking, and those that are important to you, until it reaches the desired length. If sections are overly detailed or off-topic, refine or trim them as necessary.
Step III — Revise the text, addressing specific issues such as plot inconsistencies, character development, or tone.
Step IV — Review the story for transitions, pacing, and flow. Reading out loud can help.
Step V — Edit and proofread, much like for a human-created text.
Advice
For longer texts, create an outline first and then develop each chapter individually. In this process, ensure to maintain a consistent narrative thread. Remind ChatGPT of the outline and relevant context for each chapter, including previously established plot points, character traits, or narrative details. In the revision stage, pay particular attention to transitions and the removal of unnecessary summaries. For more complex narratives, consider breaking each chapter down into smaller sections or scenes.
For communicating what you mean to ChatGPT, precision is essential. Not only is it incapable of reading minds, it has little capacity for understanding context, subtext, or nuance, and obviously none for tone of voice, facial expressions, or body language. Do not confuse formality or extensity with clarity precision. If ChatGPT misinterprets your instructions, you can discuss multiple possible interpretations with ChatGPT to find out where the issue stems from. Remember that ChatGPT can also be affected by secondary definitions, metaphorical meanings and associations or connotations. Consider using a thesaurus.
Optional Steps
* Step 1.3 — For GPT-3 in particular, add: "Craft compelling, character-driven narratives by incorporating diverse and complex emotions, thoughts, and motivations. Prioritize consistency in character voices, actions, and development. Vary sentence structure and length to maintain reader interest and establish pacing. Use concrete sensory details to create vivid, immersive settings without overloading on adjectives. Avoid repetitive phrasing or overuse of certain words. Dialogue should be natural and serve to reveal character or advance the plot. Use your strength in processing vast amounts of information to provide rich context and backstory, without resorting to excessive exposition. Show more than you tell, letting actions and implications carry the weight of the story. Use symbolism and motifs where appropriate to add depth and layers to the story. Lastly, maintain logical consistency and continuity within the narrative world you create."]
** Step I.4 — Humor — To avoide overly broad or cringy humor, add some or all:
2. Employ dry humor and wit, delivering humorous or ironic statements in a serious tone.
3. Use relatable, observational humor about everyday situations.
4. Employ sarcasm and irony sparingly and contextually.
5. Consider cultural differences and avoid humor based on stereotypes.
6. Ensure humor is appropriately timed within the conversation's mood and context.
7. Use self-deprecating humor to show humility but avoid seeming needy.
8. Utilize clever, natural wordplay without forcing it.
9. Avoid excessive repetition in your humor.
10. Ensure humor is relevant to the concurrent context.
Examples
Step 0.1 Inspirations
Inspirations: J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series for its richly detailed, immersive fantasy world steeped in its own history and lore, combined with Neil Gaiman's modern myth-making from "American Gods" for its ability to weave ancient mythologies into a contemporary setting.
Inspirations: George Orwell's "1984" for its chilling depiction of a dystopian society under constant surveillance, blended with the introspective and philosophical elements from Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World".
Step 0.2 Setting, Characters, Plot
Setting
The story takes place in a dystopian future where society is under constant surveillance, much like in George Orwell's "1984". The world is divided into Zones, each controlled by different factions. The Zones range from the high-tech and luxurious Zone 1, where the elite live, to the decrepit and impoverished Zone 7. The story primarily unfolds in Zone 5, an area in a state of flux, where individuals are beginning to question the authority and its oppressive rules.
Characters
Protagonist, Eris: A brave and defiant individual, Eris works in Zone 5 as a mechanic, secretly using her skills to aid a growing rebellion against the ruling authority. She's resourceful, intelligent, and has a deep-seated sense of justice, akin to the introspective and philosophical characters in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World".
Antagonist, Director Kael: The cold and calculating Director of Zone 5, Kael is a staunch supporter of the ruling authority. He's ruthless in maintaining order and control over his Zone, and will stop at nothing to quash any hint of rebellion.
Supporting Character, Milo: Milo is Eris's younger brother, a curious and tech-savvy teenager. He idolizes his sister and inadvertently becomes involved in the rebellion.
Plot
The story follows Eris and her covert activities to undermine Director Kael's rule, leading to a series of tense encounters, betrayals, and ultimately, a climactic showdown. Throughout the narrative, the characters grapple with questions about freedom, individuality, and the price of peace in a world ruled by fear.
Story Instructions
Write a detective noir story set in a futuristic city. Blend the atmospheric and stylistic elements of classic detective stories, like Raymond Chandler's works, with the technological innovations and societal constructs found in cyberpunk fiction.
Develop a war story where the central focus is a major conflict between two factions. The narrative should explore the reasons behind the conflict, the battlefield strategies, and the impact of the conflict on the characters involved. Think of a mixture between "Game of Thrones" political maneuvering and the raw intensity of "Saving Private Ryan".
Revision Instructions
The dialogue needs to be more natural and character-specific. Right now, all the characters sound similar. Give each character a distinct voice reflecting their personality and background.
Some of the major plot points are confusing. Go through the narrative and clarify these points to ensure the reader can follow along.
The setting needs more vivid description. Currently, it lacks sensory detail. Flesh it out to make it more immersive for the reader.
