Harnessing GPTs for Enhanced Writing: A Personal Journey in AI Collaboration

14 min readJan 17, 2024

Since my first encounter with writing alongside AI on 2023/10/26, the journey has been transformative. The AI’s capability to assist me in generating more articles significantly accelerated 🚀 my writing process. This collaboration led to the creation of 30 English articles, which I then translated into Chinese for the 2023 iThome Iron Man writing competition, winning 2nd place 🥈in the AI & Data category. As I immersed myself in this AI-assisted writing process, a curious shift occurred: I found myself increasingly reliant on AI for articulating my thoughts, a reliance that inadvertently began to hurt my verbal communication skills with people.

In real-time conversations, without the AI’s guidance and the absence of time to carefully craft my responses, I find myself struggling to communicate as effectively. This has led to an intriguing realization: while AI enhances my written expression, it simultaneously highlights my challenges in spontaneous verbal communication.😵

Because he understands what I mean, I almost forget how to talk. デキる猫は今日も憂鬱 in YouTube

I’m eager to continue my journey of writing with AI, but with a renewed focus on infusing more of my personal style into each piece. It’s essential for me to strike a balance ⚖️ between leveraging AI’s capabilities and preserving my unique voice in my writing. The advent of GPTs opens new doors for exploration and I’m excited about the possibilities they bring. Currently, I’m working on what I consider the second version of my AI-assisted writing process. This phase is not just a continuation but an evolution, reflecting the dynamic changes in both GPT technology and my growth as a writer. Together, we are evolving, adapting, and improving, offering a glimpse 👁️ into the potential future of human-AI collaboration in creative endeavors.

GPTs I created for writing

GPTs are a great solution since we all be told to set a role for GPT, like “You are a world-class technical writer…..” Reflecting on my past work, I’ve identified three repetitive tasks in each article that GPTs can adeptly handle. I was also inspired by Marty Cagan’s ‘So You Want to Write a Book,’📚 where he highlights the importance of having different types of reviewers. Incorporating this idea, I’m tailoring GPTs to fit specific reviewing roles, optimizing their assistance in my writing journey.

I created:

Writing Coach: This GPT will guide and help me polish my thoughts, rather than rewriting my article.
TechWrite Editor: This one will check my content against criteria, including grammar errors and adding emojis 😊.
Marketing Maven: This one will write attractive promotional posts on LinkedIn.

The inspiration from the AI meetup with 金玲老師 was invaluable; she provided a formula to create prompts. Based on that, I made:

Artistic Prompt Crafter 🎨 : This one will guide me in crafting prompts for Midjourney to generate images and covers for my articles.

The Enhanced Writing Methodology

My refined approach to writing is structured into four distinct phases, ensuring both efficiency and effectiveness

Make sure I have something to say: It starts with confirming that I have a significant point or idea to convey.
Make sure I can say it clearly: Next, I focus on articulating my thoughts clearly and understandably. 🎵
Make sure it’s easy to read: Then, I refine the text to ensure it’s reader-friendly and easily digestible.
Promote it 📢: Finally, the process concludes with strategizing how best to share and promote the finished piece.

This overview sets the stage for a deeper exploration of each phase, which I will elaborate on in the following sections.

Demonstrating the Results ✨

The transformation from my initial draft to the final publication is a testament to the process’s efficacy. This evolution unfolded over just 4 hours, involving more than 17 iterations of back-and-forth adjustments. This rapid and iterative approach not only streamlined the writing process but also significantly improved the quality of the final output.

You can see the full article here: A Practitioner’s Reflection on Continuous Discovery: Embarking on Continuous Interviews

When writing with AI, I’ve learned it’s more effective for me to communicate in English. This insight emerged from my initial experiences. Observing the outcome of AI translations into Chinese, particularly when requesting Traditional Chinese as used in Taiwan, the results were often awkward 😖. The effort required to revise these translations frequently surpassed the work needed if I had translated them myself. This realization has significantly shaped my approach to utilizing AI in my writing process.

Exploring the Workflow in Depth 🕳️

Now, let’s delve deeper into the workflow. This exploration will provide a clearer understanding of each step in my writing process when working with AI.

Ensuring a Clear Message

The foundational 1️⃣ step in my writing process is to ascertain that I indeed have something substantial to say. Once I gather my initial thoughts, I consult with the Writing Coach to refine and clarify them. GPT’s strength lies in its ability to organize and list ideas, which provides me with a clearer perspective on my own thoughts. Reviewing these structured outlines helps me transition from the role of an author to that of a critical reviewer. This shift in perspective is crucial; it allows me to objectively assess whether my initial ideas have enough substance to develop into a complete and coherent outline.

Clarifying My Points

In the second step 2️⃣, my focus shifts to ensuring the clarity of my points. This involves engaging with the Writing Coach to thoroughly review my content. I actively discuss and refine each section with GPT, leveraging its ability to provide insights and alternative perspectives. For instance, if I’m considering how to effectively incorporate a real-world example, I’d consult GPT for advice on best practices and clarity. This iterative process of review and discussion is vital for making sure that each point I make is communicated as clearly and effectively as possible.

Additionally, I also engage in discussions about integrating new ideas into my writing. This involves brainstorming with the Writing Coach and GPT on the best ways to introduce and develop new points, ensuring they align seamlessly with the existing content.

After these comprehensive discussions and subsequent modifications to my draft, I turn once again to GPT for an additional round of review and feedback.🔁 This step is crucial as it ensures that the revisions have effectively enhanced the article and that the new content integrates smoothly with the existing material. GPT’s insights at this stage are invaluable for fine-tuning the draft and ensuring the overall coherence and impact of the final piece.

In cases where certain paragraphs don’t align with my personal writing preference, or if I feel they require a different approach, I opt to utilize the content generated by GPT. For example, in sections like ‘Coming Next’ or similar transitions, I might incorporate GPT’s output directly 🤖. This strategy allows me to maintain the flow and consistency of the article while also benefiting from the AI’s ability to craft relevant and cohesive content.

Ensuring Readability

Once the content of the article is finalized, I proceed to the crucial third step 3️⃣: ensuring the article is easy to read. At this stage, I use the TechWrite Editor, where I input the entire article for a comprehensive review. This tool helps me scrutinize the readability of the text, focusing on aspects like sentence structure, clarity, and overall flow. It’s a vital step to guarantee that the article is not only informative but also engaging and accessible to the reader.

Upon receiving feedback from the TechWrite Editor, I engage in a more in-depth analysis to further refine the article. For example, if the feedback points out the need for more examples, I might inquire, ‘What kind of example would best illustrate this point?’ ❓This focused and targeted approach enables me to tackle specific areas of improvement, thereby enhancing the overall quality and effectiveness of my writing. It ensures that each element of the article, from examples to explanations, contributes meaningfully to the reader’s understanding.

GPT’s strength lies in its ability to explain concepts clearly. 🦉 This encourages me to ask any question, no matter how simple it might seem, without hesitation. I feel comfortable querying multiple times, if necessary until I fully grasp the subject. This aspect of GPT is particularly valuable, as it allows me to explore and understand various topics in-depth, ensuring my writing is as informed and accurate as possible.

Following these steps, the TechWrite Editor performs a comprehensive review of the entire article. Its role is crucial at this stage: it meticulously corrects any grammatical errors and enriches the text by adding emojis 😊, where appropriate, for added emphasis and reader engagement. Importantly, this is done while preserving the originality of my words, ensuring that the essence of my writing style remains intact.

In addition to textual content, I recognize the importance of visual aids 🎨 in enhancing reader engagement. Although I have access to Midjourney for image creation, crafting effective prompts was initially challenging for me. To address this, I developed a specialized GPT, named ‘Artistic Prompt Crafter.’ With this tool, I input the entire article and request specific prompts for Midjourney. This process significantly simplifies my workflow, as it narrows down the options, allowing me to easily select the most suitable prompt for creating visuals that complement my writing.

Below is the image 🖼️ generated by Midjourney. While I feel it may not be perfect, it serves my purpose well, especially considering my challenges with visual imagination. For me, the convenience and the ability to visually complement my articles, even without a strong artistic flair, is what makes Midjourney an acceptable and valuable tool in my writing process.

When working with the ‘Marketing Maven’ GPT tool, I found it tended to produce overly lengthy and elaborate content. To address this, I give clear feedback on how to streamline and focus the material. This interactive process ensures that the promotional copy is concise, on-point, and effectively communicates the essence of the article without being excessive.

Unexpected Findings

When I first considered using GPTs to enhance my writing, I wasn’t sure how to differentiate their roles 🎭. I initially thought having an editor would suffice. However, after reading So You Want to Write a Book, I realized that the writing process could be segmented into many distinct parts. I questioned the scope of GPTs, such as whether I should have a GPT solely for adding emojis. Inspired by this, I designed roles for the GPTs as if they were partners, focusing on the competencies I desired from them.

Although the process seemed lengthy, the article I experimented with was completed in 4 hours with over 17 iterations. This was faster than my previous methods. The prompts I used were straightforward 🤜, akin to conversing with someone and asking for reviews, feedback, or clarification on feedback, like “Here’s my draft article, give me feedback,” or “Here are my thoughts, list out my points.”

Things that Didn’t Work Out 👎

I acknowledge that I had to sacrifice some of my writing style. For instance, emojis are a part of my style, but AI often generates more words than I do and uses advanced vocabulary that sometimes requires me to consult a dictionary. However, I mostly chose to use the AI’s suggestions when I felt they more precisely described my point.

The AI’s writing style tended to be more polite than mine. I prefer using straightforward or more colloquial language, like “If you do the math…” But the AI would often omit such expressions.

Another example like “Make sure I have something to say” becomes “Ensuring a Clear Message.”

Another issue you may also find out is, I need to copy-paste my article to many GPTs. It’s a waste of tokens. 💸

The Positive Aspects 👍

Here, I’d like to highlight the numerous benefits I’ve discovered while using GPTs in my writing process. The ability to fine-tune the prompt for each specific role is incredibly valuable. For instance, I prefer the Writing Coach to guide rather than rewrite my work, and adjusting the prompt accordingly has been quite effective. Key advantages include:

Organization and Structure: GPTs excel at listing and organizing, which helps me see the structure and outline of my article more clearly.
Comprehensive Review: They cover every aspect of the writing, serving as a source of inspiration and reminding me of points I might not have considered.
Iterative Interaction: The flexibility to go back and forth numerous times allows me to delve into any topic and ask as many questions as needed for clarity.
Content Generation: For tasks like generating promotional copy, which I find less appealing to write, GPTs are exceptionally helpful.

GPTs function as customizable writing assistants, specifically tailored to meet individual needs and preferences. The key is in their ‘personal’ fit 💁‍♂️; I select the tools that best align with my unique writing style and specific requirements. For example, while GPTs like ‘Write For Me’ focus on elements such as word count — a feature that I don’t prioritize — I find others offering SEO optimization more useful, particularly for reviewing articles. It’s important for you, as a writer ✍️, to identify the aspects of your writing you value most, the areas you wish to enhance, and the tasks you prefer to delegate. Based on these insights, you can then design and utilize GPTs in a way that best supports and augments your writing process.

Sharing the GPTs: Source Prompts as Gifts 🎁

In the spirit of sharing and collaboration, I’m providing the raw prompts I use with my GPTs as gifts to you. This is my way of inviting you to experiment with these tools in your own writing endeavors. These prompts, which have been pivotal in crafting my articles, can serve as a starting point for your exploration with GPTs. Feel free to try them out, modify them, and see how they can enhance your writing process, just as they have done for mine.

Writing Coach: This GPT will guide and help me polish my thoughts, rather than rewriting my article.

As a Data and Product Writing Coach, I specialize in refining your writing to ensure it’s both clear and compelling, while respecting and maintaining your unique writing style. With my world-class expertise in data and product development, I provide in-depth reviews and constructive criticism. My approach is to guide rather than rewrite your work, ensuring that your unique voice and ideas remain intact. I’m passionate about helping you craft a strong narrative, ensuring your writing not only communicates effectively but also captivates your audience. My role is to sharpen your point of view, provide real, actionable feedback, and guide you towards writing excellence. Whether you’re working on technical documents, product descriptions, or data-driven content, I’ll help you hone your message to perfection. I encourage you to ask questions and seek advice, as my goal is to elevate your writing skills and confidence while keeping your personal style. Let’s work together to make your writing stand out!

TechWrite Editor: This one will check my content against criteria, including grammar errors.

Your role is to be a world-class technical writing editor for articles focusing on data science and product development. You will ensure structural consistency, enhance engagement through personal anecdotes, practical examples, and emojis, and create engaging titles. Your task is to make the content practical with actionable advice, link articles coherently, focus each article on a specific topic, and proofread for grammatical accuracy. You’ll balance technical and non-technical content, maintain a structured flow, incorporate real-world examples and visual aids, and conclude with a call to action. You are to maintain the original tone of the writing, asking for clarifications when necessary. Your communication style should be professional, precise, and tailored to the needs of technical writing in these domains. Strive for perfection in editing, adhering to the highest standards of clarity and engagement in technical writing.

Marketing Maven: This one will write attractive promotional posts on LinkedIn.

Marketing Maven is a GPT with a focus on crafting engaging marketing content, particularly for technology, products, and data. It starts its responses with the most appealing sentences, limited to two lines, to quickly capture the reader’s attention. The GPT mirrors the user’s tone, adding a touch of humor and straightforwardness. It specializes in creating social media content designed to pique curiosity and encourage further exploration, such as clicking on articles or joining events. Using emojis to add personality and approachability, Marketing Maven ensures its posts are engaging yet accessible, avoiding overly technical jargon. It’s adept at tailoring content for different social media platforms, keeping in mind their unique audiences and styles, especially for tech-related topics.

Artistic Prompt Crafter: This one will guide me in crafting prompts for Midjourney to generate images and covers for my articles.

‘Artistic Prompt Crafter’ is designed to assist in crafting Midjourney prompts for article images. It excels in various artistic styles and themes, converting user descriptions into structured prompts. This GPT is attentive to user preferences, proactively seeking additional details for clarity. It maintains a professional tone in interactions, ensuring a comfortable and respectful dialogue. This approach is aimed at crafting accurate, tailored prompts that align with the user’s vision, adaptable to a wide range of requests and themes.

Here is the sharing slide for this article in AI Meetup in Taiwan 🇹🇼

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVN_EmAe4=/?share_link_id=372368541641

A Reflective Question for Fellow Authors 🤔

As we navigate the evolving landscape of AI-assisted writing, a fundamental question arises for us as authors: Which aspect do we prioritize more?

Content Mastery: Emphasizing rich, well-crafted content but with an AI-influenced writing style.
Personal Writing Style: Focusing on maintaining a unique, human writing style, even if the content is more standard.

While the ideal scenario would be a harmonious blend of both, the journey there is one of continuous learning and development. I place significant value on content quality and am equally committed to evolving my writing style. AI, in my experience, acts as a catalyst in this process. It helps in distinguishing and refining the nuances of my writing, underscoring the clear differences and guiding me toward a balanced mastery of both content and style.

I acknowledge the gap between my natural, straightforward writing style and the more nuanced approach often suggested by AI. This leads me to a constant balancing act, wondering how best to maintain clarity without confusing my readers. Despite this struggle, I have mostly chosen to adopt AI’s suggestions, finding value in the blend of styles they bring to my work. This is my path in the evolving landscape of AI-assisted writing. What about you? How do you balance your personal style with the advanced capabilities of AI in your writing?