Can AI Write My Book?
Recently, I listened to a podcast with other editors chiming in about book-related topics. A conversation struck my interest around the use of AI in publishing. One question went something like, “Should an author use AI to write their book?”
The answers were a bit mixed, with one editor saying, “definitely,” and others offering softer versions of “maybe.” Even the “definitely” editor (definitely) presented some strict caveats. So I’d like to chime in with my experience—and opinions—on the topic.
Since I get many editing requests, I’ve generally steered away from books generated by AI, since I prefer working with original stories and concepts. That said, I believe AI will keep improving at its job, and it can be used effectively—so it behooves me to give it an honest review. I recently got a wide-angle view of what AI can generate, and I want to share about that experience.
Giovanni (not his real name) initially wrote a business book. In conducting an editorial assessment, I found strengths in his consulting credentials and knowledge. He was passionate about the topic (related to project management). But the draft lacked cohesive structure and clarity. It discussed multiple, disparate topics at once—with no solid thread throughout. To use a baking metaphor, it seemed like a chocolate cake that inexplicably included ground beef in the recipe. While my job is often to “remove the hamburger from the cake” (to the best of my ability), in this case, I couldn’t tell if he intended to make a chocolate cake—or spaghetti. To mix metaphors, I’m not sure his book knew what it wanted to be when it grew up.
This client is highly intelligent. He speaks multiple languages, and his emails are very clear. But that didn’t make it into his manuscript.
One night, after digesting my feedback, Giovanni told me he’d found inspiration while walking his dog. He hoped to revamp his book around a new acronym. He ran it by me for my reaction ... and I loved it! He explained how it would organize his concepts in a cohesive way, while also clarifying his topic (sans hamburger!).
A few days later, he sent me a completely rewritten book, structured around his acronym. I was stunned, since this seemed like an impossibly rapid feat. Then he mentioned he’d used AI for some of it, but assured me he’d read every word and agreed with it all.
The first several pages were good. Great, even. He said fascinating stuff, and it was grammatically clear and strong.
Then, it digressed. It repeated itself. A LOT. At first, I thought he might have inadvertently cut-and-pasted the same material twice. Looking closely, I realized that his entire structure (or, should I say, AI’s entire structure) repeated itself. And at times, the book presented other thought leaders’ information, without crediting the source or getting permission (aka, potential plagiarism).
So this presented multiple problems. To make this long story short, he then hired me to help him rewrite it again—making it his, not generative-AI based. Together, through interviews and revisions, we rewrote it to be cohesive and not repetitive. The end result was great. So this leads me to some warnings and tips around using AI. I’ll start with the warnings.
You Can Get Sued for AI’s Plagiarism
Since generative AI pulls from existing content, you could be unknowingly stealing someone else’s idea. This is a major problem ethically and legally. To do this, you must get the copyright holder’s written permission (it’s a whole process, and I recommend Jane Freidman’s excellent blog on fair use), and you must cite the work properly. But this also begs a question: If you’re writing a book to boost your thought leadership, why not present your own ideas?
AI Can Be Wrong
AI is only as good as its source. I’ve seen incorrect information come up in my own searches. Don’t take for granted that your material is correct just because Chat GPT told you so. Fact-check through multiple sources, and look for the original source of whatever you’re referencing.
Publishers May Reject Your Manuscript
If your book is generated using AI, you must divulge this when self-publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct. Currently, I don’t know what this will lead to later, but if it were me, I’d rather avoid this. I also believe traditional publishers are leery of anything heavily generated by AI.
So how can AI be used effectively? Here are my tips.
Tip #1: Use It to Educate Yourself on a Topic
Scott recently worked with a client on a book about the Revolutionary War. AI was very helpful in giving him language tips (how would people speak?) and details (what happened around xyz battle?). He used it like it was a professor—asking it questions to probe deeper on a topic of interest. Then he helped the client write based on that knowledge.
Tip #2: Use AI to Clean Up Your Writing, Not Generate It
Many AI writing tools can help tighten your sentence structure, improve grammar, and make other suggestions. After you write—or even during your writing—these can be helpful, although they do not substitute for a good editor (with years of experience exploring the nuances of writing).
Tip #4: Use AI for Short-Form
AI can be great for helping with title ideas, book-blurb content, and other marketing copy. Again, use it for ideas, and then edit using your human filter.
Tip #5: Train AI to Understand You and Your Goals
I’m not an expert on using AI to write entire books, but I’ve heard of success stories when authors heavily train AI to generate content that reflects their own knowledge, in their voice. This isn’t done instantly, and it takes experience and work. You must tell AI what to do, and then shape its creation in the process. (And, again, you must hire a real, live editor to check your work for continuity, clarity, and style.) In other words, AI isn’t a magic bullet.
My overall summary is that AI can be useful in book writing, but it’s nowhere near ready to take over for human authors, ghostwriters, or developmental editors. If you’re interested in using AI, know it’s limitations. And if you aren’t, don’t worry about getting outpaced by those who are, because in this professional’s opinion, humans are still the most powerful authors.
Happy writing!
