#3: How to Use AI as an Author? Ethical and Practical Tips for Using Artificial Intelligence in Publishing
Discover how authors can leverage AI tools ethically and efficiently in their writing process. Learn practical tips for using artificial intelligence to streamline your workflow, optimize your online presence, and save valuable time without compromising your integrity as a writer.
Key topics covered:
- Dos and don'ts of using AI in writing
- How to use AI for website optimization and social media profiles
- Time-saving AI tools for authors (Harpa.ai, Otter.ai, Descript)
- Creating multiple book descriptions and author bios with AI assistance
- Using AI to extract key quotes from transcripts
- Ethical considerations when using AI in the writing process
Whether you're a seasoned author or just starting out, this episode will help you navigate the world of AI tools and use them to enhance your writing without crossing ethical boundaries.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Introduction to Using AI for Authors
00:57 Practical Tips for Getting Started with AI
03:52 Common Pitfalls to Avoid with AI
06:16 Optimizing Your Website and Social Media with AI
10:10 Using AI for Content Creation and Management
17:27 Leveraging AI for Transcriptions and Video Editing
22:06 Final Thoughts and Best Practices
📗➡️ Resources mentioned:
Descript https://get.descript.com/mew7wqdktfsm
Otter.ai https://otter.ai/referrals/G017XQA4
Harpa.AI https://harpa.ai/
Transcript:
Can AI help authors? Yes, of course. I'm going to share details about how authors can use AI without crossing ethical lines. There are things we don't do, and we'll discuss those. Literally a click of a button could save you a day of time. I've been shocked by how quickly I can achieve certain tasks.
It's hard to get practical tips, but don't worry - we'll cover that today. There's so much AI, and we're being marketed to by all these new tools. Once you start using one tool, it gets gobbled up or eclipsed by another. I'll share what I know, what I use, and some rules of the road.
You don't need to be an expert in all AI. Start with a few easy tools that work for you, and know exactly what you're going to ask them to do. Think of it like having an intern. You'll need to review their work. They'll get things wrong until you train them correctly. Keep their responsibilities narrow so you can track what they're doing. Eventually, they'll learn and you might get more comfortable giving them more to do.
Start slow when working with AI. Authors often have different jobs and multiple roles. We're multi-passionate, and today's world allows for that. But as we try to do everything - run a medical practice, be an author, speaker, podcaster, teach courses - our time is precious. We need to be selective and do the things only we can do.
If you use AI wisely, you won't feel overwhelmed. You'll know what to do and feel comfortable that when you're with family, you won't be thinking about all the work you have to do because your publisher asked for a book description for a sales brochure.
Your book will end up needing 11 versions of its description. That's not an exaggeration. You don't need to write all of these from scratch because AI can help. Today I'll share how AI can help authors and what not to do.
Let's start with what not to do. As an author, you know you can't ask AI to write your novel for you. We don't ask AI to generate your book and call it your own. There are integrity issues, and AI is also unreliable. It will make up facts. For non-fiction, it will falsify information, which technologists have a fancy term for, but it really means AI is stupid.
Don't put your entire manuscript into AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT and ask them to generate companion pieces or essays. There are unresolved copyright issues. Also, don't put anyone else's manuscript into AI. It's bad form.
Lastly, don't get memberships or buy a bunch of AI tools. You need to know what you want AI to do and what you'll do with those tools. The more accustomed you get to one or two tools, the better.
The first thing I suggest is using AI to get smarter about your website and owned media. This includes your website, digital assets you control, and social media profiles. Your profiles should be largely the same across platforms.
AI can help with website development, not just writing but architecture. It can advise on making your content more searchable. Your H1 and H2 tags should be searchable, and AI will help with that. The page description of your website, which is 140-160 characters on the back end, should be optimized with AI's help.
Social media bios have evolved. They should reflect what people are searching for, not just pithy statements. If you're a psychotherapist, people aren't searching for "psychotherapist" but for solutions like "heal from trauma" or "raise happy kids." AI can help optimize your profiles based on the information you provide.
I use tools like Harpa.ai, a free Chrome extension. It has over 100 prompts built-in to analyze your website, suggest improvements, and help with things like image alt text.
Publishers often need various materials from authors without much notice. AI can help you quickly create different versions of your bio or book descriptions based on existing content and specific formats.
Use transcription services like Otter.ai to record your speaking engagements and Q&As. The transcripts can reveal powerful statements you can use again. AI tools can then extract key quotes from these transcripts, saving you time.
Video editing tools like Descript can help create short clips from longer content. Many AI tools now have prompts built-in, so you don't need to buy lists of prompts.
To sum up: authors shouldn't put their manuscripts into AI, use AI to generate content from scratch, or put others' work into AI. You can use AI to improve your existing material, create different versions of your content, and streamline your workflow.
Remember, you're treating AI like an intern. Authors need to protect their time for creation because you're creating magic from your mind.
