Create AI Resources: 4 Best Hacks for Indie Authors

“Artificial intelligence is the new electricity.” –Fei-Fei Li, computer scientist

As a new indie author, AI tools can help you streamline your writing process, whether brainstorming ideas, creating outlines, or generating marketing materials.

This part of our writer’s guide series on AI for Authors will walk you through the steps to create AI resources. Those could include ones for character development, book promotion, or outlining your next novel. By the end of this series, you’ll learn all the tools you need to generate resources that support your writing journey.

When Alex, an indie author, started writing his historical fiction novel, he quickly realized he needed a tool to help him keep track of the vast amount of historical details he was researching. Rather than creating a cumbersome spreadsheet, he used an AI tool to develop a customized resource to generate character profiles, timelines, and even help outline critical historical events aligned with his plot. By iterating on his AI prompts, Alex built a detailed, user-friendly resource that saved him hours of manual work.

The AI-assisted resource became his go-to tool for organizing his research and ensuring historical accuracy throughout his novel. This experience showed Alex that he could create AI resources for more than writing. AI is also a valuable resource for organizing, planning, and enhancing his writing process.

Practical Uses of AI for Indie Authors

AI can be a game-changer for indie authors, offering assistance from drafting content to refining marketing strategies. In this writer’s guide, you’ll learn how to create AI resources of your own tool, allowing you to enhance your work and save time on repetitive tasks.

1.     Choose a Use Case to Create AI Resources

Think about how AI can help you in your writing or self-publishing journey. Here are a few use cases relevant to indie authors:

• Generate a character profile: Create detailed profiles to flesh out your protagonists, antagonists, or supporting cast.
• Create an engaging writing prompt: Use AI to generate creative writing prompts to overcome writer’s block or explore new ideas.
• Design a book marketing strategy: Develop promotional content such as social media posts, email campaigns, or book blurbs.
• Develop marketing copy and ads: Tailor AI copy to your audience.

Once you’ve chosen your use case, you can use an AI prompt template or write your own from scratch.

2.     Character Development Resource

Creating rich, complex characters is essential for any novel. Here’s a sample prompt to help you create AI resources to develop a character profile.

Example 1: Generate a Character Profile
I am an indie author working on a new mystery novel. Generate a detailed character profile for the protagonist. The profile should include the character’s background, personality traits, and motivations.

• Character role: Protagonist
• Background: A detective with a troubled past who is estranged from family.
• Personality traits: Determined, intelligent, emotionally reserved, skeptical of authority.
• Motivations: Seeks justice and redemption for a past failure.

Short Version:
I am an indie author. Generate a character profile for the protagonist of my mystery novel, focusing on their background, personality traits, and motivations.

Another Hack:
Ask AI to create alternate profiles with different character flaws or strengths, giving you multiple options to explore.

Writing Prompt Resource

Whether you’re writing blog posts or your next novel, writing prompts can help spark creativity. You can create AI resources to generate a wide range of writing prompts to get your ideas flowing.

Example 2: Create a Writing Prompt
I am an indie author working on a fantasy novel. Create an engaging writing prompt that will help me explore a new conflict between the protagonist and their mentor.

• Genre: Fantasy
• Conflict focus: The protagonist must choose between following their mentor’s advice or their instincts.
• Desired outcome: Develop a new subplot that deepens the relationship between the two characters.

Short Version:
I am an indie author writing a fantasy novel. Generate a writing prompt that creates conflict between the protagonist and their mentor.

Another Hack:

Ask AI to suggest multiple writing prompts with varying levels of conflict—ranging from subtle tension to outright betrayal.

3.     Marketing Strategy Resource

Creating a marketing strategy is crucial for indie authors. Create AI resources to help you draft effective marketing materials, from book blurbs to email campaigns.

Example 3: Develop a Book Marketing Strategy
I am an indie author preparing to launch my debut romance novel. Create a marketing strategy that includes email campaigns, social media posts, and a book blurb.

• Book title: Hearts in Bloom
• Audience: Readers who enjoy contemporary romance with themes of personal growth and second chances.
• Marketing goals: Build excitement before the release date and engage with readers on Instagram and Facebook.
• Desired tone: Heartwarming, engaging, and romantic.

Short Version:
I am an indie author launching a romance novel. Create a marketing strategy that includes a book blurb, social media posts, and email campaigns.

Another Hack:
Ask AI to generate personalized emails for your newsletter subscribers, offering exclusive insights into your book or behind-the-scenes details.

4.     Marketing Copy & Ads

Marketing is critical to any indie author’s journey, but it can be time-consuming and often overwhelming. With AI tools, you can automate much of the marketing copywriting process, generating book blurbs, social media posts, ad copy, and even email campaigns in minutes. The ability to tailor AI outputs to your book’s genre and audience can give you a huge advantage, allowing you to focus more on writing and less on promotion.

Example Writing Prompts:

• “Write a compelling 150-word book blurb for my fantasy novel about a reluctant hero who must protect a magical realm from an ancient evil.”
• “Generate five social media posts promoting the release of my romance novel, including a call-to-action to pre-order the book.”
• “Create an email campaign with three emails promoting my new self-help book, focusing on its practical benefits for readers looking to improve time management.”
• “Write a Facebook ad for my sci-fi novel targeting fans of epic space adventures and intergalactic warfare.”

Another Hack:
Use AI to develop A/B testing for your marketing campaigns. By generating multiple versions of an ad or email, you can experiment with different headlines, copy, or visuals to see which resonates best with your audience. This method helps optimize your marketing materials for maximum engagement and book sales.

Create AI Resources to Unlock Your Potential

AI can be a powerful tool to help indie authors develop a wide range of resources. Whether you’re crafting character profiles, generating writing prompts, or designing a marketing campaign, AI tools allow you to enhance your writing and streamline your work. By iterating on your prompts and refining the AI outputs, you can create resources tailored to your specific needs.

AI is a powerful tool, but its real potential is unlocked by how you use it.

We hope you found these strategies helpful and inspiring. They’re intended to provide the necessary tools and insights to succeed as an indie author.

For more help, see the first part in this series, AI Empowers New Indie Authors: 5 Best Hacks. You might also like Outcome-Based Management: 7 Steps to Writing Success.

If you have a draft and want to explore how AI can help you self-publish, read, Is Your Book Ready to Self-Publish? Lastly, for help writing a non-fiction book, read Write Your First Non-Fiction eBook: a 30-Day Workbook for Getting It Done.

Writing is an ongoing adventure that involves continuous learning and improvement. You don’t have to go through this alone. We are excited to accompany you every step of the way, providing you with support and motivation. Our goal is to give you the necessary knowledge and practical advice to confidently navigate the world of writing.

Don’t wait. Start today! How can we help? To let us know, please fill out our Contact form. Happy writing!

FAQs—Develop Your Own Resources

Here are some frequently asked questions about using AI to develop resources for your indie author journey. These answers will help you make the most of AI tools and improve your writing process.

How can I use AI to create character profiles?

AI can generate detailed profiles for your characters by focusing on their backgrounds, motivations, and key personality traits. This helps bring your characters to life.

What if I don’t like the AI-generated resource?

You can always refine the prompt and rerun it. AI is a tool that requires iteration to achieve the desired result.

Can AI help with marketing my book?

Yes! AI can assist in drafting book blurbs, social media posts, and email campaigns, saving you time while creating promotional content.

How do I generate writing prompts with AI?

You can use AI to generate creative writing prompts tailored to your genre, characters, or themes, helping you overcome writer’s block or explore new plotlines.

Is it possible to develop a resource from scratch using AI?

Yes, you can create a custom prompt from scratch, using AI to generate a resource that fits your specific needs, whether for writing, marketing, or outlining.