Incorporating AI Outputs: 3 Best Hacks for New Indie Authors
“The real value of AI will be in its ability to empower humans to make better decisions faster.”—Peter Diamandis
AI tools have revolutionized the way indie authors approach writing and marketing. But simply generating content isn’t enough. What makes it truly valuable is incorporating AI outputs and refine them to align with your unique style and vision.
In this part of our writer’s guide series on AI for Authors, we’ll explore three practical hacks for incorporating AI outputs to help you successfully integrate them into your work, ensuring it enhances rather than overshadows your voice.
The Tale of Rachel: From AI-Generated to Authentically You
New indie author Rachel was initially thrilled with the AI-generated marketing copy for her latest novel. The prompt she used gave her a polished draft in minutes. But reading through it, Rachel realized something was missing. It didn’t quite capture the desired personal touch to convey to her readers. Instead of abandoning the output, she tweaked it, adding personal anecdotes and a more conversational tone.
The result? A compelling email campaign that felt authentic and true to her brand. Rachel’s experience shows how important incorporating AI outputs is as a starting point and making them your own—something you’ll learn by the end of this series.
Practical Uses of AI for Indie Authors
AI tools can help indie authors streamline several everyday tasks, from drafting emails to generating book synopses. However, the real value of AI lies in your ability to refine and personalize the outputs. Here’s how you can take AI-generated content and make it your own.
Incorporating AI Outputs to Suit Your Needs
While AI can provide a solid starting point, incorporating AI outputs is up to you. Refine and adapt the content to better fit your unique voice and project goals. Here are a few strategies to help you do that:
- Fact-check the output: AI tools can generate incorrect or outdated information, so it’s essential to double-check facts, especially when dealing with historical accuracy or technical details in your writing.
- Edit and augment the content: Once you’ve received the AI-generated text, you may need to expand on specific details or adjust the tone to match your style. For example, suppose the AI suggests a character description. In that case, you might add additional background or emotional depth that aligns with your story.
- Organize the output: AI doesn’t always structure information in the most useful way. You can reorganize the content to fit your specific needs, such as restructuring a book outline or reformatting a series of blog posts.
- Personalize and format the output: You can use AI-generated templates, outlines, or drafts and then personalize them with your own insights. For instance, if you generate a promotional email for your book release, tweak the language to reflect your brand and audience.
By incorporating AI outputs, you ensure that the final product is polished, accurate, and true to your creative vision.
Save Time on Everyday Tasks
One of the major benefits of AI for indie authors is the ability to save time on everyday tasks. Here are some examples of how AI can assist you in various aspects of your writing and publishing journey:
- Writing assistance: AI tools can generate summaries, edit drafts, and even help brainstorm ideas for blog posts, newsletters, or social media content. Use these outputs as a starting point and refine them to suit your needs.
- Book promotion and marketing: AI can draft promotional materials, such as email campaigns or social media posts, based on your book’s themes or target audience. While the AI provides a framework, personalizing the message is crucial for engaging your readers.
- Managing communications: AI can help you draft informative emails to beta readers, editors, or your audience. AI can generate a draft you can edit and send out by inputting key details about an upcoming event or book release.
Prompts for Time-Saving Tasks
Let’s look at two example prompts you can use for practical tasks. These prompts are designed to save time while still allowing room for customization.
Example 1: Promotional Material Prompt
I am an indie author preparing to release my new fantasy novel. Create a 100-word email inviting my newsletter subscribers to the book launch event. Mention the unique themes of the book, the event details, and why they should attend.
Example 2: Social Media Post Prompt
I am a self-published author releasing a science fiction novel. Write three short social media posts highlighting the book’s unique plot and characters. Make each post intriguing and engaging for sci-fi fans.
These prompts provide a great starting point for your book promotion efforts. Once the content is generated, review it to ensure it aligns with your brand and audience, and then tweak it as needed.
Other Ideas for Refining AI Outputs
Here are some additional ideas for refining AI outputs to make them more relevant and engaging for your readers:
- Customize for different audiences: AI can generate text for specific demographics, such as young adult readers or mystery enthusiasts. Refine the language and tone to better appeal to your target audience.
- Enhance readability: If the AI-generated output is too formal or too casual, you can adjust the tone to suit the context. For example, a blog post might need to be conversational, while a book synopsis could be more formal.
- Experiment with different formats: Ask AI to generate the same content in different formats, such as turning a blog post into a video script or a promotional email into a social media post.
Making AI Work for You
Refining and incorporating AI outputs into your work is more than just using AI-generated text—it’s about making that text your own. By adapting, refining, and personalizing the content, you ensure that the final result aligns with your voice and resonates with your readers. AI can save you time and enhance your creative process. Still, your expertise and judgment are essential in producing polished and meaningful work.
AI can create the framework, but your voice brings the content to life.
We hope you’ve found the strategies for incorporating AI outputs valuable and motivating. We hope they’ll equip you with the insights and tools needed to help you succeed as a new 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.
Writing is a journey of continuous learning and improvement. You don’t have to go it alone. We’re excited to continue the journey with you, providing guidance and encouragement every step of the way. Our goal is to provide essential insights and practical advice to help you navigate the writing world with increased confidence.
If you have a draft you want to publish and wonder how AI can help 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.
Don’t wait. Start today!
How can we help? To let us know, please fill out our Contact form. Happy writing!
FAQs on Incorporating AI Outputs
Here are some frequently asked questions about incorporating AI outputs into your work. These answers will help you refine AI-generated content and ensure it meets your needs.
Do I need to fact-check AI-generated content?
Always fact-check any information AI provides to ensure it’s accurate and relevant to your project.
How can I personalize AI outputs?
You can adjust the tone, expand on specific details, and reorganize the content to match your voice and creative goals.
Can AI help with marketing tasks?
Absolutely! AI can generate promotional emails, social media posts, and marketing strategies. However, personalizing these outputs is critical to engaging your audience.
What if AI outputs don’t match my style?
You can refine the AI-generated content by editing the tone, structure, and details to align with your unique voice.
Can I use AI to help with every day author tasks?
Yes, AI can assist with drafting, editing, and generating ideas for various writing and marketing tasks, saving you time while allowing room for customization.
