Hi Reader,

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I tolerate AI.

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✋On one hand, I’m appalled that AI companies have stolen authors’ content and violated copyright laws with impunity.

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And I HATE AI Google results. AI is notorious for pulling inaccurate information, so why do AI results get top spot??? (Plus, it’s ruining any chance of SEO results for small businesses.)

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🤚On the other hand, those small businesses can set up AI to function as a virtual assistant, chat desk, analyst, and more, without jacking up overhead costs.

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Heck, you can even use AI as a therapist, which can be a boon to so many people who don’t have insurance, can’t find a therapist, or worry about the stigma of seeing a live therapist.

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And then, there’s the moral dilemma of using AI to create for you. As a writer, using AI presents an ethical question: If I use AI to write an article, a newsletter, or a chapter of a book, did I really write it?

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What if I create a custom GPT that provides AI with gads of information about my expertise, descriptions and quotes from my audience, and samples of my writing? If I teach AI to write like me, is it close enough to me being the writer (or at least the writing trainer)?

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For me, the answer is NO.

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I hate what AI comes up with when I’ve tried to get it to write like me. Some AI users would say that’s because I haven’t trained it enough, or my prompts aren’t well designed. But I simply find that AI can never capture my real voice or represent my essence.

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Here’s what ChatGPT came up with 2 years ago when I told it about my work, my interests (including Prince), and asked it to give me some topic ideas to write about:

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“Ever felt like being a doula is more complex than deciphering Prince's lyrics? I hear ya.”

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“Advanced your writing skills in ways that would make even Prince proud.”

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Uh, no. Just no. I would never say those words.🤦

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AI has become much more sophisticated in the past 2 years. And in a way, that’s one of its problems for folks like me.

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The learning curve is endless and if you don’t use it a lot, you don’t know how to learn (or train) its functionality and capacity.

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It’s a catch-22 🔄: Use it all the time and you don’t actually write (but maybe now you’re at least a kick-ass editor 🤷‍♀️) or use it infrequently and what it gives you is clunky and misses the mark.

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So instead of using AI to write for me, I use AI to assist me as a creator. Here’s an example of a prompt I might use:

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Me: What are some metaphors for standing out, like an elephant in a dance studio?

ChatGPT:

1. A peacock in a land of penguins: This metaphor vividly describes someone who is flamboyantly different or unique in a crowd of sameness.
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2. A rainbow in a stormy sky: This captures the idea of something beautiful and colorful standing out against a backdrop of darkness or monotony.
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3. A lone cactus in a snowfield: This metaphor suggests an odd or unexpected presence in an environment where it doesn't traditionally belong.
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4. A diamond in a coal mine: This conveys the idea of something valuable and striking existing in a setting where everything else is mundane or common.
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5. A sunflower in a field of wheat: This metaphor depicts a singular, tall and bright presence among a sea of uniformity.
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6. A red rose in a field of daisies: This one highlights a singular beauty or uniqueness in a context of sameness.
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7. A wolf in a flock of sheep: This suggests not just standing out, but also bringing a sense of contrast, and perhaps an element of danger or disruption.
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8. A splash of color on a black and white canvas: This metaphor is about bringing vibrancy and uniqueness to an otherwise dull or monochrome situation.

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(I used #5.)

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Here’s another:

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Me: I write a weekly newsletter to my audience of about 750 subscribers. Many of them used to be doulas, newer members are small business owners that might be interested in the helping professions, others I think just like my stories. I can't come up with any good ideas to write about. Do you have any suggestions?

ChatGPT:

1. What to Do When You Feel Called… But Don’t Know to What
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2. The Myth of ‘I Need Another Certification’
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3. Three Things Every Helping Business Needs — That Have Nothing to Do with Instagram
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4. How to Know if You're Already a Doula (or Something Like One)

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Not bad, huh? (Let me know if you are curious about any of those, too.)

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I’ve never used AI when writing my books. Not for idea generation, to outline, or for writing content. (Well, technically, Grammarly is AI, so I guess I have used AI for editing. But I use the free version that doesn’t rewrite passages for you, so the writing is still all mine.)

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Do you use AI? How do you use it, if so? What dilemmas or rewards have you discovered in your use of AI? Please reply and help me continue to learn.

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What I'm listening to, reading, and watching:

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I went camping last week so didn’t watch anything or listen to music. But I read this book in one sitting (both because it’s short and intriguing):

​No Longer Human — Osamu Dazai. A boy who doesn’t fit in with his well-off family lives a life trying to understand human behavior. He stumbles through life, trying to fit in somewhere, anywhere…with false friendships, drinking, maybe love…arriving at the conclusion that he will never be understood or accepted and refusing to become “like them.”

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What are you listening to, reading, or watching that you think I’d like? Reply and let me know.

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Here’s to authenticity!
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Carrie

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Carrie Kenner

Author, ​So You Want to Be a Doula​​

​​​Website​​​​

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P.S. Here’s one of my favorite prompts for generating content ideas for emails, social media, courses, or podcasts:

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​Copy the google doc here​

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Have fun using this prompt!