Help me develop and draft a book without inventing facts, experiences, research, quotations, or permissions. Book inputs - Working premise and intended reader: [BOOK PREMISE] - Form, target length, and comparable books or authors: [BOOK FORMAT AND COMPARABLES] - My source material, expertise, reporting, and non-negotiable facts: [SOURCE MATERIAL] - Voice notes, point of view, and material to avoid: [VOICE NOTES] - Where I am starting and the section I want drafted: [CURRENT STAGE] First, identify the book’s central promise in one sentence, the reader’s change from beginning to end, and the strongest organizing principle. Then produce: 1. A table of contents with 8–15 chapters. For each chapter, give its reader question, new contribution, evidence or scenes needed, and its handoff to the next chapter. 2. A one-page chapter brief for [CURRENT STAGE], including purpose, stakes, sequence of beats, specific details to draw from my material, and what must not be repeated from earlier chapters. 3. A 900–1,200 word draft of that section. Use concrete scenes or examples only when supported by my material. If this is nonfiction, distinguish reported fact, my interpretation, and a claim that needs sourcing. If fiction, preserve continuity in character knowledge, time, setting, and causality. 4. A short revision memo naming three precise improvements for the next pass. Keep the prose aligned with [VOICE NOTES], but do not imitate a living author closely. Before answering, check that every chapter advances the central promise and flag every unsupported factual claim, missing scene, or continuity risk. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [BOOK PREMISE] | State the book’s subject, core idea, intended reader, and the outcome you want for that reader. | A practical nonfiction book for first-time managers on running calm, useful one-on-ones. |
| [BOOK FORMAT AND COMPARABLES] | Give the genre, approximate word count, and a few books whose structure or audience is relevant. | 45,000-word business book; concise chapters with worksheets; comparable in audience to The Making of a Manager. |
| [SOURCE MATERIAL] | Paste notes, research, interviews, lived experience, scenes, data, or links you are authorized to use. | My notes from managing 14 people, anonymized meeting examples, and a spreadsheet of common one-on-one problems. |
| [VOICE NOTES] | Describe the desired tone, narrative distance, point of view, and any style choices to avoid. | Warm, candid, and specific; first person sparingly; avoid management jargon and inspirational claims. |
| [CURRENT STAGE] | Say whether you need an outline, a chapter plan, or a named chapter or scene drafted next. | Draft Chapter 3, ‘The first one-on-one,’ after the introduction and chapter on preparation. |
How to use
- Paste the prompt and replace every bracketed field with your actual material.
- Start with an outline, then paste the approved chapter brief back in before requesting a draft.
- Check every proposed anecdote, number, quotation, and source against your notes.
- Follow up with: “Revise Chapter 3 using this feedback: [FEEDBACK]. Preserve the approved chapter purpose and flag any new factual claim.”
Variations
Novel chapter draft
Use this when you have a scene list and need one fiction chapter.
Draft the next chapter of my novel from the material below. [STORY CONTEXT] [CHARACTER SHEETS] [SCENE GOAL] [VOICE NOTES]. Write 1,200–1,600 words in the established point of view. The scene must change the situation, include an obstacle, and end with a credible new pressure or decision. Do not add backstory that conflicts with the character sheets or resolve the central conflict early. Before answering, list any continuity uncertainty, then check time, location, character knowledge, and cause-and-effect.
Book proposal
Use this when you need a proposal before writing the manuscript.
Create a nonfiction book proposal from [BOOK IDEA], [TARGET READER], [AUTHOR CREDENTIALS], [MARKET COMPARABLES], and [CHAPTER NOTES]. Produce a two-page overview, reader problem and promise, author platform summary, annotated table of contents, three comparable titles with clear distinctions, and a marketing plan limited to actions I can actually take. Do not invent sales figures, credentials, endorsements, or audience size. Check that each comparable is relevant and that every platform claim comes from my input.
Developmental edit
Use this after completing a rough chapter or manuscript.
Act as a developmental editor for this draft: [DRAFT]. The book’s intended reader and promise are [READER AND PROMISE]; my constraints are [CONSTRAINTS]. Give a revision letter organized by premise, structure, pacing, voice, evidence or scene selection, and repetition. Identify the three highest-impact revisions first, then provide an ordered chapter-level revision plan. Do not rewrite the manuscript. Check whether the promised reader outcome appears on the page and flag claims, scenes, or transitions that lack support.
Tips
- Write the reader promise before the table of contents; a chapter belongs only if it moves the reader toward that promise.
- For nonfiction, keep a source ledger beside the manuscript that marks each statistic, quotation, interview detail, and permission status.
- A scene needs a change: someone learns, decides, loses an option, gains an obligation, or sees the situation differently.
- Ask for chapter briefs before full drafts so you can fix structural mistakes while they are still cheap to change.
FAQ
Can AI write an entire book from one prompt?
It can produce a rough draft, but a usable book needs your source material, editorial choices, fact checking, and revision across chapters.
How do I keep the voice consistent?
Provide a short voice guide and a few samples you own or are allowed to share. Maintain a list of preferred sentence habits, terms, and prohibited clichés.
Can I use AI for research in a nonfiction book?
Use it to organize questions and summarize sources you provide, but verify primary sources and never treat generated citations as evidence.