Home Page » News » » My Journey in Writing a Book with AI - Part 2: Setting Realistic Expectations

My Journey in Writing a Book with AI - Part 2: Setting Realistic Expectations

26 min read One of the BIGGEST mistakes I see people make when writing with AI? Trying to get it to write entire chapters or even whole books in one go. Let me save you some frustration - this approach rarely works well! June 02, 2025 04:27

Facebook

Twitter

E-mail

RSS

My Journey in Writing a Book with AI - Part 2: Setting Realistic Expectations

One of the BIGGEST mistakes I see people make when writing with AI? Trying to get it to write entire chapters or even whole books in one go. Let me save you some frustration - this approach rarely works well!

What DOESN'T Work:

"Write me a complete 20-page chapter on marketing strategies"

"Generate my entire memoir from start to finish"

Expecting the AI to read your mind about complex topics

What DOES Work:

Breaking chapters into small, focused sections

Writing one concept, story, or argument at a time

Giving specific context and direction for each piece

My Approach: Instead of asking for a whole chapter, I'll request something like: "Write a 300-word section explaining the psychology behind impulse buying, using a conversational tone with one real-world example." Then I move to the next section: "Now write about how retailers use store layout to encourage impulse purchases."

Why This Works Better:

You maintain control over the flow and structure

Each section gets proper attention and detail

You can adjust direction as you go (this way you can be sure that it includes particular things you are interested in)

The AI produces higher-quality, more focused content

YOU remain the author - AI is just your writing assistant

Think of AI like a skilled research assistant who can help you articulate your ideas, not a ghostwriter who will create your book for you. The magic happens in the collaboration!

Next up: I'll share how to create a rock-solid book outline that sets you up for success.

Questions about managing expectations or working with AI in smaller chunks? Let me know below!

PART 1

PART 3

PART 4

User Comments (0)

Add Comment

No comments added yet.

Add Comment

Your Name: *

Comment Title: *

Your E-mail: * We'll never share your email with anyone else.

Your Comment: *

Comments will not be approved to be posted if they are SPAM, abusive, off-topic, use profanity, contain a personal attack, or promote hate of any kind.