Write a Book Outline with AI Tools

Introduction

Imagine being in a collaborative writer's room, buzzing with ideas and creativity, instead of facing the dreaded blank page. This scenario is akin to using AI when you need to brainstorm, ideate, or simply avoid the intimidating blinking cursor that challenges you to write something—anything. If you’re looking to jumpstart your book project, using AI to outline your book can be incredibly effective. However, you may be unsure of what tools to use or how to use them. That's exactly what this article aims to address.

Understanding the Role of AI in Book Writing

Hello, readers! I'm Julie, the founder of Book Launchers, where we offer courses and comprehensive services to assist you in writing, publishing, and promoting your non-fiction book. Before we delve into the AI tools for outlining your book, let me clarify my stance: I'm not advocating for AI to write your book for you. While it can be faster, there are important concerns to consider:

Copyright Restrictions: You cannot file for copyright protection if your manuscript is generated by AI. As a thought leader or subject matter expert, your book likely revolves around intellectual property that you want to protect.
Quality of First Drafts: I've never seen a first draft generated by AI that was satisfactory. Writing with AI requires skillful prompting and patience, typically yielding better results when done in smaller segments.
Your Unique Voice: The essence of your book lies in your unique human perspective. AI lacks the personal touch that makes your writing compelling.

That said, AI can serve as a beneficial brainstorming tool to ignite your creativity and help you outline your book effectively. Today, we will discuss two principal tools: ChatGPT and Dibl Create.

Using ChatGPT for Outlining

Getting Started

ChatGPT, particularly GPT-4, offers a user-friendly interface for organizing your thoughts. Instead of typing complex prompts, I prefer to ask it what information it needs from me. This typically results in a well-organized list of items to consider:

Main subject or theme
Target audience
Purpose and goals
Key points and messages

Once I fill in the requested information, I receive an outline draft. However, I must admit my initial results didn’t excite me. Although the title suggested a non-complex topic, it resulted in a rather dull outline.

Refining the Output

Upon recognizing what I didn't want, I then provided feedback to ChatGPT, which allowed me to refine my ideas further. My second iteration generated a title and outline that piqued my interest, including a more engaging theme and chapter titles.

Additionally, ChatGPT is useful for generating potential research and resources. By simply asking for these details, it provides a list that can guide your writing.

Exploring Dibl Create

Overview of the Tool

Dibl Create is a paid tool (with a free trial option) that streamlines the writing process. While it offers basic features for free, for $ 22 a month, you gain access to more advanced capabilities, particularly their AI assistant called Kip.

Leveraging Kip

Upon entering Dibl Create, you can quickly populate your projected chapters, word count, and other relevant details. The tool then creates a comprehensive book proposal document with objectives, intended audience, and competitor books, followed by a detailed breakdown of chapters.

What sets Kip apart is its ability to suggest resources for each chapter automatically, enhancing your outline. You can also directly integrate suggested content into your document, which saves you time and effort.

Conclusion

Both ChatGPT and Dibl Create can provide robust outlines and invaluable support as you embark on writing your book. With these tools at your disposal, there's no reason why you can't see your book project through to completion this year.

If you seek further assistance in writing, consider our upcoming course, "Self-Published and Succeed Live," where you’ll receive support and accountability over twelve weeks. Whether you want coaching or someone to write for you, we have tailored services to fit your needs.

Embrace the power of AI in your writing journey, and remember, the key to a successful book is taking that first step.

Keywords

AI writing tools
Book outlining
ChatGPT
Dibl Create
Copyright
First drafts
Unique voice

FAQ

1. Can I use AI to write my entire book?
While it’s technically possible, it's generally recommended to use AI as a brainstorming aid rather than a substitute for your own writing.

2. What are the main benefits of using AI for outlining?
AI can help you organize your thoughts, generate ideas quickly, and avoid the paralysis of staring at a blank page.

3. Is there a cost associated with using Dibl Create?
Yes, Dibl Create offers a paid subscription at $ 22 a month, although it has a free trial available.

4. What should I do if I’m unsatisfied with the outline generated by AI?
Provide feedback to the AI to refine the output, or define what you don’t like about it to help shape a more fitting result.

5. How can I get further writing support?
Consider enrolling in writing courses, hiring a coach, or utilizing professional writing services to assist you in your book project.