Using ChatGPT to write a book might seem like a great idea at first – I get it. And it’s certainly been done before. I remember reading about business professor Jason Cherubini writing and publishing a book using ChatGPT in just three hours back in 2022. He discussed how easy the process was in a LinkedIn post. But let’s be honest, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. And although Cherubini’s AI-generated book is still available to buy on Amazon, it’s worth noting that it’s only received one lonely review in the past two years; a very critical one-star rating. Is this really where you want to set the bar for your writing career?
Like many people, I have taken a look at my profession and wondered what threat AI poses. I know I am not the only one to ask ‘can ChatGPT write a book?’ and ‘how long will it be until the machines take over ghostwriting?’ I’m sure aspiring authors are looking at it from another angle too. They’ll want to know if AI is the perfect route towards getting their book written, without having to hire – and pay for – a professional ghostwriter. But can you really trust AI to write eloquently about your most personal moments?
In this article, I’ll explore what ChatGPT can and can’t do when it comes to writing a book, the potential pitfalls of relying on AI, and why working with a professional ghostwriter may still be the best investment for aspiring authors.
READ MORE : Why AI is not the enemy of ghostwriting
Can ChatGPT write a book for me?
The short answer to this question is yes; ChatGPT can write a book for you. In fact, there has been a surge in self- published, AI-generated books on the market, mostly fiction.
You might think an endless stream of cheap stories is a dream for book lovers? Wrong. The influx of unread, low-effort releases caused such widespread quality issues that Amazon stepped in, aggressively capping how many titles authors could upload to Kindle Direct Publishing just to stem the spam. And that points to the more critical question – the one aspiring authors should really be asking themselves…
Can ChatGPT write a GOOD book for me?
Right now, the answer is a definite no – as a professional ghostwriter, I have not read high-quality AI-generated books. At least not yet.
The fundamental problem here isn't grammar, speed, or vocabulary – it's human experience. Large language models (LLMs) like Gemini or Chat GPT have none. This particularly impacts their ability to produce credible non-fiction. Only humans can write about the things that have impacted us. ChatGPT can predict patterns of speech, but it cannot invent genuine personal vulnerability or experiences.
It’s also worth considering where LLMs get their information. They generate responses based on patterns learned from existing data, which means that while you can use ChatGPT to write a book, producing something genuinely original is another matter. Without your own ideas, experiences and insights to draw on, the result will simply regurgitate information that readers can already find elsewhere. Some refer to this as “AI slop”.
With that in mind, when considering the use of ChatGPT to write a book, you need to be honest about what it is that you are trying to achieve. Do you simply want to say “I have published book” regardless of how it sells or reads? Or, do you want to write a book that has the potential to become a bestseller? If it’s the latter, relying on ChatGPT to write your book is extremely unlikely to deliver the results you want.
I understand why using ChatGPT to write a book may seem like the quick and easy route, but in my experience, one of the biggest problems I have noticed is that AI doesn’t yet know how to structure a book in a compelling way. Yes, it can scrape previous works to imitate a half decent narrative, but it doesn’t really understand plot development, or how to keep a reader engaged from the beginning to end. It can’t know how people change, according to a sequence of events.
In a lot of my experiments, I have found ChatGPT starts off well, but then the quality drops off quickly. This is possibly why more people are using it for short-form writing, whereas in long-form writing i.e using ChatGPT to write a book, it quickly becomes repetitive. It also starts throwing in a liberal sprinkling of metaphors and analogies. I have likened it to reading an essay from a Year 7 student, eager to please their English teacher and show off their abilities to grasp all the techniques they’ve been taught. It’s a laudable aim, just not all in the same paragraph!
READ MORE : A client used ChatGPT to write a book – here's what no one tells you
What are the risks of using ChatGPT to write my book?
There has been much discussion about the legalities and implications for using ChatGPT to write a book. There are a number of ongoing legal actions from disgruntled authors about AI allegedly lifting books wholesale to train its models. I had a very revealing conversation with a publisher not long ago, who told me that one of their authors had uploaded their entire book onto Claude to check it and ask for any suggestions for improvements. That publisher subsequently declined to publish this book because it was now part of the model and could effectively be used in other works long before it appeared on bookshelves.
The message here is to take care of the content you put into AI. I wouldn’t advise putting in complete chapters and certainly not entire books. It works the other way around too. Take care what you take out. You could, inadvertently, be infringing someone’s copyright by lifting AI-generated content wholesale.
Can I use ChatGPT to write fiction?
There is ample evidence that ChatGPT is being used a lot to write fiction, although this is mostly by amateur writers. In some genres such as romance, thriller and sci-fi, AI tools like Sudowrite and Claude can generate remarkably coherent chapters, plot outlines and dialogue exchanges. The formulaic nature of such books makes it more accessible to machines trained on vast amounts of existing work.
But again, the real question here is ‘Can I use ChatGPT to write good fiction’? Well, that is for the reader to decide. My own view is that AI-generated fiction can lack depth. Fiction, especially when literary or character-driven, requires a subtle handling of emotional depth, personal nuance and psychological realism. AI can mimic tropes but it can’t make up feelings. Its main driver is to produce the next sentence that statistically appears to make the most sense in the particular genre.
READ MORE : How to get Ghostwriting Clients
Is it legal to use ChatGPT to write a fiction book?
Although it is legal to use ChatGPT to write a fiction book, it’s important to be aware that there are moves to regulate AI-generated content. The biggest issue around AI-generated content is copyright. ChatGPT scrapes the internet for information and there is no way to know where it comes from, or if it is under copyright. This means it is quite easy to inadvertently infringe someone’s copyrights. Similarly, once you tell your story to ChatGPT, it becomes part of the collective. Anyone can have access to your ideas. Ideas are not covered by copyright, only writing.
Last year, a group of 17 authors led by the Authors Guild, including bestselling writers John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, and George R. R. Martin, the renowned author of Game of Thrones, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. They accused the company, which owns ChatGPT, of "systematic theft on a mass scale" by using their copyrighted works to train its AI tools without permission.
Authors Guild CEO Mary Rasenberger said in a statement: “It is imperative that we stop this theft in its tracks…Great books are generally written by those who spend their careers and, indeed, their lives, learning and perfecting their crafts. To preserve our literature, authors must have the ability to control if and how their works are used by generative AI. The various GPT models and other current generative AI machines can only generate material that is derivative of what came before it…Regurgitated culture is no replacement for human art.”
Open AI denies any wrongdoing.
Is it legal to use ChatGPT to write a nonfiction fiction book?
While it is legal to use ChatGPT to write a nonfiction book, it's important to be aware of ongoing legal disputes surrounding this practice. Last year, nonfiction author Julian Sancton, along with over a dozen other nonfiction writers supported by the Authors Guild, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. They claimed to represent "at least tens of thousands of authors" whose works were allegedly used without permission to train ChatGPT. The plaintiffs claimed that OpenAI was knowingly “profiting from mass copyright infringement.”
Open AI denies any wrongdoing.
Can publishers tell if I have used ChatGPT to write a book?
As a professional ghostwriter and editor, I can very much tell when a blog, or piece of content, is written by AI. Obvious signs include em-dashes and the tendency to do Every Word of Titles and Sub-Titles in Capital Letters. The structure is very formulaic and AI does seem to struggle with the nuances that make a short form piece really hit home. AI-generated blogs never seem to have the insight or originality that make pieces credible. There are also tools that can detect when copy has been written using AI.
A word of warning from me, it’s worth noting that many publishers will not work with authors who use ChatGPT or any LLM to write their books. As I mentioned earlier, I personally know a publisher who told me they declined to publish a book after learning the author had used AI. In that instance, the author had just used AI for editing purposes.
What are ChatGPT hallucinations and how could they impact my book?
Perhaps the biggest issue of all with using ChatGPT to write a book is that AI can have biases and hallucinations. In other words, it makes stuff up. For example, when a CNBC reporter asked ChatGPT to provide the lyrics to Ballad of Dwight Fry, the tool invented the lyrics instead of providing Alice Cooper’s original words. Shortly after, Discover Magazine asked ChatGPT to write a news article on Tesla’s most recent financial quarter. In response, ChatGPT created an article but fabricated the financial numbers in the story.
Researchers reported last year that AI may hallucinate as much as 27% of the time, with mistakes and factual errors found in 46% of responses. This could potentially be very problematic for non-fiction writing and means there is a strong onus on human fact-checking.
Can I edit my book using ChatGPT?
This is another yes and no question. There are some fantastic AI tools out there for editing. Grammarly, for example, is very effective at correcting straightforward typing and spelling errors. There are also a bunch of plagiarism checkers which are very useful indeed. The issue is that editing needs to go further. There needs to be human input to make sure what is written makes sense, there are no factual inaccuracies and problematic errors.
One of the most harrowing examples I have seen is an AI-generated obituary for an NBA star called Brandon Hunter which was published on MSN. The headline read: Brandon Hunter useless at 42. The rest of the copy was not much better. One incoherent sentence read: Former NBA participant, Brandon Hunter, who beforehand performed for the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, has handed away on the age of 42, as introduced by Ohio male’s basketball coach Jeff Boals on Tuesday. I don’t think I will be leaving my editing to generative AI for a while yet.
Do you have any advice if I want to use ChatGPT to write a book for me?
Earlier this year, the Authors Guild released an AI best practice guide for authors. The guide advises authors to disclose if they have used AI to write any content and suggests that AI is better suited for brainstorming rather than actual content creation. It states:
“When you claim authorship in a work, it means that the words, thoughts, and imaginings are yours. Trust among readers, writers, and publishers is vital to a healthy literary culture. Falsifying the source of a work, including by misrepresenting AI-generated text as human-written, damages that trust.
“All of the commercially available foundational large language models (LLMs) have been trained on pirated, unlicensed books without compensating authors or publishers or giving authors and publishers any control over the use of their works in AI outputs. Anyone using these AI platforms should be aware that they are supporting companies that have engaged in widespread theft of authors’ works.That’s why the Authors Guild supports efforts for fair compensation for the theft of the copyrighted work of professional writers.”
You can read the full best practice guide from the organisation here.
Who can write my book for me if ChatGPT isn’t the best option?
If you think your book has potential and you’re serious about getting a publishing deal, then you should seriously think about working with a ghostwriter to give your book the best chance of success.
At The Ghostwriters Agency, our ghostwriters have all personally either collaborated on a bestseller or won an award for their work. We understand exactly what it takes to craft a compelling manuscript. Collectively, our ghostwriters have written hundreds of books, including those for TV stars, celebrities, household names, millionaires, billionaires, business giants, and even individuals with extraordinary stories – or their beloved pets! Our writers' works have been published by the world’s leading publishing houses, including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, and Pan Macmillan.
When you hire a ghostwriter through us, you're partnering with seasoned professionals who have a proven track record of success.
What are the benefits of using a ghostwriter instead of ChatGPT to write my book?
From my own perspective, perhaps selfishly, what is it that I can bring to the party that ChatGPT and the like are currently unable to do? The main strengths of a human writer are:
Interviewing
Most people believe that the strength of a ghostwriter is writing. This is true to a great extent. I also believe that one of our most important abilities is interviewing. We know how to help authors tell their stories. The questions we ask help them to voice elements of the story they may never have told before, or wanted to tell. These are always the elements that are at the centre of a strong narrative. ChatGPT doesn’t do the job of an interviewer.Plotting
As briefly alluded to earlier, ghostwriters know how to create a narrative arc that will keep a reader engaged all the way through a book. This is not as straight- forward as it might sound, particularly in a work of 60,000+ words.Curation
Not everyone is a natural storyteller. Often, when we relate an anecdote, we will throw in a lot of unnecessary detail that will distract, even bore, a reader. A ghostwriter will help condense a story down into its most compelling parts. ChatGPT will, however, include it all.Drama
Related to the above point is that ghostwriters will encourage authors to add detail they might not think important: the sights, sounds and smells that build an evocative picture around a story. Again, AI won’t look for these prompts.Duty of care
Ghostwriters have a duty of care to the authors they work with. There may be an urge to settle scores in a book, but this can put authors on legally perilous ground. Ghostwriters can advise on what can and can’t be recorded on the page. ChatGPT is not familiar with these, often subtle, dangers.Accessibility
Ghostwriters will spend many hours of one-to-one time with authors, helping them through the process and maintaining the momentum. AI models rely on the author being fully committed and self- motivated. Even though these generative models are quick, they still rely on author input.Experience
Finally, ghostwriters will have collaborated on many titles and know what makes a good book.
If you want to find out more about what it’s like to work with a bestselling ghostwriter, please contact us at the Ghostwriters Agency.
Do ghostwriters use ChatGPT?
AI is not the enemy of ghostwriting. Far from it. I’ll admit, I was a bit reluctant to use it at first. My first foray was prompted by my youngest, who saw me manually alphabetising a list for the appendix of a book, and said ‘put it into ChatGPT’. I did and it was a revelation. Since then, I have relaxed about it and now use it in a number of ways. These would include:
It is fantastic for research, or prompting a thought process. When writing about a particular subject, I will often ask it about the various challenges or opportunities in that area. It helps me go off and explore ideas I might not otherwise have considered. It is also great for the various drudge tasks ghostwriters need to do. The first time I used it, for example, was to rearrange a list for the appendix into alphabetical order. If I had done it manually, it would have taken a few hours and not have been the best use of my time. ChatGPT did it in seconds.
As a professional ghostwriter, do I use ChatGPT? Yes, I do. Would I use ChatGPT to write or edit a book? Definitely not.
Is ghostwriting legal in the UK?
Ghostwriting is completely legal in the UK. Ghostwriters have been around for centuries. We are simply writers-for-hire, helping others to get their stories on the page. It is a legal, commercial arrangement that is completely above board.
How can I find a good ghostwriter?
I might be slightly biased, but I’d say you are already in the right place. The Ghostwriting Agency has more than eighty ghostwriters on its books. A condition of membership is that these ghosts have previously collaborated on a bestseller. Therefore, our clients know that they are getting the best in the business, who will help them create the books they have always wanted to write.