2024, June 5

hey chatgpt, on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is super complicated and clunky, and 10 is totally smooth, simple, and flowing, where would you rate your own phrasing right now?

when i turn to chatgpt for phrasing suggestions, its standard responses often feel boring and useless. so i’ve started challenging the ai to scale its own text suggestions. it’s interesting to see how engaging in this self-feedback mode shakes things up.

i love to play around with a wide range of different scales, testing various points to see what happens. sometimes, just to see what occurs, i ask for a response at scale point 0 and then contrast it with one at scale point 10. sometimes, i crank it up by requesting a response at scale point 15 on a 0-10 scale.

more examples of scales for experimenting with chatgpt:

• translation scale: from 0, a literal and direct translation, to 10, where it becomes much freer and echoes how a native speaker would naturally express it.

• boldness scale: from 0, very polite and cautious, to 10, rebellious, cheeky, and audacious.

• passivity to activity scale: from 0, completely passive and unengaged, to 10, highly active and proactive.

• calm to explosive scale: from 0, very calm and subdued, to 10, super explosive and on the verge of freaking out.

• conventionality scale: from 0, being highly predictable and conventional, likely to be accepted by a mainstream audience, to 10, being so unique and unconventional that it’s unlikely to be embraced by a mainstream audience. in applying this scale, i ask chatgpt to draw from all previous inputs i’ve given and select those ideas that would be least accepted by the mainstream, pushing the boundaries of conventionality even further.

give it a try and have fun experimenting!

MORE WRITING PROMPTS

2024, may 26

when brainstorming, writing, and editing texts with chatgpt, i often find its standard responses clichéd, generic, and annoying. so i switched to giving chatgpt personas, like a kafkaesque beetle, to get more refreshing responses. turns out, it works a million times better than yelling at chatgpt to stop being such a cliché machine. these persona switches have been a huge game changer in my creative work with chatgpt.

it does take some experimentation, though. not every persona will give satisfying responses right away. it’s worth playing around with different personas, intensifying their edginess or craziness, or tweaking them to suit your needs. the key is to keep experimenting and being playful to see what new insights emerge.

examples of persona prompts:

• pumuckl:

(for those not familiar, pumuckl is a mischievous, invisible goblin from a german children’s book, known for his playful and chaotic nature.)

hey, chatgpt, imagine you’re pumuckl. i’m sending you several pages from my morning diary, and i want you to use your pumuckl mind to extract the most intriguing and surprising details, descriptions, and unconventional images. focus on those elements that break expectations and would never appear in a mainstream magazine. list these out so we can shape them into a new text. remember, you are pumuckl.

• subversive feminist new york times editor from the future

hey, chatgpt, imagine you’re a radical, subversive, feminist new york times editor living in the 2070s, looking back at the 2020s. you are intrigued by the zeitgeist of the 2020s and the unique quirks of different people’s lives. i’ll share a period from my recent life that i’d like to turn into essayistic, autobiographical chapters. let’s brainstorm how we could structure these into chapters, and i’d love your ideas on chapter titles and key themes. also, let me know which aspects intrigue you the most.

• kafkaesque beetle

hey, chatgpt, imagine you’re a kafkaesque beetle. i’m going to share some events from the life of my main character in my novel. describe these events from your perspective as a kafkaesque beetle.

MORE WRITING PROMPTS

2024, may 25

when my writing feels kind of lame, i like to turn to scaling prompts to crank it up. i‘d ask myself: what do i want my text to be instead of lame? sometimes i need it to be more cinematic, other times edgier, braver or even more vulnerable. somehow moving up the scale step by step sparks a lot more ideas than simply aiming to make my text more cinematic.

🍭 extra tip: ask chat gpt to make your text climb up the scale and see what happens ;)

cinematic boost

brainstorm | 7 min

• picture a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is ultra-cinematic and 0 isn‘t at all. how would your text change if it moved up the scale? for example, if your text feels like it‘s at a 2, what elements do you see when you picture it moving to a 3? then a 4? jot down any ideas that come to mind. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 3 on the cinematic scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“

re-write | 12 min

• now re-write your piece of writing, one paragraph, one chapter or one scene, implementing ideas from your brainstorming tapas just now.

edgy elevation

brainstorm | 7 min

• picture a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is the peak of edginess. for example, if your text feels like it's at a 2, envision what elements appear as it moves to a 3, then a 4, and so on. jot down the ideas and elements that emerge at each step. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 3 on the edgy scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“

re-write | 12 min

• re-write your text, integrating the edgy details you've brainstormed. allow your piece to gradually adopt these traits, enhancing its narrative bite by bite.

surreal shift

brainstorm | 7 min

• imagine a surrealism scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is super surreal. for example, if your text currently reads like a 3, what surreal aspects begin to surface as it moves to a 4? continue imagining up to a 10, noting any surreal transformations. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 4 on the surreal scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“

re-write | 12 min

• apply the surreal elements you’ve brainstormed to enhance the dreamlike or bizarre atmosphere of your text. let each adjustment build the intensity of the surreal quality.

cliché breaker

brainstorm | 7 min

• consider a scale where 10 represents a text that masterfully breaks clichés. for example, starting at 5, what does breaking a cliché look like at 6, then 7? record the changes that help dismantle the clichés at each point. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 6 on the cliché-breaking scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“

re-write | 12 min

• incorporate the cliché-breaking elements into your text, allowing each step to effectively shatter the expected norms.

delicious descriptors

brainstorm | 7 min

• set a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is rich in delicious descriptors. for example, if your text tastes like a 3, what richer descriptions would add flavor to bring it to a 4? consider sensory details that intensify as you escalate. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 4 on the scale of deliciousness, the first thing that comes to mind is…“

re-write | 12 min

• sprinkle your text with the delicious descriptors you've gathered, seasoning it to taste more vivid and engaging.

define it yourself

define it yourself | 3 min

• what do you want your text to embody more? flowy, street credible, surprising, simple, or minimalistic? you define it.

brainstorm | 7 min

• now, envision your chosen attribute on a scale of 0 to 10. starting from where your text currently is, such as a 5, imagine moving it to a 6, then 7. what new characteristics emerge? keep imagining and jotting down transformations until you reach a 10. brainstorm on paper by writing in a stream of consciousness kind of way: „if i picture moving my text up to a 6 on the scale, the first thing that comes to mind is…“

re-write | 12 min

• revise your text, applying the dynamic qualities you've imagined, allowing it to fully embrace the attribute you've chosen.

MORE WRITING PROMPTS

2024, may 18

last week, i worked worked worked towards a deadline which kind of messed up my back. so i’d switch to my dance ‘n write ‘n roll the dice method where i’d write for 5 minutes, dance for 5 minutes, go back to writing, and so on.

first, i’d list all the aspects of the chapter i wanted to write, breaking them down into as many small subsections as possible. then, i’d use an online dice roller to randomly select which subsection to work on. i’d set a timer for 5 minutes and jot down a few sentences about the chosen subsection. next, i’d take a 5-minute break to move my body—dancing, exercising, stretching.

this approach not only helped me cure my back pain but also removed decision paralysis by letting the dice decide where to start. it keeps my writing in small, snackable chunks—my writing tapas. plus, it often gets me farther than trying to write for a continuous hour. moving in between writing chunks clears my mind, keeps me warm, and helps me refocus with a fresh perspective.

steps:

1. list your subsections:

   write down all the aspects or sections you need to cover in your writing. break them down into as many small, manageable chunks as possible.

2. number your subsections:

   number each subsection.

3. roll the dice:

   use a dice roller to select which subsection to work on. if you don't have physical dice, use an online dice roller that matches the number of subsections you have.

4. write for 5 minutes:

   set a timer and write three sentences about the chosen subsection.

5. move your body for 5 minutes:

   take a five-minute break to move your body. dance, exercise, stretch—anything that gets you moving and clears your mind.

6. repeat:

   repeat this process, alternating between writing and moving, until you’ve covered all your subsections.

MORE WRITING PROMPTS

2024, may 9

creative writing for mental health

almost every night just before sleeping, i write down a few good moments and visual snapshots of the day in my bedtime diary. this practice helps me take something pleasant into my sleep and gives me something joyful to think about when i wake up. i developed this routine when i was struggling emotionally and i desperately needed something to shift my mind at night (for the night is dark and full of terrors). over time, i've noticed that not only does this practice nourish my mental health, but it also enriches my creative writing. many of the snippets i create at bedtime find their way into my other texts. though it is very important for me not to aim for producing valuable snippets of writing because that shifts away from the original purpose: to capture and create a pleasant good night feeling.

prompt 1: good moments of the day

• write down 1-4 moments that were good (enough) today.

• this can be a moment when

  you felt a connection

  you experienced flow

  you accomplished something

  something made you smile or laugh

  you felt like life is doing you a favor

  you felt relieved

  you felt joy

prompt 2: sensual details of my favourite vibe today

• write down a kind of delicious vibe or mood from today that you‘d like to carry with you into your sleep

• capture the sensory details associated with that mood:

  visual details

  sounds

  scents

  flavours

  tactile feel

  bodily sensations

prompt 3: visual snapshots of the day

• capture 5 visual snapshots of the day. they can be very small, as long as they feel beautiful to you.

  example: ……jacaranda flowers float on puddles, some final leftovers from spring in november. at home, my sunnies cast a coca-cola-colored shadow on the wall, and i let myself fall into bed where dark blue siesta sleep starts creeping into my tired muscles. later, a waiter sets a sizzling plate on our table, and its steam fills the air, blending with the light of red lanterns… (excerpt from my bedtime diary)

prompt 4: first thoughts when waking up

• complete the sentence:

  »tomorrow when i wake up, the first thing i want to think of to buoy my mood:…«

  what else?

  what else?

  what else?

  example: »i want to think of my new running shoes, remember that i cleaned the kitchen, and look forward to the global conference on friday…«

note: it can be pretty mundane. this might be the least poetic prompt — but who knows. a lot of times i only see the poetic aspects in hindsight when i scroll through all my diary entries.

MORE WRITING PROMPTS

2024, april 25

writing tapas session for a project description aka exposé | \~ 60 minutes

i’m currently applying for a scholarship with a book project and have designed this writing tapas session to ease into writing the exposé. this approach makes the writing process more inviting and delicious by cutting it into tiny, snackable bits. i’m sharing these writing tapas with you to try out whenever you need to write a project description. it works for other projects too, not just books.

falling in love with your project | 7 mins

• when did the idea for this project first come to you?

• what moment, thought, or spark made you fall in love with it?

• if there were times you forgot about the idea or doubted it, what moments reignited your infatuation?

driven by a need | 5 mins

• at what time in your life would you have needed a book like the one you're introducing in your exposé?

• why?

• what difference would a book like this have made for you?

3 x 3 aspects | 9 mins

• let's say the exposé has three parts:

• what will we read and experience in the finished book?

• meta-thoughts on discourses, societal relevance, socio-political criticism, etc.

• form, style, methodology, project status, timeline

• now, note 3 aspects for each part, so 9 aspects all in all.

3 x 3 sentences | 15 mins

• write one full sentence for each of the 9 aspects.

• let this be inspired by everything from the previous tapas.

  (if you're not done after 15 minutes, that's fine. you can resume later.)

ghostwriting machine | 7 mins

• body switch time. let's say you are no longer yourself, but your own ghostwriter. the author of this exposé is handing you all notes from today's tapas session. your job today: quickly draft one paragraph after another, combining the above sentences, adding new ones, etc.

• for this tapas now, choose one aspect/sentence that sparks your excitement and draft a paragraph around it.

• you are playful, bold, and carefree, as this book project is not your baby. after all, you are "just" the ghostwriter.

  (if you're not done after 7 minutes, that's fine. you can resume later.)

what your text needs next | 5 mins

• body switch back. you're back to being you. the ghostwriter has provided a paragraph (or parts of it). you've also got all the notes you took during today's session.

• what does your text need next?

• define 1-3 next steps, each taking less than 25 minutes.

MORE WRITING PROMPTS