Can AI Write Stories? WtW’s Teen AI Liaison Shares Prompts for Creative Writing with AI

Prompting AI to write is like planning the layout of a blank canvas: the specifics are overlooked in favor of planning the larger figures. Asking AI, “Can you write me a story?,” or, “Can you write a poem?” can yield nonspecific, generic pieces of writing instead of a more precise and engaging piece to build off of. 

That’s where you, the human writer, come in.

Since AI chatbots like ChatGPT draw from a vast database, AI-generated writing can provide a good launchpad for writing that has a writer’s own unique style, voice, and overall human touch. 

This blog will guide you through the ways you can use ChatGPT as the base for your creative writing.

Using AI to Write Poetry: Narrow the Specificity of Your Prompts

When I asked ChatGPT to write me a sonnet, it responded with this:

“Upon the canvas of the azure sky,

The sun doth paint its strokes of golden hue,

Where clouds like wisps of dreams drift gently by,

And day unfolds its tale, both bright and true.

As twilight casts its cloak upon the land,

And stars emerge like diamonds in the deep,

The moon, a silver ship, with steady hand,

Guides souls through realms where dreams and secrets keep.

In quiet moments, whispers of the heart,

Echo through chambers where emotions dwell,

A sonnet penned with love's enduring art,

In every word, a story it does tell.

So let us cherish moments, fleeting, bright,

In poetry of love, our hearts ignite” (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2024). 

Quite random, right? But, with enough pointed followup direction, ChatGPT can be more helpful. When I asked ChatGPT to make that same poem more melancholy, this was the result:

“Upon the canvas of the azure sky,

The sun's reluctant brushstrokes faintly glow,

Where clouds, like shattered dreams, drift silently by,

And day unfolds its tale, bittersweet and slow.

As twilight drapes its sorrow over land,

And stars emerge like teardrops in the night,

The moon, a solemn ship with steady hand,

Navigates the darkness, devoid of light.

In silent moments, whispers of the heart,

Haunt chambers where emotions lie entwined,

A sonnet penned, its lines torn apart,

Each word a echo of love left behind.

So let us mourn these moments, fleeting, cold,

In poetry of loss, our hearts grow old” (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2024).

Now, the poem is more cohesive throughout, with its sad diction and images of teardrops and solemn ships. The writer has a better piece to work with. They can borrow from a line or stanza and begin making their mark on the piece. 

Of course, they still have to fit the style of the piece. So, if the writer wishes to use the second stanza but struggles to work with water-related imagery, they can turn back to ChatGPT. When I asked ChatGPT for water-related things that could evoke feelings of sadness, it told me rainy days, rivers, tears, stormy seas, drowning, sinking, etc.

The actual response: 

1. “**Rain on a Dreary Day:** A persistent rain, especially accompanied by dark clouds and cold winds, can create a melancholic atmosphere. The sight and sound of raindrops tapping on windows or roofs may evoke feelings of loneliness or introspection.
2. **Rivers and Streams in Winter:** Bodies of water during winter can appear stark and barren, frozen over or flowing sluggishly under gray skies. This scene can evoke a sense of desolation or isolation.
3. **Tears and Crying:** The act of crying or tears themselves are often metaphorically linked to water. Tears represent emotional pain or sorrow, and the act of shedding tears can symbolize grief or heartache.
4. **Stormy Seas:** Turbulent or stormy seas can signify tumultuous emotions or inner turmoil. The crashing waves and tumultuous waters can reflect feelings of unrest or distress.
5. **Drowning or Submersion:** Imagery of being submerged underwater, whether in dreams or in literary contexts, can symbolize being overwhelmed by emotions, circumstances, or life's challenges.
6. **Abandoned or Neglected Water Bodies:** Lakes, ponds, or rivers that are polluted, littered, or neglected can evoke feelings of sadness and loss, reflecting human disregard for nature's beauty and the consequences of environmental degradation.
7. **Sinking Ships:** The metaphor of a sinking ship can symbolize failure, loss, or the collapse of hopes and dreams. It represents a poignant image of something once buoyant and full of promise now succumbing to the depths.
8. **Drought or Dryness:** The absence or scarcity of water, whether due to drought or environmental degradation, can evoke sadness by highlighting the fragility of ecosystems and the impact on communities that rely on water for survival.

These water-related elements can be powerful symbols in poetry and literature, effectively conveying themes of sadness, despair, loss, and emotional turmoil” (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2024).

When I later asked to work that into the poem using literary devices, ChatGPT responded with this:

“Certainly! Here are some ways to evoke sad or melancholic imagery related to water:

1. **Metaphors and Similes:**

   - "Her tears flowed like a river into the abyss of despair."

   - "The waves of grief crashed relentlessly against the shores of my heart."

   - "His eyes were as cold and deep as an unfathomable ocean."

2. **Imagery:**

   - "The rain fell in a steady, mournful rhythm, mirroring the heaviness in my soul."

   - "The river's surface mirrored the gray skies above, reflecting my sorrow."

   - "The mist hung low over the lake, a veil of melancholy shrouding its still waters."

3. **Personification:**

   - "The river lamented its journey through valleys of loneliness and loss."

   - "The ocean whispered tales of forgotten dreams to the empty shore."

   - "The raindrops mourned their descent to the cold, indifferent earth."

4. **Symbolism:**

   - "The floodwaters of regret washed away the fragile bridges of hope."

   - "The storm-tossed sea echoed the tumult of my turbulent emotions."

   - "In the depths of the lake, I saw reflections of the sadness I carried within."

5. **Sound Devices:**

   - "The dripping of raindrops echoed like melancholic melodies in the silence."

   - "The waves sighed softly as they kissed the shore, a lament for what could have been."

6. **Color and Visual Imagery:**

   - "The sea was a somber shade of gray under the leaden sky."

   - "The river flowed through the desolate landscape, a silver ribbon of sorrow."

These poetic techniques can help create a poignant atmosphere and evoke a sense of sadness or melancholy associated with water, reflecting themes of loss, regret, and emotional turmoil in your poetry” (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2024).

When searching for inspiration, ChatGPT can reach into its expansive catalog and provide a writer with decent ideas. From there, it’s up to the writer to provide a human touch, their own twist, or interpretations. 

ChatGPT for Writing Stories: Outline, Outline, Outline!

Writers can take a similar approach to writing short stories. Or, writers can ask ChatGPT to provide the shell of the story while the writer crafts everything else. 

For instance, ChatGPT can provide you with an outline for what a certain story might look like. When I asked ChatGPT for an outline of a short story about losing something significant, I received this: 

“Title: *Echoes of Silence*

Outline:

**1. Introduction**

- **Setting:** A bustling city where the protagonist, Max, lives in a cozy apartment.

- **Character Introduction:** Introduce Max, an aspiring writer who treasures a vintage typewriter inherited from his grandfather.

**2. The Typewriter**

- **Significance:** Describe Max's deep attachment to the typewriter, which he believes holds his grandfather's spirit and inspiration.

- **Daily Ritual:** Max writes every evening, inspired by the comforting click-clack of the typewriter keys.

**3. The Loss**

- **Unexpected Event:** Max returns home one day to find his apartment ransacked, and the typewriter missing.

- **Emotional Impact:** Max is devastated, feeling a profound loss of connection to his grandfather and his writing muse.

**4. The Search**

- **Desperate Measures:** Max searches pawn shops, online listings, and local antique stores, hoping to find the typewriter.

- **Community Support:** Friends and neighbors offer sympathy and assistance in the search, sharing memories of Max's grandfather.

**5. Acceptance and Renewal**

- **Turning Point:** Max reluctantly accepts that the typewriter may never be found.

- **Inner Reflection:** Max reflects on his memories with his grandfather and finds solace in their shared love for storytelling.

**6. Moving Forward**

- **New Beginnings:** Max begins to write again, this time on a modern laptop, carrying forward his grandfather's legacy.

- **Closure:** Max realizes that while the typewriter is gone, the memories and lessons it symbolized will forever inspire his writing journey.

**7. Conclusion**

- **Epiphany:** Max attends a local writers' event and shares a poignant story about loss and resilience, dedicating it to his grandfather.

- **Hope:** The story ends with Max looking ahead with renewed determination, embracing the future while cherishing the echoes of his grandfather's wisdom” (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2024).

It may seem like ChatGPT did all the work for you, but writers have the option of disregarding everything provided. The main bullet points (numbered and underlined phrases) can stay, but everything else can go. Now, you have an almost blank canvas! Or, the writer can borrow some parts and forego others.

If establishing a theme or central conflict is what leaves you stumped as a writer, for example, you can also ask AI. When I asked ChatGPT what the conflict of a story about a child and parent who frequently argue should be, the response contained answers like “miscommunication,” “generational gap,” and “independence vs. control.” The writer can take what is expected of that approach and turn it on its head, or relate it back to the strategy described above. Simply asking, “Can you outline a story about miscommunication?” can lead the writer down the path that feels right to them.

Since AI borrows from so much existing work, it also clues a writer in on overused cliches or twists they would have overlooked. Reading a collection of AI-generated stories regarding the same topic or theme could point a writer in the direction of a twist or turn that would truly be unexpected by most. 

Creative Nonfiction: How Would I Describe...?

ChatGPT can also outline nonfiction essays, although not very precisely (because to what extent could an AI chatbot skillfully, truly, and empathetically reflect on your life experiences?). It acts as a rough outline for any writer to make their own. 

A writer could prompt AI by detailing their circumstances/life events and the emotions they wish to convey. For instance,  you could ask ChatGPT to outline a happy essay about performing a skateboard trick for the first time. With the outline provided, the writer can add their personal touches and anecdotes. 

On the topic of anecdotes, ChatGPT can provide assistance with that, too. You could once again describe an event and emotion, and ask ChatGPT what anecdotes would complement that story. For example, when I asked what anecdotes a writer should shared in an essay about how someone important taught them to ride a skateboard, ChatGPT responded with: “The First Lesson,” “The First Trick,” “The First Fall,” and more. 

AI can also prompt writers. By using the method described above, ChatGPT can provide prompts based on a situation and emotion. Each prompt is tailored to a certain arc, such as “Transformation of Fear into Passion” or Embracing Mistakes.” Finally, ChatGPT can refine personal essays in a technical sense or suggest literary devices, as in other genres of writing. 

Looking Toward the Future

A lot of people, non-creatives and creatives alike, have developed a fear surrounding the capabilities of AI when it comes to making art. Writing generated by AI lacks the engaging and genuine nature of traditional writing (at least for now). Since people possess the skills to make any grouping of words worthwhile, I think writers could build firmly off of an AI-generated foundation of text. 

Thinking about the future of AI can be frightening, because so much feels unknown. It requires us to have faith in AI, faith in others’ use of AI, and faith in ourselves with or without it. Although I am not an expert, I–and many others who write–still feel the need to be in the loop; if AI is the future, I and many others don’t want to lag behind because of our attachment to traditional ways. 

Although I mainly see experienced writers looking upon AI with fear or disgust, it may prove to be especially helpful for younger, newer writers struggling to find their niche. It can make writing in a genre outside of your own less daunting. So, whatever it may look like in the years ahead, I expect myself and other writers (albeit begrudgingly) to accept the use of AI in writing, however that may present itself. 

**Please note that, on Write the World, young writers are asked to disclose and describe their uses of AI in writing–explaining, for example, how they altered AI-generated text to make a piece their own. That way, readers can have full appreciation for writers’ authentic, original work, and also learn from how they’re utilizing these emerging tools. To learn more about AI at WtW, click the AI Resources banner below.**