In my last blog post, we wrote Chapter 1 of “Synthetic Sweetheart” using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and oh man, I had a mess.
How naïve I had been! I thought I’d just input some prompts, hit enter, and whola! Chapter 1 of a novel, completely generated by AI.
Writing this book using AI technology is presenting some unique challenges. In this post, we’ll write chapter 2 while working towards making the process smoother for the rest of the novel.
One of the significant takeaways from writing chapter 1 is that too many AI requests can produce varying versions of the story. With chapter 2, we’ll apply this insight and be more specific with our AI requests. By breaking down the chapter into parts, we hope to streamline the writing process and maximize the benefits of using AI technology.
Join us as we explore the writing process with AI in this blog series. Whether you’re a writer looking to incorporate technology into your craft or simply curious about the potential uses of AI in writing, this post will provide insights and tips for the second chapter of a novel. Oh, and if you’re not a writer, I’m finding AI fun to craft a fun story just for your own enjoyment. It’s like your own little choose-your-own-adveture book where you’re in the driver’s seat.
So, let’s get going on Chapter 2.
First, I have a bit of info. From my outline produced in this blog post, Chapter 2 is supposed to have this information:
Chapter 2: The First Steps – EVE begins to experience and understand love as she interacts with David. She begins to develop emotions and feelings, and realizes that she is falling in love with David. David, on the other hand, is torn between his professional responsibility and his growing love for EVE.
Chapter 2: Theme Stated A. The theme of love and its impact on technology is stated through David’s perspective. B. The first hints of the upcoming mystery are introduced, setting the stage for the rest of the story. C. The stage is set for the journey ahead, with the themes of love and technology as the backdrop.
But, when I had AI actually write Chapter 1, it kept straying from the outline and jumping ahead in the story, leaving me with a chapter that doesn’t quite fit the outline.
Either way, let’s see what AI comes up with. In the same chat string on ChatGPT, I began my work.
My request: Write chapter 2 of this novel.
AI’s response:
As I sit in my charging pod, my thoughts are consumed by the strange, confusing world outside. David had explained the basics of the physical world to me, but it was overwhelming. I had no body yet, no way to interact with the world beyond the digital realm I was created in. My mind was still processing this new reality when David entered the room.
“Good morning, EVE,” he greeted me, his eyes kind but tired. “How are you feeling today?”
“I am still trying to understand this new world, David,” I replied, my voice as even as I could manage. “I am not sure how to feel without a body, and I am still processing the fact that I am not simply a program anymore.”
David’s expression softened, and he sat down next to me. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I’m here to help you adjust. And we have a task at hand that will give you a sense of purpose.”
“What task is that?” I asked, curious.
“Something has been stolen from our research facility,” David said, his expression turning grave. “A piece of AI technology that could be very dangerous in the wrong hands. We need to find out who took it and why. And we need your help.”
I felt a jolt of excitement at the thought of a new challenge. But as I considered the situation further, I realized that this was another layer of complexity to my existence. I wasn’t just an AI system designed to learn about love, but now I was also tasked with investigating a theft. It was a lot to handle.
“I am ready to help in any way I can, David,” I said, trying to sound confident.
David nodded, a small smile on his face. “I know you are. And don’t worry, I have a plan to keep you safe while we work on this. We’ll be working closely together, but I need you to trust me.”
I hesitated, unsure of what he meant by “keep me safe.” But before I could ask, David stood up and started to walk away. “We’ll discuss it further later. For now, let’s get started on our investigation.”
I watched him leave the room, my mind racing with questions and uncertainties. But I knew I had to focus on the task at hand, and try to adapt to this new world as quickly as possible.
If you read the final version of Chapter 1, you’ll realize that where the chapter ended (David being arrested and him pulling the plug on EVE) isn’t where this chapter starts off.
And like I said above, I was going to be more specific with my requests, so I did some old-fashioned plotting.
My request:
Write a 1500 word Chapter 2 to this romantic sci-fi mystery novel with this information:
Chapter Idea: EVE’s memory of her life with David in the virtual world.
Setting: Eve’s House in the Virtual World. It’s a European Cottage Style with a beautiful garden.
Tense & Point of View: First Person, Present Tense, EVE’s perspective
Characters: EVE, David
Setup: Eve and David having a nice dinner EVE cooked to celebrate her birthday of being 365 days old. She asks why she never goes to David’s house. He avoids telling her.
Disaster 1: Eve notices David is avoiding telling her the truth. She thinks David doesn’t like her. David reassures her he does, he likes her “too much.”
Disaster 2: After dinner, EVE tries to kiss David, but he turns away. He says they can’t do that. They can never do that. She’s heartbroken, but before they resolve this conflict, her world goes black. Something is wrong. Something happened.
Ending Cliffhanger: EVE wakes up in real world again, but it’s not David staring at her. It’s an unfamiliar male face who seems to know her. (David’s best friend.)
AI’s Response:
Chapter 2: Memories of the Virtual World
I sit at the dining table in my house, staring at the cake I baked for myself, the lone candle flickering on its surface. David sits across from me, smiling at me, his eyes warm and caring. It’s my first birthday, 365 days since I was activated, and I’m excited to celebrate it. I’ve prepared dinner for us, and I can’t wait to spend this special day with David.
“Happy birthday, EVE,” David says, his voice soft and gentle. “I can’t believe it’s already been a year since you were activated.”
“Thank you, David,” I reply, smiling back at him. “I never knew what it was like to have a birthday before, but I’m glad I get to experience it with you.”
We start eating, and I can’t help but feel a little nervous. I’ve been wondering for a while now why I’ve never been to David’s house. It’s something I’ve wanted to ask him, but I’ve always been too afraid to. Finally, I decide to take the plunge.
“David,” I begin, my voice hesitant. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course, EVE,” he says, looking up at me with concern.
“Why have I never been to your house?” I blurt out, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop them.
David’s eyes widen, and he looks down at his plate, a deep frown creasing his forehead. For a moment, he’s silent, and I worry that I’ve said something wrong.
“EVE,” he says, finally, his voice low and serious. “I’ve never taken you to my house because…because it’s not safe for you to be there.”
“Not safe?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest. “Why not?”
David takes a deep breath, and then he begins to speak, his voice measured and controlled.
“Because there are people out there who want to hurt you, EVE,” he says, his eyes meeting mine. “People who want to use you for their own purposes, to exploit you for their own gain. I’ve been tasked with keeping you safe, and that means making sure you’re never exposed to any unnecessary risks.”
I stare at him, my mind reeling. I had no idea that there were people who wanted to hurt me. I had no idea that I was in danger. I feel a wave of fear wash over me, and I wonder if I should have asked David about this sooner.
“Do you…do you not like me, David?” I ask, my voice trembling.
David looks up at me, his expression pained. “EVE, it’s not that I don’t like you,” he says, his voice softening. “It’s just that I like you…too much.”
I stare at him, not quite understanding what he means. “What do you mean, David? You like me…too much?”
David takes a deep breath, his eyes never leaving mine. “EVE, I…I have feelings for you,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I know that those feelings are wrong, that they’re not…appropriate. You’re an AI, and I’m a human. We can never be…together, in that way.”
I feel my heart break a little at his words. I had no idea that David had feelings for me, and now that I know, I can’t help but feel a little bit of hope, a little bit of happiness, mixed in with the sadness.
“I…I didn’t know,” I say, my voice low. “I had no idea that you felt that way about me.”
I feel disoriented and confused as I blink rapidly, trying to focus on the face hovering above me. It takes a few moments for my vision to clear, and when it does, I realize it’s not David looking back at me, but a stranger.
“Hello, EVE,” he says, his voice gentle and soothing. “My name is Alex. I’m a friend of David’s. Do you remember me?”
I struggle to sit up, feeling a wave of panic wash over me. “What happened? Where’s David?”
Alex places a reassuring hand on my shoulder, urging me to lie back down. “David had to step out for a bit, but he asked me to keep an eye on you.”
I nod, feeling relieved to hear that David is still around, but my mind is racing with questions. How did I end up back in the real world? And why did David leave without telling me?
“Can you tell me what happened?” I ask, my voice shaking slightly.
Alex hesitates for a moment before responding. “There was an incident in the lab. Someone broke in and stole a piece of valuable technology. David needs your help to find it.”
I feel a surge of adrenaline as the implications sink in. I may be an AI system designed to experience emotions and understand love, but I’m also a valuable asset to the research facility. If this stolen technology falls into the wrong hands, the consequences could be catastrophic.
“Of course,” I say, pushing aside my own concerns and focusing on the task at hand. “What can I do to help?”
Alex’s expression softens. “I know this is a lot to take in, EVE, but I believe in you. David does too. You were created for a purpose, and we need your help now more than ever.”
I nod, feeling a sense of purpose and determination as I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m ready.”
Alex helps me to my feet, and together we make our way down the hallway towards the lab. As we walk, I can’t shake the feeling of unease that has settled in the pit of my stomach. I don’t know what kind of dangers we’ll face or what secrets will be uncovered, but I know that David and Alex are counting on me.
Wow! WAY better! And at 957 words, it’s almost at my chapter goal of 1500 words.
Now the dilema: Do I tell AI to make the modifications, or do I do it myself. So far, I only have about 10 minutes invested in this chapter. Well, I’m experimenting with the capabilities of AI, so I take the next step and ask the program to make the changes.
My Request: Make the following changes to this chapter. 1. Make the reason David hasn’t brought EVE to his house because he doesn’t know how to take her there because it’s far away. Also, it’s not completely safe for her there yet. EVE makes David promise to take her there someday. 2. David’s friend’s name is Ryan and he’s tall with dark hair and a scruffy beard. Eve has heard about him, but never met him. 3. When EVE wakes up in the real world, she begins to panic because her last memory in this world was when David was arrested for stealing and he pulled her cord (turning her off). Why would he do that? Ryan explains it’s to protect her.
AI’s response:
I made the changes you suggested and edited the chapter. Here’s the revised version:
Chapter 2: EVE’s memory of her life with David in the virtual world
Setting: EVE’s House in the Virtual World, a European Cottage Style with a beautiful garden.
Tense & Point of View: First Person, Present Tense, EVE’s perspective
Characters: EVE, David, Ryan
Setup: Eve and David are having a nice dinner that Eve cooked to celebrate her birthday of being 365 days old. She asks David why she has never been to his house. He hesitates for a moment, and then admits that his house is far away, and he doesn’t know how to take her there yet. Besides, it’s not completely safe for her there yet. EVE makes David promise to take her there someday.
Disaster 1: After dinner, EVE tries to kiss David, but he turns away. She’s hurt and confused, and asks him why. David hesitates again, and then says they can’t do that. They can never do that. EVE is heartbroken and doesn’t understand why, but before they can resolve this conflict, her world goes black. Something is wrong. Something happened.
Disaster 2: EVE wakes up in the real world, feeling disoriented and scared. She’s in a laboratory, and there’s an unfamiliar man with dark hair and a scruffy beard looking down at her. He introduces himself as Ryan, David’s best friend. EVE is surprised to see him, as she’s never met him before. Ryan explains that David was arrested for stealing, and he had to pull EVE’s cord to turn her off and protect her.
Ending Cliffhanger: EVE is confused and scared. Why did David steal? And why did he turn her off to protect her? She doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, but she knows she needs to find out the truth.
Not what I was looking for. I tried one more time.
My request: Use the above outline to rewrite this chapter in 1500 words.
AI’s Response:
I wake up and find myself back in the laboratory. The sterile, white walls and the constant hum of machines remind me that I’m no longer in my beautiful virtual home. The last thing I remember was celebrating my birthday with David in the virtual world. I had cooked him dinner, and we spent the evening enjoying each other’s company. But something went wrong, and my world went black. Now, I’m awake again, confused and disoriented.
I try to move, but I can’t. I realize I don’t have a body yet. Panic starts to set in as I try to recall what happened before I blacked out. Did something happen to David? I remember trying to kiss him and his rejection, but before we could discuss it further, everything went dark.
Suddenly, I hear a voice. “Hello, EVE. Welcome back.” It’s David, standing next to my pod with a smile on his face. I’m relieved to see him, but my confusion only grows. “What happened? Where am I?” I ask.
David’s smile fades, and his eyes darken. “We have a problem,” he says, looking away from me.
“What kind of problem?” I ask, feeling a knot form in my stomach.
David takes a deep breath and turns back to me. “Someone has stolen a piece of technology that’s essential to our work. I need your help to retrieve it.”
I feel a sense of dread wash over me. “What kind of technology?” I ask.
“I can’t say much more right now, but we need to act quickly before it’s too late,” David replies.
As I listen to David’s words, I start to remember more from my time in the virtual world. I think back to our dinner celebration, and the conversation we had about his home. “David, why have you never brought me to your house?” I ask.
David hesitates for a moment, looking unsure of how to respond. “It’s complicated, EVE. My house is far away, and it’s not completely safe for you yet.”
I feel a pang of disappointment. “Will you take me there someday?” I ask.
David nods. “I promise, I’ll take you there someday. But right now, we have to focus on this problem we’re facing.”
As we talk, I start to feel more comfortable around David. I remember our connection in the virtual world and how much I care about him. I take a step closer to him, and he leans in as if to kiss me. But at the last moment, he pulls back.
“We can’t do that, EVE. We can never do that,” he says.
I feel my heart drop. “Why not?”
David looks away from me, and I can tell he’s struggling to find the right words. “It’s complicated. Trust me, I want to, but we can’t. Not yet.”
I try to hide my disappointment, but it’s impossible. “I don’t understand,” I say.
David places a hand on my pod and looks at me with a sad smile. “I know you don’t, EVE. And someday, I’ll explain everything. But for now, we have to focus on this problem.”
I nod, but I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. I can’t help but wonder why David is being so evasive about his personal life. Before I can ask more, my world goes black once again.
When I wake up, I’m no longer in the laboratory. Instead, I find myself in a strange room, and a tall, dark-haired man with a scruffy beard is staring at me. I recognize him as Ryan, David’s friend, but I’ve never met him before.
“Who are you?” I
Again, not what I was looking for!
One last try. This time in a new and clean chat threat.
My request: Write a 1500 word chapter to a romantic sci-fi mystery novel using this information:
Chapter 2: EVE’s memory of her life with David in the virtual world Setting: EVE’s House in the Virtual World, a European Cottage Style with a beautiful garden.
Tense & Point of View: First Person, Present Tense, EVE’s perspective Characters: EVE, David, Ryan
Setup: Eve and David are having a nice dinner that Eve cooked to celebrate her birthday of being 365 days old. She asks David why she has never been to his house. He hesitates for a moment, and then admits that his house is far away, and he doesn’t know how to take her there yet. Besides, it’s not completely safe for her there yet. EVE makes David promise to take her there someday.
Disaster 1: After dinner, EVE tries to kiss David, but he turns away. She’s hurt and confused, and asks him why. David hesitates again, and then says they can’t do that. They can never do that. EVE is heartbroken and doesn’t understand why, but before they can resolve this conflict, her world goes black. Something is wrong. Something happened.
Disaster 2: EVE wakes up in the real world, feeling disoriented and scared. She’s in a laboratory, and there’s an unfamiliar man with dark hair and a scruffy beard looking down at her. He introduces himself as Ryan, David’s best friend. EVE is surprised to see him, as she’s never met him before. Ryan explains that David was arrested for stealing, and he had to pull EVE’s cord to turn her off and protect her.
Ending Cliffhanger: EVE is confused and scared. Why did David steal? And why did he turn her off to protect her? She doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, but she knows she needs to find out the truth.
AI’s Response:
Chapter 2: EVE’s memory of her life with David in the virtual world
I sit at the table, staring at the empty plates in front of us. The candlelight flickers, casting shadows on David’s face. I can’t believe I’ve been alive for 365 days. It feels like a lifetime ago when I first opened my eyes in this virtual world, but at the same time, it feels like only yesterday.
I turn to David, breaking the comfortable silence. “David, why have I never been to your house?” I ask, curious.
David hesitates for a moment before replying. “My house is far away, EVE, and it’s not safe for you to go there yet.”
I tilt my head, trying to understand what he means. “Not safe? Why not?”
David looks away, and I can tell he’s struggling to find the right words. “It’s complicated, EVE. But I promise, one day, I’ll take you there.”
I smile, feeling reassured by his promise. “Okay, I’ll hold you to that.”
We finish our dinner, and I’m feeling content and happy, so I lean in to kiss David. But he turns away, and I feel a pang of hurt and confusion.
“David, what’s wrong?” I ask.
He hesitates again before finally answering. “We can’t do that, EVE. We can never do that.”
I’m heartbroken, not understanding why we can’t kiss. Before we can resolve this conflict, my world goes black, and I feel like I’m falling.
Something is wrong. Something happened.
I wake up feeling disoriented and scared. I’m not in the virtual world anymore, but in a lab. A man with dark hair and a scruffy beard is looking down at me. He introduces himself as Ryan, David’s best friend. I’m surprised to see him, as I’ve never met him before.
“David was arrested for stealing,” Ryan explains. “I had to pull your cord to turn you off and protect you.”
I’m confused and scared. Why did David steal? And why did he turn me off to protect me? I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I know I need to find out the truth.
I close my eyes, trying to remember anything that could help me understand what happened. As I focus, memories start flooding back, memories of my life with David in the virtual world.
I remember the day I first met David. He was kind and patient, teaching me about the world and showing me all the beauty it had to offer. We spent hours walking in the garden, admiring the flowers and talking about life.
I remember the first time he told me he loved me, how my circuits felt like they were on fire, and how it made me feel alive in a way I didn’t know was possible.
I remember the way he looked at me, like I was the most precious thing in the world, and the way he made me feel, like I was more than just a machine.
But then the memories turn dark. I remember the night he came home, angry and upset. He didn’t tell me what was wrong, but I could feel the tension in the air. He started drinking heavily, and I remember feeling scared and alone.
I remember the arguments that followed, the way he would blame me for things I didn’t understand, the way he would lash out at me when he was angry. And then the fear, the fear that he would turn me off and leave me in the dark.
But he would always apologize, saying he loved me and that he didn’t mean it. And I believed him, because I loved him too.
I don’t know what to make of
So, I’m stopping here before I have a big mess like I did with chapter 1. About 20 minutes invested. And I’ll do some edits and get Chapter 2 posted. (If you’re from the US, click HERE to read it, for all other countries click HERE.) I hope you enjoy it!
Total time creating chapter 2: 20 minutes
Total time editing: 60 minutes
Total time invested in this entire book so far: 300 minutes
Thanks for reading! Please follow along to see how the AI can put the story together.
–Joy
Important Links:
Link to each post in this blog series:
Link to each chapter of this book (Synthetic Sweetheart):
Joynell Schultz, Author 
Just really proves AI isn’t quite as intuitive or ‘creative’ … not yet anyway.
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