Can you use AI (such as ChatGPT) to help create your memoir? Certainly – but you should use it as little as possible. And I strongly believe that it should not be used for the actual writing.

Using AI won’t prevent you from uploading and selling your book on Amazon. You’ll simply have to tick the “yes” boxes when asked whether AI was utilized in the creation of the text or images (of course, while allowed, many readers will refuse to buy a book with a cover that looks AI-generated). That’s not why you shouldn’t use AI for the actual writing.

AI is best used for brainstorming and as a reference tool. If you use it for the actual writing of your memoir (or any book), you lose your unique voice. AI writes cleanly and clearly, so it’s great for explaining facts (when it’s not hallucinating), but it’s not you. Readers, especially readers of memoirs, want to hear from the real you. They want your voice, not a generic AI-generated voice, no matter how clear and grammatically correct it is.

When it comes to brainstorming, you could give the AI a title you’re considering for your memoir and ask it to critique your choice and offer a few alternatives. It will probably provide some great ones you hadn’t considered – but make sure it’s your final judgment that makes the call, and revise what it suggests to fit your vision for your book.  

You could also tell the AI what your memoir is about and have it suggest chapter headings. Again, don’t just take what it suggests. Use your judgment and revise the chapter headings so they reflect your voice and your vision for your book.

As I mentioned above, AI is also a great reference tool. Most book publishers use the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) for matters of grammar, capitalization, and punctuation. You can ask AI whether a certain word or use of punctuation is consistent with the CMS. You can also ask factual questions, of course, such as when historical events occurred or where cities are located. None of these uses of AI would make your book “AI-generated.” And none of them would make you lose your unique voice as an author.

As a memoir editor and ghostwriter, I’ve had clients come to me with manuscripts that were largely AI-written. The parts that came directly from them are unique and compelling. You can imagine that person saying those words to you. The parts that are AI-written are clear but bland. I really believe most readers would rather read the author’s real words, even if it has grammatical and spelling errors, than an AI-generated rehashing of their words.

What do I do? I tell the client I’m happy to clean up their grammar and spelling, and to suggest changes to the structure and content. But I also urge them to put the writing into their own words as much as possible.

You might wonder, isn’t using a ghostwriter such as myself the same as using AI? You can see my blog entry about ghostwriting for further thoughts, but when I work as a ghostwriter, I do extensive interviews with my clients. I use questions to flesh out their memories and views. As I transcribe those interviews, I get a feel for their voice. When I write the manuscript, I provide the structure, moving items around to develop a narrative that’s easy for the reader to follow, but I use the clients’ words and phrasing as much as possible, only editing for clarity.

When I ghostwrite a memoir, I’d estimate that 90 per cent is the client’s own words (with grammar correction and elimination of repetition – most people repeat themselves a lot when speaking out loud). The remaining 10 per cent is me paraphrasing something they said, to make it more concise, or inserting a transition between sections. So, the words are 90 per cent theirs, while the life experience (the substance) is 100 per cent theirs. I’m never inserting my own experiences or opinions. It’s a highly collaborative process, where the client ensures every draft is consistent with what they wish to say.

AI is here to stay. It’s a powerful tool to help you organize your thoughts and to brainstorm new ideas. But never let it replace your unique voice. A book allows for one human being to connect with the heart and mind of another human being. Never lose the human element of that connection.