Using ChatGPT for effortless copywriting
When writing your autobiography or biography, it's essential to start by crafting your story from the very beginning. To do this effectively, begin by exploring the foundational details of your life or the life of the person you're writing about.
Start by asking yourself or your parents these key questions:
When and where were you born?- Who were your parents, and what were they like?
- Did you have any siblings, and what was your relationship with them?
- Where did you go to school, and what were those early years like?
- Did your family ever move, and how did those experiences shape your life?
These questions will help you uncover the essential details that lay the groundwork for a compelling narrative. By reflecting on these early experiences, you can begin to weave together a story that captures the essence of your life or the life you're documenting, giving readers a rich understanding of the person at the heart of the biography.
A simple Google search for "100 questions to ask your parents" can provide a comprehensive, chronologically organized list to help guide your writing process. For my father-in-law’s biography, I took a personalized approach by creating a list of questions and sending him home with a tape recorder. Over the next month, he leisurely recorded his memories, providing me with invaluable material to craft his life story, which you can read at JosephCDilucido.Mystories.cloud.
Because he recorded his answers, I was able to include audio clips of him describing events in his own words. This added a deeply personal touch to the biography, allowing his great-great-grandchildren to hear his stories directly from him.
To get started with your writing, begin by laying out the photos you plan to use. These visual prompts can serve as powerful inspiration, guiding your narrative as you piece together the story. Once your short draft is complete, paste it into ChatGPT.com. The AI will help refine and polish your writing, adding the professional touch of a seasoned copywriter.
Here are two examples of how ChatGPT.com can transform even the roughest draft into polished, compelling text.
#1. ChatGPT, please make this into a story.
"Grampa Joe was Born on Feb 1st, 1917 in Providence Rhode Island. His dad was industrious and built their first home. His dad was very good at gardening and they ate well through the depression. Joe joined the Army and entered Germany on D-Day plus 4, he was wounded in the battle of the Bulge and earned a Purple Heart. He returned and married his sweetheart, Rose. He had two children and eventually one grandchild. Joe had many hobbies from travel to stamp collecting, to woodwork, to his special passion for photography. Joe spent 60 years in paint, first as a chemist, formulating the paint, to eventually sell the paint to stores on Cap Code."
From that request, ChatGPT produced this polished version.
Grampa Joe was born on February 1st, 1917, in the bustling city of Providence, Rhode Island. From a young age, he was surrounded by the strong work ethic of his father, a man of determination and skill. His father, with his own hands and sweat, built their family's first home, a modest but sturdy dwelling that became the foundation of their life. Beyond the walls of the house, his father's hands worked miracles in the garden. The soil, tilled and nurtured, yielded bountiful crops that fed the family well, even during the darkest days of the Great Depression. In those times of hardship, the garden was not just a source of food, but a testament to resilience and hope.
As Joe grew up, these lessons of hard work and perseverance were etched deeply into his character. When the world was plunged into the chaos of World War II, Joe answered the call to serve. He joined the Army and became a part of history as he entered Germany on D-Day plus 4. The horrors of war were unimaginable, and Joe faced them head-on. In the fierce cold of the Battle of the Bulge, he was wounded, a sacrifice that earned him the Purple Heart. The medal was a symbol of his bravery and the wounds he carried were a constant reminder of the cost of freedom.
When the war ended, Joe returned home, not just as a soldier, but as a man with a future. He reunited with his sweetheart, Rose, whose love had sustained him through the darkest of times. They married, and together they built a life filled with love and joy. Joe and Rose were blessed with two children, who grew up in a home filled with stories of the past and dreams for the future. As the years passed, their family expanded with the birth of a grandchild, a new life that brought boundless joy to Joe's heart.
Throughout his life, Joe was a man of many passions. He found joy in the small things and the grand. His travels took him to new places, expanding his horizons and filling his heart with memories. He was meticulous in his stamp collecting, a hobby that connected him to the wider world through tiny, colorful pieces of paper. His hands, so skilled in the garden and on the battlefield, also mastered the art of woodwork, creating beautiful pieces that would be treasured by his family.
But it was photography that truly captured Joe's soul. Through the lens of his camera, he saw the world in a unique way, preserving moments of beauty, love, and life that might otherwise have been lost. Each photograph was a story, a memory, a piece of history that Joe carefully framed and cherished.
For sixty years, Joe's career in paint was a testament to his dedication and expertise. He began as a chemist, formulating paints that would bring color and life to homes and buildings. Over time, his role evolved, and he became a trusted figure, selling his carefully crafted paints to stores across Cape Cod. His knowledge and passion for his work were unmatched, and his contributions left a lasting mark on the industry.
Grampa Joe's life was one of service, love, and passion. He was a man who built, nurtured, fought, loved, and created. His legacy was not just in the family he raised or the work he did, but in the way, he lived his life' with determination, kindness, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of the world around him.
2. ChatGPT, Please make this more exciting and longer.
"Steve and I left LAX in mid-September for Uganda to search for the amazing Garilla's up in the Mountains. We stayed in Kampala, the capital city. There were cars and motorcycles everywhere. We boarded the little planes and rode into the mountains where we were warmly greeted by our guides who showed us a lovely group of 10 gorillas. We were safe and able to observe them and take photos of the wild animals. It was very exciting."