Writing has always been a way for me to process ideas, share perspectives, and connect with others. But let’s be real: writing well — with clarity, flow, and just the right tone — takes time, energy, and often, a second pair of eyes. That’s where ChatGPT comes in.
When I wrote The Art of Listening, it took almost a year to finish. Between life’s responsibilities, a bit of perfectionism, and simply being busy, I rarely found the time or mental space to fully dive into it.
Over the past year, I’ve started using ChatGPT as a sort of digital writing partner. My process is simple: I begin by writing a few paragraphs of my own. These are usually raw — fragments of thoughts, personal anecdotes, or the core points I want to make in an article. It’s me getting things out of my head and onto the page, unfiltered.
Once I have that, I hand it off to ChatGPT.
I’ll ask it to clean up what I’ve written — to preserve my voice but tighten the structure, fix awkward phrasing, and generally make it easier for readers to follow. ChatGPT sees itself as the “editor-in-chief in my pocket,” because it does exactly what a good editor does: helps me sharpen the message without losing the soul.
Sometimes I even ask ChatGPT to rate what I wrote before editing it. It gives me a rough sense of how clearly I’m communicating, where I might be losing the thread, or which parts are working well. It’s like instant feedback without needing to pester a friend to read a draft.
But here’s what I didn’t expect: I’ve actually learned things through this process.
When ChatGPT rephrases something or adds clarity to a point I thought was obvious, it often reveals where my own understanding was fuzzy. Or when it pulls in a related idea to expand on a theme, I’ll find myself following that thread, digging deeper into a topic I thought I already knew.
In a way, this collaboration has made me more curious — not just about the subjects I write about, but about how I think and express myself. It’s helped me bridge the gap between what I mean to say and what actually comes across.
No tool is perfect, of course, and I still do the final pass myself. But having a responsive, tireless writing assistant has made my creative process more fluid and a lot more fun.
So if you’ve ever found yourself stuck between an idea and the right words to express it, or if you just want to see your own thoughts reflected back a little more clearly — I can’t recommend this kind of partnership enough.
It’s not just AI-generated writing. It’s human thought, refined with a little digital help.
