In my first piece on author-gpt, I noted that the app was basically unusable because at the time, GPT-3.5 was in general use and only a few people, including Matt Shumer the app author, had access to GPT-4. Very briefly, this app uses a lot of tokens and ver. 3.5 errors-out due to its token limit being exceeded. A few days ago I got access to Chat-GPT 4 (8K model) and immediately began editing and testing author-gpt in order to see just what kind of output we can shortly expect to see flooding Amazon.
Digested read: It works if you devote about half an hour to editing the code.
I will show how the app works— you can edit the code to produce specific genres. I edited it to produce only content not cover, and for SF rather than fantasy. You need access to Chat GPT-4 to run this. I advise not trying more than 10 chapters unless you have access to the 16K or 32K models.
gpt-author
By Matt Shumer (https://twitter.com/mattshumer_)
Github repo: https://github.com/mshumer/gpt-author
Generate an entire novel in minutes, and automatically package it as an e-book.
To generate a book:
- In the first cell, add in your OpenAI and Stability keys (see the first cell for instructions to get them).
- Fill in the prompt, number of chapters, and writing style in the last cell.
- Run all the cells! After some time, your EPUB file should appear in the filesystem.
First, it imports openai and the 64-base EPUB app to act as a structure for the novel. You have to enter your openai.api_key, so you need an account with OpenAI. (Stability is for the cover).
The chapters, spine, text settings, paragraphing etc. are defined as the EPUB file. Then the metadata is added (author, title, identifier, language).
There are several steps to creation. We begin with a first draft and then refine it using increasingly sophisticated prompts. Here is the first draft creation (Chat GPT prompt engineering — you can edit this): "You are a creative assistant that generates engaging science fiction novel plots."
The app generates 10 novel plots based on the ‘elevator pitch’ you, the user, feed the app. Then, an ‘expert in writing SF novel plots’ evaluates the plots and synthesises the best possible plot or combo thereof. Then another expert refines the chosen plot. An ‘expert writer’ then chooses the book title based on the plot.
A ‘world class’ writer then writes the book. The prompt specifies it to be in any style you like, just edit that. I decided I wanted it written in limited third person (otherwise it will default to omni) and ‘incredibly unique, engaging, and well-written’. This is then improved by an even better writer, until the app finishes the novel, at which point it’s written into the file system and downloadable.
And now, what you’ve all been waiting for. The novella “Resonance Of The Southern Cross”, by Chat-GPT-4. Elevator pitch: The desperate remaining inhabitants of Australia, which has been destroyed by climate change, invade New Zealand.”
RESONANCE OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS
Ch 1: DESSICATED LAND
Australia - once a jewel of the southern hemisphere, now lay a parched wasteland, victim to the relentless fangs of climate change. The once abundant flora withered into shadows, casting an eerie skeletal dance on the cracked, sunbaked soil. The grieving sun seared the terrain with an unforgiving rage, transforming the land Down Under into a stifling death trap. Old tales spun of dancing waters and verdant fields were now mere echoes in the thirsty winds, whispers of a time when life was not scorched into oblivion.
Amidst the ruinous graveyard of what was once Sydney, a solitary figure trod stubbornly. Jack Russo, a war-hardened veteran, bore the weight of loss in his sunken eyes. The shrivelled cityscape mirrored the scarring etched into his skin - battle wounds from wars fought among men. The world around him matched the desolation he carried within, crafting a haunting silhouette of a man, roaming through the remnants of his scorched homeland.
Meanwhile, braving the seething heat in the isolated lab in Perth, bubbled the enduring spirit of Dr Leah Wilkins. A pioneer in quantum physics, she had once touched the mysteries of the micro-universe, daring to dream beyond the confines of reality. However, those dainty dreams now stood shackled within the dust-choked corners of survival, the brilliant luster of her theories dimming in the scorching isolation.
In Melbourne, the seemingly futile fight against oblivion was echoed in the fierce voice of Maya Weston. An unwavering environmental activist, her heart pulsed with the rich 'green' that the landscape so dearly missed. Although met with apathy and despair, her vigils, rallies, and protests played a desperate symphony against the quieting heartbeat of her world, creating a beacon of hope amid a sea of desolation.
As civilization teetered on the brink of annihilation, whispers of a dire solution raced through the skeletal remains of once-great cities. The prime minister, corners of his lips curled in grim determination, unveiled a plan of drastic survival - an invasion on the verdant tranquillity of New Zealand. Labeled under the heavy-hitting name, 'Operation Kiwi,' this plan dripped with controversy, but was laced with the intoxicating scent of desperate survival.
New Zealand, a lush oasis within a sea of desolation, became a tantalizing vision in Australia's heat-rippled periphery. Unaware of the impending storm, it floated across the violent Tasman Sea, a reservoir of life that the Australians had forgotten how to spell.
As the rumors seeped into the wary consciousness of the desperate Australians, our trio's path began converging. Jack, the scarred soldier who bore his battles both within and without, Leah, the brilliant scientist navigating the debris of her dreams, and Maya, the relentless activist fueled by her little light of hope, found themselves at a shared crossroad. Their fates entwined in the parched grip of their homeland.
In this survival waltz of nations, they were about to become integral pawns, dancing at the precipice of hope and despair. The varied hum of their stories was about to become a symphony of resistance, echoing across the barren Australian plains and a tranquil New Zealand, which unknowingly stood at the brink of upheaval.
It is a tiny book. It is only 12 Freda double-pages. I would say the above is not so much an opening chapter but rather, a prologue. But anyway, there it is. Written by an expert writer: Chat GPT-4. This is what Hollywood wants to replace the Writer’s Guild with.