I Danced With ChatGPT to Create A Fictional Medium Story
How much was Chat, and how much was K?
In April, after a personal encounter with the volcanos on the Big Island of Hawai’i, I felt led to write a story about Pelehonuamea, the goddess of fire. I published it and it garnered a lot of interest; I wrote about that too.
At the end of many of my stories, including that one, I have a notice: I don’t write alone.
Disclaimer: This post is a product of my original thoughts, creative ideas and boundless imagination. AI writing assistance from ProWritingAid and chatGPT helped with my story’s birthing process.
“How much of this is yours, K?”
- Frank Ontario | empathy, logic, love. said, “There is a compelling visceral feeling to your story.”
- Smillew Rahcuef commented, “(This) was better than most of the ChatGPT stories I saw.”
It was a dance between me and ChatGPT
I was deliberate in the large extent I used Chat in the story because I meant to submit it to Lampshade of Illumination, a publication of AI-generated content.
I asked the AI-content generation engine to dance with this prompt, “Hello Chat, I want to write a creative story about flying into the big island of Hawai’i for the first time and being shocked by the prevalence of lava in the landscape of the island.”
Chat lead confidently:
As the plane descended, Sarah couldn’t contain her excitement. Her first trip to Hawai’i was a dream come true. But as the aircraft neared the Big Island, Sarah’s anticipation turned to awe. The window revealed a surreal sight — vast expanses of molten lava streaming down the mountainside, glowing red against the dark landscape.
As Sarah stepped off the plane, she was struck by the heat and the pungent smell of sulfur in the air. The island’s volcanic activity was everywhere — from the hardened lava fields stretching for miles to the steam rising from cracks in the ground…
I adjusted her stance and motions:
Chat always chooses names that sound average and white. I said, “Perhaps change the name of the protagonist to Manueliya and include an encounter with the goddess Pele in the story.”
It was important that the goddess was included in the story. I heard about Pele on a tour of the island and I was so touched by the stories and I felt her spirit.
Chat took a few tentative steps:
As Manueliya’s plane approached the Big Island of Hawai’i, she eagerly peered out the window, her heart pounding with anticipation. But as the aircraft descended, her excitement turned to awe. The landscape below was dominated by a sea of fiery red—molten lava flowing down the mountainside, creating a breathtaking sight.
Stepping onto the island, Manueliya was immediately struck by the heat and the acrid scent of sulfur in the air. She felt a sense of reverence for the raw power of the volcanic activity that shaped the landscape. As she explored the island, she heard tales of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, who was believed to reside in the crater of Kilauea…
I told Chat to sit and watch me.
You see, at this point, I knew that Chat never actually visited The Big Island. Its trainers did not feed her data that explained the volcanoes in Hawai’i do not erupt in a typical way; there’s no fiery red molten lava.
Using some of her content, I took the lead:
Manueliya’s heart raced with anticipation as she stepped off the plane onto the Big Island of Hawai’i. She was immediately struck by the vastness of the lava-covered landscape that stretched out before her, with its wide open spaces of hardened lava fields reaching as far as the eye could see.
As she explored the island, Manueliya felt a sense of reverence for the powerful forces of nature that had shaped the land. She hiked to the edge of Kīlauea, the active volcano, beginning at the Visitor Center. She imagined the molten lava flowing down the mountain, creating new land in front of her mind’s eyes. …
Then, I used one of her creative turns verbatim:
Lost in the moment, Manueliya closed her eyes and let her senses absorb the raw beauty around her. She could feel the warmth of the lava under her feet, the heat radiating from the cracks in the ground, and the sulfur scent in the air. She felt a deep connection to the land, as if the very spirit of Pele, the goddess of fire, was present in those wide open spaces.
Chat wanted to end our number like this:
Manueliya listened in awe, feeling humbled in the presence of the powerful goddess. Pele warned her of the dangers of the lava but also bestowed upon her a blessing for a safe and memorable journey. Manueliya felt grateful for the encounter, and she promised to honor and respect the land and its powerful guardian.
As Manueliya left the island, she carried with her memories of Pele and the breathtaking lava landscapes that had left an indelible mark on her soul. She was forever changed by the encounter with the goddess and the awe-inspiring power of Pele’s domain, the Big Island of Hawai’i.
I had another climatic finale in mind:
Manueliya stood there, humbled by the immensity of the landscape and the ancient power of the volcano. She realized that the Big Island of Hawai’i was not just a tourist destination, but a living, breathing testament to the forces of nature. It was a place where she could witness the raw power of the Earth and experience the beauty of spaces unlike anywhere else on Earth. She thankfully carried the memories of those moments with her, a reminder of the awe-inspiring prevalence of lava in the landscape and the timeless spirit of Pele that dwelt within it.
I asked Chat to consider the name of our creation:
I asked, “What SEO title will you give this story?”
Chat said:
Encountering Pele: A Tale of Awe and Wide Open Spaces on Hawai’i’s Lava-Covered Big Island
I prompted:
“A more fantastical title, please.”
Chat said:
The Fiery Domain of Pele: A Mythical Encounter with Lava and Wide Open Spaces on Hawai’i’s Big Island
I adapted it to be:
The Fiery Domain of Pele: A Mythical Encounter with Lava on the Big Island of Hawai’i
So, what do you think? How do you feel knowing how much ChatGPT contributed to the original story?
ChatGPT was not used in the creation of this expository article.
© 2023 K. Joseph, All Rights Reserved
