AI Writing Tip 1: Get Interviewed By the AI to Deepen Your Writing

AI is changing everything—including how we write. But if you're a writer or an emerging thought leader, you're probably not looking for shortcuts. You’re looking for depth, authenticity, and impact. So how do you use AI to elevate your content without letting it dilute your voice?

This is the first article in a new series I’m launching on how writers and thought leaders can use generative AI to go deeper, not just faster. As someone who's spent decades in journalism, ghostwriting, and idea development—and as the author of Write Like a Thought Leader—I’ve worked with hundreds of experts to help their ideas find form and voice.

This method I'm sharing is part of my own experimentation journey with AI. Recently, I used ChatGPT 4.0 to take a rough article I’d written and turn it into something deeper, more cohesive, and emotionally resonant—while keeping it entirely my own.

Step 1: Start Human

Before you bring in any AI tools, start with your own thinking. Draft a homemade article.

Write as well as you can. Be raw, be thoughtful, be messy if needed.

You’re not trying to create something finished—you’re creating source material that reflects your voice, your beliefs, and your evolving thoughts.

In my case, I started with a short piece about the power of transformation as an element in stories. It was a solid starting point but needed deepening and emotional layering. That’s where AI came in—but not in the way most people use it.

Step 2: Bring in AI—But Not to Rewrite You

Most people treat AI like a co-author. I suggest you treat it like a journalist. Let it interview you.

Here’s the prompt I used. You can copy/paste this into ChatGPT-4.0 and adapt it for your topic:

This is an article I wrote. I'd like to rewrite and deepen it. You are a journalist interviewing me to help me improve and expand it. Ask me personal, insightful questions that help bring out transformation, challenge, and turning points in my thinking. Ask only the right questions—not too many. Then use my answers to rewrite the piece, keeping my voice.

Step 3: Answer the Questions—Out Loud

Here’s the cool part: Don’t type your answers. Speak them.

Why? Because speaking brings out your natural voice. Talking captures emotion and nuance that’s harder to find at the keyboard. Start with ChatGPT on desktop, then switch over to the same chat on mobile so you can speak your answers directly into the chat.

I used this exact process. ChatGPT asked me about moments when I shifted my beliefs on ghostwriting, when I studied Sean Coyne’s work on Big Idea Nonfiction, and how I learned not to publish stories that are still emotionally raw. My voice came through clearly—because I spoke it.

Pro tip: Ask ChatGPT to be a highly skilled interviewer like a journalist writing for The Atlantic or The New Yorker.

Here’s a second prompt you can use:

Act as a seasoned longform journalist. Ask follow-up questions sparingly but powerfully. Your goal is to surface insight, not just gather facts. Ask questions that invite reflection, not just explanation.

Step 4: Let the AI Rewrite—As Your Editor, Not Your Author

Once you’ve shared your answers, ask ChatGPT to edit or rewrite your original article using your answers. Emphasize that it should keep your tone, structure the story well, and include transformation arcs.

The final version of my piece was something I felt was ready to publish. It was longer, more emotional, and clearer in its structure—yet still unmistakably mine.

Why This Works

AI can be a partner in insight generation, but not just through research. Used creatively, it can help you surface your own novel ideas. This method works especially well for:

• Writers who want to deepen early drafts

• Thought leaders struggling to articulate their turning points or those in their story

• Experts who feel too close to their topic

• Anyone who speaks more fluidly than they write

If you’re someone who wants to write with authenticity and still leverage AI, this process gives you the best of both worlds.

To see the story I wrote, click here.

Want More?

This article kicks off a series I’m writing on practical, ethical, and deeply human ways to use AI in thought-leadership writing. I’ll share prompts, before/after examples, and behind-the-scenes processes.