002: AI Workflow: Maximizing Content Creation

Are you a verbal processor?

I sure am! Working remotely has presented a unique challenge for me due to the fact that I spend the majority of my work week alone. Video calls just aren’t the same as in-person meetings where the energy in the room influences and directs creativity, idea generation, and real-time problem-solving. I also miss having coworkers around to bounce ideas off of and I never realized how many stories come from conversations-in-passing in an office environment.

My job requires writing a lot of content and between my sometimes too-quiet home office and the pace of output I’m responsible for week-to-week, my brain will freeze when I see that blank document on screen.

I’ve developed a workflow that has proven to be very helpful when I’m in content creation mode.

• Write a rough outline. Include any quotes or other notes that are important to include.

• Record myself talking through the outline using an AI (I use Fireflies.ai) .

  • This can be a little awkward the first couple of times. I just pretend like I’m giving a presentation or recording a podcast and that helps me feel less like I’m talking to myself.

• Download the transcript and upload the file into ChatGPT.

• Direct ChatGPT to analyze my notes and reformat the content into a blog post or article.

  • Be specific. Give instruction regarding the voice you want used, word count, audience, and purpose for writing the specific piece.

  • Pro-tip: Ask ChatGPT, “Do you need any other information from me to complete this request?” The program will often ask clarifying questions that you didn’t think about when you gave your initial directions.

• Heavy editing time.

  • I use ChatGPT for idea generation. Never to write straight copy for me. It is still far from perfect when it comes to writing, so please do not trust it as a total replacement for writing. Always give content a detailed read-through and edit heavily.

  • So why use AI at all? For me, I have to generate a lot of content and my brain can get bogged down. AI helps me clean up my ideas and gives me a solid starting point instead of having to start with a blank page.

• Once you edit, put your final version back into ChatGPT and ask it to write a meta description and social media content based on your final piece.

• BONUS: Fireflies will have pulled highlights and a summary from your original audio recording. These make for great secondary social posts to get more traffic to your blog.