32 ChatGPT Prompts for Novel Writing (Fantasy Finesse)
📖16 min read
Table of contents
- ChatGPT Prompts for Novel Writing
- Brainstorm novel ideas
- Create a character profile
- Develop a plot outline
- Write a chapter summary
- Develop a story arc
- Create a setting description
- Write a conflict description
- Develop the climax of the story
- Write a resolution description
- Create dialogue between characters
- Describe a character's backstory
- Establish the novel's tone and style
- Write a novel's introduction
- Develop a subplot
- Decide on the point of view of the story
- Write a chapter ending cliffhanger
- Describe a character's emotions
- Write a plot twist
- Develop a character's growth over the story
- Create a scene description
- Write a novel's conclusion
- Create a novel's title
- Write a back cover blurb for the novel
- Develop a writing schedule
- Handle writer's block
- Edit a draft of a novel
- Proofread a novel for errors
- Format a novel for publication
- Write a query letter to a publisher
- Prepare a novel for self-publishing
- Market a novel post publication
- Handle feedback and reviews
ChatGPT is transforming the world of novel writing.
From idea generation to character development, plot outlining, and even refining dialogue—its potential to revolutionize the writing process is absolutely incredible.
But, with a wealth of possibilities, knowing the starting point can be a challenge.
That's why I've put together this helpful guide.
In this guide, I'll share proven ChatGPT prompts for novel writing, based on real-world writing scenarios and numerous hours spent experimenting with ChatGPT.
Let's get started.
ChatGPT Prompts for Novel Writing
Brainstorm novel ideas
ChatGPT can be utilized to brainstorm innovative novel ideas.
Simply provide a genre, a setting, or a character, and ChatGPT can use that as a springboard to come up with unique plot lines or story concepts.
ChatGPT can also offer plot twists, character development paths, or settings that you may have not considered.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced author and generate a unique novel idea.
The genre is sci-fi and the main character is a rogue space explorer.
Develop a compelling plot line around these parameters.
Create a character profile
Developing character profiles is key for believable and relatable characters in a novel.
ChatGPT can assist you in fleshing out your characters, from their personalities and backgrounds to their motivations and conflicts.
Provide ChatGPT with a basic concept or role, and it can help generate a detailed character profile.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced novelist to create a comprehensive character profile.
The character is a rebellious teenager living in a dystopian future.
Help me outline their personality traits, backstory, motivations, and potential conflicts.
Develop a plot outline
ChatGPT is not only capable of generating text, but it can also help you develop a plot outline for your novel.
Whether you're stuck with writer's block or struggling with structuring your ideas, you can rely on ChatGPT.
Simply provide it with a basic premise or an idea for your novel, and it will create a structured plot outline including the introduction, conflict, climax, and resolution.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Based on the basic premise of a dystopian future where technology has taken over human life, create a plot outline for a novel.
Start with the introduction, followed by the conflict, climax, and resolution.
Write a chapter summary
Give ChatGPT a brief outline or list of events that occurred in a specific chapter of your novel and ask it to write a summary.
ChatGPT can help reduce lengthy chapters into concise summaries while keeping the essence of the story intact.
It's great for authors who are trying to create a back cover blurb or a synopsis for agents or publishers.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as a seasoned novelist tasked with summarizing a chapter.
Here is a rundown of the key events that took place in chapter 5 of my novel.
Develop a story arc
To use ChatGPT for developing a story arc, provide it with some initial context or characters, and let it build the narrative structure for you.
ChatGPT can help lay out the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of your story.
It can aid you in forming captivating narratives, fleshing out characters, and creating interesting plot twists.
ChatGPT Prompt:
As an experienced novelist, help me develop a story arc for a novel.
The main character is a young, disillusioned lawyer striving to find truth and justice in a corrupt system.
Please provide the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution for this story.
Create a setting description
The scene you choose sets the tone for your novel.
ChatGPT can help by creating a vivid and compelling setting description.
Provide the AI with a basic idea of the environment or mood you want to convey, and it will craft a detailed, immersive setting that will hook your readers from the start.
ChatGPT Prompt:
As a seasoned novelist, create a detailed description of a bustling medieval marketplace, with a sense of underlying danger lurking in the shadows.
This setting will be used in a fantasy novel.
Write a conflict description
Writing a compelling conflict is the crux of any novel.
Whether it's internal or external, conflicts drive the plot and engage readers.
ChatGPT can help you draft a detailed conflict description.
Provide it with the main characters, their goals, and the setting, and it will outline a thrilling conflict that keeps your readers hooked.
ChatGPT Prompt:
As a seasoned novelist, write a conflict description for my upcoming novel.
The novel features two main characters, a successful businessman and a struggling artist, set in the bustling city of New York.
Develop the climax of the story
With ChatGPT, you can develop the climax of your story, ensuring it is exciting and engaging to your readers.
You simply need to feed the AI with the storyline up to the rising action, the main characters, and their motivations.
With this information, ChatGPT can craft a climactic scene that will keep your readers on the edge of their seats.
ChatGPT Prompt:
As an experienced novelist, design the climax for a murder mystery novel where the detective is closing in on the murderer, who is a close friend.
The detective is torn between duty and friendship.
The story so far is...
Write a resolution description
ChatGPT can assist in constructing the resolution of your novel, essentially helping in tying together all loose ends of the story.
You simply need to provide the AI with the key elements and developments in your plot, the conflicts, and the characters' evolution.
ChatGPT will then generate a fitting resolution that satisfies the narrative demands and concludes the story effectively.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced novelist to write a resolution for my novel.
The main characters are John and Mary, who have overcome various personal and societal challenges.
The last conflict they faced was...
Create dialogue between characters
Creating dialogue between characters in a novel can sometimes be challenging.
ChatGPT can help write realistic and engaging dialogue that moves the plot forward and develops characters.
All you need to do is provide a brief overview of the characters and the situation they are in.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Craft a dialogue between the two main characters of my novel.
They are two detectives, John and Emma, who are trying to solve a mystery murder in a small town.
They've just uncovered a critical piece of evidence.
Describe a character's backstory
Developing an authentic backstory for a character in your novel can be time-consuming and challenging.
ChatGPT can help you generate a detailed and realistic backstory for any character, regardless of their role or the genre of your novel.
You just need to specify some basic details about the character like their role in the story, traits, or a brief description.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Create a compelling backstory for a supporting character in my upcoming mystery novel.
The character is a retired police officer who now owns a quaint bookstore in a small coastal town.
Establish the novel's tone and style
ChatGPT can assist in establishing the tone and style for your novel.
Whether it's gothic, romantic, or futuristic, ChatGPT can suggest mood words, setting descriptions, and character behaviors to set the tone.
ChatGPT can also suggest specific vocabulary and sentence structures to match the style you're aiming for.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Based on the novel's genre as a dystopian thriller, provide suggestions to establish its tone and style.
Develop mood words, setting descriptions, character behaviors, and specific vocabulary to create a consistent and engaging narrative.
Write a novel's introduction
Whether you're a seasoned author or a budding writer, drafting the perfect novel introduction can be a challenging task.
ChatGPT can assist you in crafting compelling introductions that will captivate your readers from the start.
Just share a brief summary or idea about your novel, and ChatGPT will provide you with a captivating introduction.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced author and write a captivating introduction for my novel.
The story is about a teenager who discovers they have magical powers and must navigate the challenges of adolescence alongside their newfound abilities.
Develop a subplot
In novel writing, subplots add depth and complexity to the main narrative.
ChatGPT can be a useful tool for developing a compelling subplot.
Simply provide the AI with the main plot of your story, and it will generate a subplot that complements the main narrative, adding layers and richness to the characters and plot.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as a seasoned novelist developing a subplot.
The main plot revolves around a young woman's journey to uncover her lost identity in a dystopian world.
Create a subplot that adds depth to her character and the overall narrative.
Decide on the point of view of the story
Choosing the point of view for your novel can dramatically impact the way your story is told.
ChatGPT can guide you through this decision-making process, considering factors like narrative distance, character perspective, and narrative style.
You just need to provide a brief overview of your novel for ChatGPT to suggest the most suitable point of view.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced novelist and help me decide on the point of view for my story.
My story revolves around a young girl who discovers she has a supernatural ability that can change the course of her life.
What would be the best point of view to narrate this story and why?
Write a chapter ending cliffhanger
In the world of novel writing, a well-placed cliffhanger can keep your reader's anticipation high and make them eager to turn the page.
ChatGPT can assist authors in crafting gripping cliffhangers that leave readers longing for more.
Just provide the key points of your story, and ChatGPT will supply a cliffhanger that perfectly suits your narrative.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Based on the storyline provided, craft a compelling cliffhanger ending for the current chapter.
In this chapter, our main character has just discovered a mysterious old diary in the attic of a haunted mansion.
Describe a character's emotions
ChatGPT can be used to articulate the emotions of characters in a novel in a vivid and compelling way.
Provide ChatGPT with the context or situation, and it will describe the emotional state of the character in that scenario.
It can help create emotionally charged scenes, contributing to the overall character development and plot progression.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Assume the role of a fiction writer and describe the emotions of a character who just discovered a deep secret about their family heritage.
Make it as vivid and emotional as possible.
Write a plot twist
Creating a surprising and engaging plot twist in a novel can be challenging.
ChatGPT can help you come up with an unexpected turn of events that could completely change the direction of your story.
Whether it's revealing a character's true identity, a sudden event, or a shocking revelation, ChatGPT can assist you in crafting a compelling plot twist.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Help me develop a plot twist for my sci-fi novel.
The story is about a group of astronauts who land on a seemingly uninhabited planet.
The plot should change drastically, leaving the readers on edge.
Develop a character's growth over the story
With the help of ChatGPT, you can design a compelling character arc that aligns with your narrative.
Detail your character's initial characteristics, their strengths, weaknesses, and the challenges they will face.
ChatGPT can assist in developing a roadmap of character transformation and the corresponding plot points that lead to it.
For instance, you can ask ChatGPT to suggest how a timid, introverted character can evolve into a confident leader due to certain events in the story.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as a seasoned novel writer to develop the growth of my protagonist over the story.
The character is a timid and introverted teenager at the beginning.
What key events and transformations could happen in the story for him to eventually become a confident and courageous leader?
Create a scene description
Whether you're writing a novel or a short story, crafting an immersive scene can be challenging.
ChatGPT can help generate vivid and detailed scene descriptions that set the stage for your story.
Provide it with some basic information about your scene, such as the location, time, weather, or characters, and it will do the rest.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Create a scene description for my novel.
The setting is a bustling city market on a sunny afternoon, where my main character, an undercover detective, is trying to blend in.
Write a novel's conclusion
Struggling to put together a fitting end for your characters and the journey they've embarked on?
Allow ChatGPT to assist you in formulating a conclusion that ties up all loose ends and leaves your readers feeling satisfied.
Just give ChatGPT the basic details of your story, its plot, and its characters, and it will help you write a fitting conclusion.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced novelist to write the conclusion of my novel.
Here's the brief: My novel is a coming-of-age tale set in the 1960s revolving around a young girl, Emily, and her struggle to fit in.
She eventually discovers her love for music and her journey towards self-discovery.
Create a novel's title
Coming up with a catchy and intriguing title can be one of the most challenging aspects of writing a novel.
However, with ChatGPT, this task can be made much simpler.
Just provide some information about the novel such as the genre, setting, main characters, or themes, and ChatGPT will generate a title based on these inputs.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Create a novel's title based on the following information:
The story is a historical fiction set in Victorian England, centered around a female protagonist who challenges societal norms.
Write a back cover blurb for the novel
Every story starts with an idea, but how do you turn that into an engaging narrative?
ChatGPT, trained on a diverse range of internet text, can help you design compelling back cover blurbs for your novel that entice your potential readers.
By providing a brief summary and unique aspects of your novel, ChatGPT can weave together an enticing blurb that accurately portrays the essence of your book.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Create a back cover blurb for my novel.
The story is a thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world, revolving around a group of survivors trying to rebuild civilization amidst lurking unknown threats.
Develop a writing schedule
When it comes to writing a novel, consistency is key and a writing schedule can help you maintain that consistency.
ChatGPT can help you create a realistic and manageable writing schedule that takes into account your available time and writing speed.
Just provide ChatGPT with your ideal completion date and writing speed (words per hour), and it will provide a schedule for you.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced novel writer and help me develop a writing schedule.
I write at a speed of 500 words per hour and I want to finish my 80,000-word novel by the end of the year.
Create a weekly writing schedule for me.
Handle writer's block
Writer's block can be a major hurdle for novelists.
ChatGPT can help break through this creative barrier by suggesting fresh ideas or different perspectives on your story.
Let ChatGPT know about the current story arc, characters, and their motivations, and it can suggest potential plot developments.
For instance, you might ask ChatGPT to generate a plot twist or character interaction that you hadn't considered before.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as a seasoned novelist helping to overcome writer's block.
I am writing a historical fiction novel set during the French revolution and I'm stuck.
My protagonist, a young baker's apprentice, has just been falsely accused of treason.
Generate a plot development to help move the story forward.
Edit a draft of a novel
Editing a draft of a novel can be tedious, but ChatGPT can help streamline the process.
With AI's ability to analyze text for grammar, punctuation, and syntax errors, it can assist in refining your manuscript.
Just provide your novel's draft to the AI and ask it to suggest edits for better coherence, clarity, and overall readability.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced editor to review and suggest edits for this draft of my novel.
Identify any grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, or areas that lack clarity.
Here is the draft for you to review:
Proofread a novel for errors
When it comes to novel writing, proofreading is a crucial step.
It involves checking the manuscript for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
ChatGPT can assist you in identifying these errors, making the daunting task a lot easier.
Just feed the sections of your novel to ChatGPT and ask it to proofread for errors.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as a proofreader and review this excerpt from my novel for grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and syntax errors.
Here is the excerpt to be reviewed:
Format a novel for publication
ChatGPT can help you format your novel ready for publication by providing specific guidelines and standards.
It can assist with aspects like margins, font size, line spacing, page numbering, and even the structure of the front and back matter.
Simply provide your writing and let ChatGPT guide you through the process.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am an aspiring author, and I have finished writing my manuscript.
Can you help me format my novel properly for publication?
Here is my text:
Write a query letter to a publisher
When you're ready to share your novel with the world, one of the first steps is to write a compelling query letter to a publisher.
ChatGPT can assist in creating a concise yet impactful letter which includes your novel's synopsis, your writing background, and why you think your work would be a good fit for the publisher.
Remember, the goal is to pique the publisher's interest in your novel.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced author writing a query letter to a well-known publisher.
The novel is a mystery thriller set in a small coastal town.
Give an intriguing summary of the book, discuss my background in writing similar genre novels, and explain why this work would resonate with the publisher's audience.
Prepare a novel for self-publishing
Self-publishing a novel involves several steps, and ChatGPT can guide you through it from concept development to final publishing.
Whether it's creating a compelling plot, developing characters, or proofreading for errors, ChatGPT can be your automated writing assistant.
You can feed your novel's draft into ChatGPT and ask it to provide feedback or suggest improvements.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced editor and author, and review my novel draft for self-publishing.
Check for plot inconsistencies, character development, and grammar errors, and suggest potential improvements.
Here is the draft of my novel:
Market a novel post publication
Promoting a book post-publication can be a daunting task.
But, with ChatGPT, it can become a breeze!
You can ask ChatGPT to come up with creative marketing strategies, intriguing book blurbs, or even engaging social media posts to pique your readers' interest.
Just provide the details about your novel, and watch as it crafts compelling promotional material for you.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Act as an experienced marketing expert to craft a marketing strategy for my novel.
The novel is a science fiction story set in a dystopian future where the survival of humanity hangs in the balance.
Give me a detailed marketing plan including engaging social media posts, book blurbs, and other promotional activities.
Handle feedback and reviews
Handling feedback and reviews for your novel can be both rewarding and challenging.
ChatGPT can help you process these reviews, identifying common praises or criticisms.
Feed ChatGPT with reviews of your novel and ask it to highlight the main points, understand sentiments, and provide a comprehensive summary.
ChatGPT Prompt:
As an experienced writer and editor, analyze the reviews of my recently published novel.
Identify key praise and criticism points and summarize the overall sentiment.
Here are the reviews to be analyzed:
Conclusion
Wow! We've journeyed through so much together.
From brainstorming novel plots to polishing character developments, shaping narrative arcs, and revising drafts, ChatGPT is revolutionizing the entire process of novel writing.
It's your reliable companion when you hit a writing block, your evaluator for intricate plot twists, and your creative collaborator for imaginative storytelling.
But let's not forget:
ChatGPT is an aid, not a substitute for your literary genius. Combine its potential with your own creativity to create truly compelling narratives.
Now the stage is yours.
Choose a couple of prompts from this guide and apply them to your next writing session, plot development, or character creation. You may be amazed at how much more productive—and imaginative—you become.
And if you’re eager to discover even more potent tools that transcend ChatGPT, venture into Galaxy.ai.
Housing every AI tool you could imagine, it’s the quintessential creativity booster for contemporary novel writers.
Happy novel writing! 🚀