I HAD A STORY. AI HELPED ME WRITE IT.
I used AI extensively to help me write my first novel: False Positive. I'm not hiding that, and I'm not embarrassed by it.
I believe the finished book can stand alongside many traditionally written thrillers.
Whether it actually does isn't for me to decide.
That's the experiment.
The Situation.
In spring 2025, I was made redundant. Based on previous experience, I expected to find another job within two or three months. It took over six.
During that period, AI — specifically ChatGPT — was still relatively new to me. I'd been aware of it creeping into everyday life, so I started experimenting with it, initially to help with the job search and eventually with work.
What surprised me was how useful it was for brainstorming.
I'd dabbled in writing for years and already had a movie script sitting around that I had absolutely no idea what to do with. At some point, it occurred to me that AI might be useful for writing fiction too.
False Positive started life as a spec screenplay. I finished the first draft reasonably quickly, but the chances of it ever becoming a film were vanishingly small. So I decided to turn it into a novel. If nothing else, I'd end up with something finished that I could actually publish.
Over the next few months, I developed the story and eventually self-published it.
ChatGPT helped enormously, but the concept was mine. I decided where the story went. I read everything it generated and edited heavily.
I came to think of AI as a writing assistant. That's how I've used it ever since.
So how did AI help me?
Driven by curiosity and built on purpose, this is where bold thinking meets thoughtful execution. Let’s create something meaningful together.