What do you think of this AI generated story I asked ChatGPT to write as part of my research for an upcoming blog post and video on AI in the publishing industry? The blog post (titled ‘Will AI Replace Writers Editors and Cover Designers?’) will be published on Monday the 19th of August on the Alkira Publishing blog, and the video is scheduled to appear on the Alkira Publishing YouTube channel on the same day. Subscribe to both the blog and YouTube channel to not miss this important discussion. The blog post complements the video and visa versa.
Below is the story followed by my editorial analysis.
My prompt for ChatGPT for the story below was ‘write a first person, present tense short story about a woman with social anxiety having to attend a wedding. It has a happy ending.’
The Wedding
I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my hands trembling slightly as I adjust the strap of my dress. The room is quiet except for the muffled sounds of laughter and chatter drifting from downstairs. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm brewing in my chest. This is just a wedding, I remind myself. It’s supposed to be fun.
But as I walk down the hallway, each step feels like a mile. My social anxiety has always made these situations a challenge, and today is no exception. The thought of mingling with strangers and making small talk sends shivers down my spine. I reach the top of the stairs and glance over the railing. The room below is filled with people in elegant attire, enjoying drinks and appetizers.
I force a smile and descend the stairs, each step echoing in my ears. My friend Lily, the bride, spots me immediately. Her face lights up, and she makes her way toward me with open arms.
“Finally! I’m so glad you made it!” she exclaims, enveloping me in a warm hug.
I squeeze her back, trying to match her enthusiasm. “Of course I’m here. You look amazing,” I manage to say, my voice quivering just a little.
Lily beams and takes my hand. “Come on, I want you to meet some people.”
Before I can protest, she’s leading me into the crowd. I scan the room, my heart racing as I see unfamiliar faces and hear overlapping conversations. Lily introduces me to a few guests, and I muster all my courage to smile and nod as they talk. They seem friendly enough, but the effort of maintaining a conversation feels overwhelming.
Just as I start to feel my anxiety creep up again, Lily’s cousin, Mark, approaches. He’s tall, with a disarming smile that seems to put everyone at ease.
“Hey, I heard about your amazing knitting skills from Lily. She’s been raving about your work!” he says, extending a hand.
I’m taken aback. “Oh, uh, really? Thank you,” I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel.
Mark’s genuine interest helps. As we talk, he shares stories about his own hobbies, and our conversation shifts from knitting to our favorite books and travel destinations. The anxiety that had been knotting my insides begins to unravel.
I’m surprised to find myself laughing and enjoying the conversation. Mark is easy to talk to, and his relaxed demeanor helps me feel more comfortable. Before I know it, I’m sharing my own stories and feeling more engaged with the people around me.
As the night progresses, I realize that I’m actually having fun. I’m dancing, chatting with other guests, and even joining in a few impromptu karaoke sessions. The fear that once seemed so overpowering has faded into the background.
By the time the wedding cake is served, I’m surrounded by new friends, all of whom have made me feel welcome and included. Lily finds me again, her eyes sparkling with joy.
“I knew you’d be amazing,” she says, hugging me tightly.
I smile back, feeling a deep sense of relief and accomplishment. The wedding has turned out to be a wonderful experience, and I’m grateful for the support of those around me. As I look around at the laughter and happiness, I realize that I’ve overcome a significant hurdle today.
And as the music plays on and the evening wraps up, I head home with a heart full of joy and newfound confidence, knowing that sometimes, facing my fears can lead to the most unexpectedly wonderful moments.
What do you think of this story? Did this Australian author forget something important in her prompt?
What this editor sees
Though on the surface the story seems quite good and appears to show the woman’s social anxiety, it lacks drama, realism and depth. Despite the descriptions of how social anxiety might feel in someone’s body, the theme of social anxiety is not explored well at all, and one major plot element has been missed – the antagonist.
We do see the internal drama of the protagonist’s social anxiety as a set up for the character, and that is an internal antagonist, but the setting offers the option of more drama with an external antagonist and that was missed. Though I asked for a happy ending, there is no external conflict on the way to that happy ending, no challenge in the external character journey, and it is the challenges that a character overcomes that makes for truly a satisfying story.
The protagonist does not meet anyone who feeds into her social anxiety. Everyone is very nice, and that is totally unrealistic. Not that people are nasty in social situations, but people do get drunk and obnoxious and can be very hard to handle, especially if you have social anxiety. Someone with social anxiety has a reason for it. They will have been rejected in the past and may be neurodivergent, so just having a normal conversation will be difficult, and they may interpret neutral interactions in a negative way. She might consciously try to remember and use social skills she has been taught by her psychologist, but there is nothing like that in the story, nothing that takes the reader deep into the experience of having social anxiety.
This kind of depth doesn’t appear in the story, and yet, it is the very meat that would give this story depth and meaning beyond a simple story about a woman having a nice time at a wedding. The protagonist says she’s overcome a hurdle, but really all she did was attend a wedding where everyone was nice to her.
Does that explain why authors will always need human editors?
Contact me today for an analysis of your story.
