Leon Furze

Best selling author and consultant

Writing against GenAI: Opposite day

This post is part of a series on Writing with GenAI. These posts offer quick ideas, lesson plans, and examples of ways to use multimodal Generative AI writing tools to augment, but not replace, writing in a variety of forms and purposes.

Inspired by a post by CEO of The Atlantic Nicholas Thompson, this quick GenAI writing activity leans into the fact that Large Language Models like GPT by definition produce predictable writing. Thompson reflects on a comment from one of the writers of Mr Robot, who at a recent conference suggested that you can use tools like ChatGPT to suggest endings or plot elements for a narrative you’re working on, and then do the opposite.

It’s a great idea, since it acknowledges both the tendency of LLMs to produce generic texts, and offers a way to avoid inadvertently plagiarising from suggestions which may bubble to the surface from within the dataset.

Here’s how it might look in a lesson on creative writing, starting with the first prompt:

Here is a summary of my short gothic story so far. Suggest five possible endings:

In the early chapters of our story, we are introduced to Dr. Eleanor Sinclair, a brilliant archaeologist who inherits an eerie, long-forgotten mansion nestled in the remote, mist-shrouded town of Blackwood Hollow. Motivated by her fascination with the mansion’s historical significance, she relocates there with the intention of unearthing its secrets.

Upon her arrival, Eleanor encounters a cast of intriguing secondary characters, including the reclusive town historian, Professor Augustus Blackwood, and the enigmatic librarian, Evelyn Thorne. Each of them holds their own hidden agendas and peculiarities, adding to the mysterious atmosphere that surrounds the mansion. As Eleanor delves deeper into her exploration of the mansion and its surrounding grounds, she uncovers a series of unsettling events—a hidden chamber filled with ancient diaries and cryptic artefacts that allude to a dark and tragic history.

The tension escalates as she experiences eerie encounters with spectral apparitions, haunting dreams that blur the line between past and present, and the unexplained disappearances of townsfolk. Simultaneously, a malevolent force emerges as the primary antagonist: the vengeful spirit of Lady Isabella Blackwood, whose tragic fate is tied to the mansion’s past. Eleanor grapples with personal revelations and moral dilemmas as she unravels the gothic elements of the tale, leading to a climactic confrontation with the vengeful spirit. The conflict intensifies, placing Eleanor in increasingly perilous situations as she seeks to uncover the truth and put an end to the haunting presence that looms over Blackwood Hollow.

Prompt for ChatGPT version 3.5

And the response:

Redemption and Release: Eleanor manages to uncover the tragic truth behind Lady Isabella Blackwood's curse and the events that led to her vengeful spirit haunting the mansion. Through a combination of courage, compassion, and sacrifice, Eleanor helps Lady Isabella find peace and redemption. The story concludes with the mansion's eerie atmosphere dissipating, and the spirits of the townfolk returning, while Eleanor chooses to stay in Blackwood Hollow to continue preserving its history. Tragic Sacrifice: In a desperate bid to save the town and herself, Eleanor confronts Lady Isabella's vengeful spirit. The confrontation leads to a heartbreaking resolution in which Eleanor must make a personal sacrifice to quell the spirit's anger. This ending leaves a haunting atmosphere lingering over Blackwood Hollow but with a sense of closure to the story. Unresolved Mystery: Eleanor's confrontation with Lady Isabella is intense, but she fails to completely dispel the vengeful spirit. The story ends with a sense of ambiguity, as the mansion and Blackwood Hollow remain haunted. Eleanor leaves town, forever haunted by the unresolved mystery, leaving readers with a lingering sense of unease and intrigue. The Haunting Continues: Despite Eleanor's best efforts, she cannot stop Lady Isabella's vengeful spirit. The story ends on a chilling note as the haunting in Blackwood Hollow persists, and Eleanor is left emotionally scarred and forever tormented by the supernatural events. This ending emphasizes the enduring power of the gothic elements in the story. Twist Ending: In a surprising twist, it is revealed that Eleanor herself is a manifestation of Lady Isabella's spirit, a reincarnation tied to the mansion's dark history. The story concludes with Eleanor accepting her true identity and choosing whether to embrace her vengeful past or break the cycle of haunting. This ending adds an unexpected layer of complexity to the narrative and leaves readers pondering the nature of identity and fate.

So far, so generic. Even the “twist” is pretty typical (although I admit I haven’t done myself any favours by trying this with one of the most formulaic genres possible…)

Now we have our generic responses, however, it’s time to identify some alternatives, using our own imagination:

  1. Eleanor helps Lady Isabella find peace and stays in Blackwood Hollow. Maybe Eleanor tries to help LI find peace, but despite her best intentions everything goes horribly, tragically wrong…
  2. Eleanor makes a sacrifice to end the haunting. Eleanor’s sacrifice is noble, but ultimately fails to rid the town of the haunting, ending on a desperate, tragic note.
  3. The mystery remains unsolved, and Eleanor leaves town. Eleanor stays in town and becomes increasingly unhinged, to the point where both the townspeople and the reader are left wondering whether she was ever a reliable narrator.
  4. The haunting in Blackwood Hollow continues, leaving Eleanor scarred. The haunting dissipates through no action of Eleanor’s, leaving us wondering if it was ever real in the first place.
  5. Eleanor discovers she is a manifestation of Lady Isabella’s spirit, facing a choice about her identity. OK I actually quite like this one, but in the spirit of opposite day (no pun intended…), a frame narrative suggests that Lady Isabella is a manifestation of Eleanor’s personality, and we are left questioning the identities of the protagonist and the spirit.

You can see it’s not a huge stretch to come up with opposite ideas, but trying out the process is fun and creates some interesting options. You could also blend some of these together, or keep generating more and more options and trying to come up with opposites for each.

Here’s another example with persuasive writing:

I’m writing a persuasive text about ending daylight savings, suggest five arguments

Prompt for ChatGPT version 3.5
Improved Health and Well-being: Daylight savings time disrupts our natural circadian rhythms, leading to sleep disturbances and an increased risk of health problems. Studies have shown that the abrupt time change can contribute to sleep deprivation, which is linked to various health issues such as heart problems, obesity, and mental health disorders. Ending daylight savings would allow people to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, promoting better overall health and well-being. Energy Conservation: The original purpose of daylight savings time was to conserve energy by making better use of natural daylight during longer summer days. However, modern research suggests that the energy savings are minimal or even nonexistent. Ending daylight savings would eliminate the need to adjust clocks twice a year and could lead to more energy-efficient practices, such as reducing the use of artificial lighting and heating/cooling systems. Economic Productivity: The biannual time change can disrupt work schedules, reduce productivity, and increase the likelihood of errors in the workplace. When people are sleep-deprived or adjusting to a new time, they are less focused and efficient. By eliminating the time change, businesses and individuals can maintain more consistent work routines, leading to increased productivity and economic growth. Improved Safety: Daylight savings time changes have been linked to an increase in traffic accidents and other safety-related incidents. The loss of an hour of sleep in the spring can lead to drowsy driving and decreased alertness. Ending daylight savings would reduce these risks and contribute to safer roads and communities. Simplified Schedules: Daylight savings time adds unnecessary complexity to our lives. It requires people to adjust their schedules, change the time on various devices, and cope with potential confusion. By ending daylight savings, we can simplify our lives and reduce the hassle of managing different time zones and time changes.

Next, try to think of opposites for all of these. This could be just to create counterarguments, or it could be to create supporting arguments which take a different, more novel approach. For example you could argue that the energy savings are still relevant, but that increased productivity would outweigh those benefits. Try to poke some holes in these ChatGPT generated arguments in the interest of creating a stronger overall persuasive piece.

If you’d like to get in touch to discuss Generative AI and writing or any of my work with professional development or GenAI policy, please get in touch via the form below:

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Leon Furze

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