Originally Written 22 March 2023. With the explosion of AI, I wanted to offer a use case I've found helpful for me that might interest you. In 2022, I released four novels that I spent 12 years rewriting. As a plotter, my characters often derail scenes, rendering my treatments useless for quick reminders of the novels. Some treatments are missing. To accurately fill in the record, I want precise treatments. I used ChatGPT4 for 3-sentence scene summaries on my current work-in-progress (Book 5) and the first book in the series. I questioned its accuracy once; I was wrong. The summaries are around 5% of the original scene length, which will greatly aid my work on the rest of the series. If you want to give it a try, my current prompt is the quoted bit below. Paste it into GPT4 (not GPT3, which gives crazy results), and then the scene you want summarized. "Please provide a concise scene summary in exactly three sentences, that captures the key events and conflicts, mentioning characters and locations as needed. Start with the POV character's name, location and scene goal in the first sentence. Use 'But' at the start of the second sentence and describe the setback they encounter. Then, use 'Therefore' to state their new goal in the third sentence." --  Ben Wilson, Author

Hey there! It’s me, your guide through speculative futures and beyond. It’s been quite a ride since I penned down my first book back in 2011. We’ve traveled through time, through universes, across bleak and promising landscapes. I’m deeply thankful for your company on this journey. I have news! We’re about to pivot---from dystopian science fiction to a more white-hat vibe. Still in the realm of sci-fi, but with a twist of optimism. I’m eager for you to join me in these new worlds. First, I want to finish the Navy Quartet of the Postal Marines as I’ve committed to those four books. I wanted to share a new way we can stay connected: “Hey World.” It’s like a digital campfire where we gather to share stories, updates, and thoughts. You can chime in anytime - reply, ask questions, or just say hi. It’s a chance for us to get to know each other better. Why the pivot? I want our connection to be more personal and friendly, not like another email newsletter lost in the shuffle. So, I’m asking you to make the jump with me. Subscribe to Hey’s World. If you don’t, no hard feelings. We’ll just part ways for now. In terms of upcoming adventures, there’s a lot cooking! I have two new books in the pipeline, set in an alt-history 18th century world. They’re on hold right now, but I promise they’re worth the wait. I’m also working on four more books about Litovio from the Postal Marines series I’m calling the Navy Quartet. Plus, a brand new tool for writers coming this Fall... maybe. I don’t know. We’ll see. Right now, it’s only for me....