Books are a great way for us to get our message out to the world. AI tools, like chatgpt.com, make it easy for us to do that. When people ask me why I use AI for writing my books, I simply say, “AI helps me help people.” It’s as simple as that. Books last long after our physical life. Get your message out! All the best, Bento
For a memoir, a collection of sermons, lessons from a lifetime of ministry, and more
1. Decide what kind of book you want to write:
☐ Choose your format: memoir, sermon collection, ministry lessons, or a combination.
☐ Identify your main readers: family, church members, younger pastors, or the public.
☐ Write one sentence explaining what you want readers to receive.
☐ Choose a working title. You can change it later.
2. Gather your material:
☐ Collect sermon manuscripts, journals, letters, photographs, and personal notes.
☐ List important life events, turning points, challenges, and lessons.
☐ Gather recordings and have useful portions transcribed.
☐ Create a folder for your book and keep backup copies.
3. Begin telling your story:
☐ Ask ChatGPT to interview you one question at a time.
☐ Type your answers or dictate them using your device’s microphone.
☐ Ask for follow-up questions that draw out specific memories and their meaning.
☐ Save your answers in a Word document or another document you control.
Suggested prompt at ChatGPT.com to help you write. Type the following:
“Help me write a book about my life and ministry. Interview me one question at a time. Ask follow-up questions about meaningful experiences and lessons. Preserve my natural voice, and do not invent details.”
4. Create your book outline:
☐ Group related stories or sermons into themes.
☐ Ask ChatGPT to suggest a chapter outline using your material.
☐ Choose a logical order: chronological, thematic, or a combination.
☐ Decide what belongs in the book and what can be left out.
☐ Set a manageable writing schedule.
5. Write the first draft:
☐ Work on one chapter at a time.
☐ Ask ChatGPT to help organize and develop the material you provide.
☐ For sermons, adapt spoken language into readable prose and reduce repetition.
☐ Include personal stories, lessons, and practical applications where helpful.
☐ Note missing information for later checking.
☐ Complete the full draft before trying to perfect every sentence.
6. Revise the manuscript:
☐ Read each chapter aloud: “Does this sound like me?”
☐ Improve clarity, transitions, and chapter order.
☐ Remove unnecessary repetition. (You can ask ChatGPT to do so)
☐ Explain unfamiliar names, terms, and religious references (e.g., DP, TPs, etc.)
☐ Make sure your beliefs, meaning, and personal voice remain accurate.
7. Check facts, privacy, and permissions:
☐ Verify names, dates, places, quotations, and Scripture references.
☐ Check uncertain memories against records or other people’s recollections.
☐ Protect confidential pastoral conversations and sensitive personal information.
☐ Obtain necessary permissions for photographs, stories, or copyrighted material.
☐ Check the quotation and attribution requirements for the Bible translation you use.
☐ Review all AI-assisted material carefully for errors or invented details.
8. Get feedback and finish editing:
☐ Ask one or two trusted readers to review the manuscript.
☐ Ask them what feels unclear, repetitive, missing, or especially meaningful.
☐ Consider professional editing if your budget allows. (ChatGPT can do this too.)
☐ Make your final content revisions.
☐ Proofread for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and consistency.
9. Prepare the complete book:
☐ Finalize the title, subtitle, and author name.
☐ Add a title page, copyright page, and table of contents.
☐ Add an introduction or preface, if needed.
☐ Prepare acknowledgments, sources, and an “About the Author” section.
☐ Include an appropriate AI disclosure, if applicable. (Ask ChatGPT for this)
☐ Write a short book description and back-cover copy. (Ask ChatGPT for this)
10. Choose your publishing route:
☐ Decide whether to publish for public sale or print privately for family and friends.
☐ Choose a self-publishing service. (I recommend using Amazon).
☐ Decide on paperback, hardcover, ebook, or a combination.
☐ Review the service’s current requirements, costs, and distribution options.
☐ Determine whether your chosen formats need an ISBN and how you will obtain it.
☐ Get ISBN from https://www.bowker.com/ for your paperback. The Kindle version doesn’t need an ISBN. (ISBN = International Standard Book Number).
11. Format the interior and design the cover:
☐ Choose the book’s dimensions (e.g., 5.5” x 8.5”), font (e.g., Georgia), margins, and chapter style.
☐ Format the print interior and create a separate ebook file if needed.
☐ Check photographs for adequate print quality.
☐ Finalize the print page count.
☐ Design the cover using the correct dimensions and spine width. (see next point)
☐ Ask ChatGPT to create a cover for your book. Then go to https://pro.fiverr.com/ and type “book cover format”, choose one, and ask that person to format the cover you received from ChatGPT into Kindle format and paperback format based on the size of your book (e.g., 5.5” x 8.5”, 240 pages, black-and-white on white paper). Also ask for a 3-D image of the cover for your marketing or your website. (See examples at www.bentoleal.com)
☐ Export the files required by your publishing service. (I recommend using Amazon. Learn about it at: https://kdp.amazon.com)
12. Set up and upload your book:
☐ Watch this YouTube Video: How to Upload a Book to Amazon KDP (Complete Step-By-Step Tutorial) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4x8fH-vd1g&t=48s
☐ Create your publishing account and complete required account information.
☐ Enter the title, subtitle, author name, and book description.
☐ Select relevant categories and keywords.
☐ Complete the platform’s rights and AI-content questions accurately.
☐ Upload the interior and cover files.
☐ Set your sales territories, distribution options, and price.
13. Review before publishing:
☐ Inspect every page in the publishing service’s previewer.
☐ Order and review a printed proof copy.
☐ Check the cover, spine, page numbers, contents, photographs, and readability.
☐ Preview the ebook on different screen sizes if applicable.
☐ Correct problems and upload revised files.
☐ Approve the final version for publication.
14. Share your published book:
☐ Check the book’s listing and ordering information.
☐ Order author copies as needed.
☐ Announce the book to family, friends, colleagues, and interested readers.
☐ Invite honest reviews without pressuring readers.
☐ Save your final manuscript, cover, publishing files, and account records.
Begin with one story, one sermon, or one interview question.
Write your book!
Bento Leal
(510) 333-3478