Filter, Capture, Convert

I had to share this audio overview. You may know about NotebookLM already. It takes source material like videos, web pages, or research papers and uses AI to explore the ideas in that research. It can also generate these audio podcasts that are highly engaging.

For this podcast I fed it a transcript between me and ChatGPT where were discussing what the ultimate goals of a writer are, starting with the prompt below.

Original Prompt

The coach Greg Souders is on my mind again. He has a very specific definition of the goal that drives Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

We play the game of immobilization as it leads to strangulation and breaking, using more of ourselves against less of our opponent.

The specific definition isn't something I need to know because I don't play sports let alone BJJ. But I'm impressed with his level of understanding. He knows the goal of the game, and all his training is organized around that core definition.

What is my goal when I write fiction? I have my personal goals, but what about writing itself as a practice? When novelists print words on paper, what are they trying to accomplish? My first insight is to realize the goal is in the reader's hands.

A novelist practices the art of engagement as it leads to selective enticement of readers, enthusiastic reading, and recruitment.

Me being me, I want to condense this provisional definition into a list. And I would reduce this idea to three things: Filter, Capture, and Convert.

• Filter: A novelist wants to entice new readers who will love their novel, while simultaneously excluding readers who will actively dislike their novel. This is usually done through marketing materials like covers, blurbs, and reviews, but also includes previews of the first chapters

• Capture: The writer wants their readers to be immersed in the story, and find the book so engaging they can't put it down. Or, if they do set it aside to take care of needs, readers are compelled to return and keep reading.

• Convert: The author wants the reader to finish the book and identify themselves as a fan of the author or story. Even better, convert them to evangelists who will filter, capture, and convert new readers on the author's behalf.

Powerful writing can do this. As a writer, I can get lost within my own thoughts and concerns. I can start to think word counts are my goals, or writing sprints. But those are actually constraints I'm using to get to my ultimate goal of writing words that will filter, capture, and convert readers.

I you’d like to read the rest of this conversation, I’ve made it public on ChatGPT: Fiction Writing Goals Framework.

Also, I uploaded a worksheet for the Filter, Capture, Convert framework on Google Drive: Filter, Capture, Convert Worksheet.