How ChatGPT can make you a better writer
Unknown (former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist) (guest), Claire Vo (host)
In this episode of How I AI, featuring Unknown (former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist) and Claire Vo, How ChatGPT can make you a better writer explores using ChatGPT to brainstorm faster and write sharper articles A former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist describes how ChatGPT removes the biggest initial hurdle in writing: figuring out where to start.
Using ChatGPT to brainstorm faster and write sharper articles
A former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist describes how ChatGPT removes the biggest initial hurdle in writing: figuring out where to start.
Instead of spending hours assembling background context, key players, and angles, they use ChatGPT to surface compelling arguments and point to relevant sources quickly.
Claire Vo probes whether this replaces newsroom collaboration and raises concerns about AI writing becoming generic “slop.”
The columnist frames ChatGPT as an always-available, ~80%-as-good brainstorming partner that supports more specific, impactful writing—typically used alongside a separate drafting window.
Key Takeaways
ChatGPT reduces the “blank page” problem.
The columnist uses prompts like “What’s the most compelling argument? ...
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It compresses early-stage research time dramatically.
ChatGPT surfaces key people and themes and provides links to read, replacing what previously took “half a day” of gathering and sorting material.
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AI can simulate the function of newsroom ideation, even if it’s not human.
While the speaker acknowledges it isn’t a colleague, the conversational interface supports back-and-forth thinking similar to talking through an idea with editors or peers.
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Use AI for specificity and impact, not generic prose.
The conversation addresses fears of “slop” and positions ChatGPT as a tool to sharpen angles and highlight what matters—rather than to auto-generate final copy.
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A practical workflow is parallel drafting with constant AI support.
Keeping two windows open—ChatGPT and the working document—enables rapid iteration: ask, refine, verify via linked sources, then write in your own voice.
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Treat ChatGPT as a high-availability assistant with limits.
Calling it “maybe 80%” as smart as a colleague implies it’s useful for speed and breadth, but still requires human editorial judgment and fact-checking.
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Notable Quotes
“Before ChatGPT, the hardest part about writing an article was figuring out where to start.”
— Unknown (former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist)
“This is the stuff that... would take me probably half a day or so to just find all the stuff and kind of figure out what I was gonna write about.”
— Unknown (former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist)
“You know you're not talking to a colleague... but in many ways, it sort of has that same function... maybe 80%, and it's great, and instant, and available all the time.”
— Unknown (former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist)
“I think there's a lot of fear that ChatGPT or AI-generated writing is slop, and it's all generic.”
— Claire Vo
“Now when I write, I have, like, two windows open on my screen. One is ChatGPT, and one is the document I'm working on.”
— Unknown (former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist)
Questions Answered in This Episode
What specific prompts do you use to get from “topic” to a strong, opinionated column argument?
A former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist describes how ChatGPT removes the biggest initial hurdle in writing: figuring out where to start.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
When ChatGPT provides links and context, how do you verify accuracy and avoid repeating misleading framing?
Instead of spending hours assembling background context, key players, and angles, they use ChatGPT to surface compelling arguments and point to relevant sources quickly.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
What parts of the old newsroom process (editor feedback, fact-checking, ethical debates) does ChatGPT fail to replicate?
Claire Vo probes whether this replaces newsroom collaboration and raises concerns about AI writing becoming generic “slop.”
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How do you prevent your writing voice from becoming homogenized when you consult the same tool repeatedly?
The columnist frames ChatGPT as an always-available, ~80%-as-good brainstorming partner that supports more specific, impactful writing—typically used alongside a separate drafting window.
Get the full analysis with uListen AI
Can you share an example where ChatGPT’s suggested “most compelling argument” was wrong or biased—and how you corrected it?
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Transcript Preview
Before ChatGPT, the hardest part about writing an article was figuring out where to start. Now, I can just ask it, "What is the most compelling argument, the main things that I should highlight?"
How do you walk through the process of brainstorming an idea instead of using Google?
Right off the bat, it tells me, you know, about the main people in the administration who are talking about this. It gives me links to articles that I can read. This is the stuff that, when I was writing a column every week, it would take me probably half a day or so to just find all the stuff and kind of figure out what I was gonna write about.
I'm presuming, in the past, you would've done this with colleagues in a newsroom, and you could have these conversation live.
You know you're not talking to a colleague. You know you're not talking to a human, but in many ways, it sort of has that same function because the interface is similar. Probably it's not as smart as that person, but it's maybe 80%, and it's great, and instant, and available all the time.
I think there's a lot of fear that ChatGPT or AI-generated writing is slop, and it's all generic. I love seeing this idea of you making the writing more specific and more impactful.
Quickly, I, you know, just discovered that it was so useful that now when I write, I have, like, two windows open on my screen. One is ChatGPT, and one is the document I'm working on.
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