Using AI to Identify Flow and Coherence Issues
Crafting a nonfiction book involves weaving together hundreds of pages into a cohesive narrative. It’s all too easy for structural problems to emerge that disrupt flow and muddy your message. Leveraging ChatGPT’s analytical skills can help diagnose weaknesses in your manuscript’s organization and coherence.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that disrupt nonfiction book flow, along with sample ChatGPT prompts to uncover them in your draft:
Lack of Cohesive Narrative Arc
The book reads as a collection of disjointed facts rather than a unified story centered on a theme.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Does my book feel like it has a central theme or is it just a collection of facts? Identify chapters that seem disconnected from the core argument.”
Disorganized Structure
Chapters aren’t sequenced for optimal logic and flow. The progression of topics is jumpy or confusing.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Review my chapter outline. Is the sequence logical or are there any chapters that seem out of order?”
Repetitive Ideas
Key points are covered repeatedly across chapters instead of building on ideas. This creates redundancy.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Are there any points or topics I cover redundantly across multiple chapters? Tell me where information is repeated.”
Missing Transitions
Chapter transitions and segues are abrupt or unclear. Needed bridges between ideas are omitted.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Identify chapters that need additional transitional sentences or paragraphs to bridge the topics.”
Tone Inconsistency
The author’s voice or tone shifts noticeably between sections. This jars the reader.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Is my writing voice consistent throughout or are there sections where the tone noticeably shifts? Tell me where it changes.”
Overstuffed Passages
Trying to cram too much into one section results in convoluted, dense chunks that are hard to digest.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Are there any dense chapters that feel bogged down with too many points crammed in? Tell me which ones need editing.”
Lack of Reminder Cues
Failing to adequately reintroduce or reference ideas from previous chapters leaves reader lost.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Do I adequately reintroduce key ideas from previous chapters as needed? Tell me where I need more reminders.”
No Narrative “Glue”
Lack of anecdotes, examples, and analogies to tie everything together into a cohesive story.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Recommend where I should add more anecdotes, analogies, or examples to tie chapters together into a story.”
Disjointed Opening/Closing
Introduction and conclusion are disconnected rather than bringing structure to the book.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Read my intro and conclusion. Do they present a unified arc for the book or seem disconnected?”
Uneven Pacing
Certain sections drag on while important topics get shortchanged. Results in imbalanced structure.
ChatGPT Prompt: “Identify any chapters that seem too rushed or stretched out compared to the importance of the topic.”
Asking the right prompting questions can help ChatGPT analyze your manuscript to pinpoint weaknesses in narrative flow and coherence. Target your edits to smooth out the rough patches. With some AI assistance, you can create a well-structured book that seamlessly engages readers from start to finish.
