Children's Book Rewrite and ChatGPT/AI

At the moment I'm rewriting the children's book I self published in 2009 - I Want to be an Alien. 

After writing it I went on a Writing for Children course and I realised that the book would be so boring for children to read. My rewrite I hope has much more action and dialogue in it. 

I cannot draw so I describe the characters I want to give me inspiration. I never use AI to write for me as I don't like that and feel it is cheating, so the actual book itself is all my own writing. 

The book isn't a picture book, it's a short adventure novel for 6-8 year old children. 

I'm in the draft phase at present and still have some chapters to complete before I consider self publishing it again, and retiring the original one. 

Below is a potential cover ideal for the book (idea generated by ChatGPT): 

Period Dramas

I watch period dramas and get lost in the costumes, the politeness, the large houses, the ordered society - upper class, middle class or working class!

The upper classes seemed to have had a life of ease. Reading, shooting, sewing, horse riding, hunting etc. 

The middle classes, similar, but to be working class would have been dreadful. Not much money for anything nice. 

I do think though, that illness would have been frightening, which ever spectrum of society you were from, as there were no antibiotics, no anaesthetic if operated on! Lack of knowledge of biology, or what was toxic. Fancy putting mercury and/or lead on your skin. 

Re period dramas: I've only read Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë) and Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen). My preferred subjects, for reading, would be auto/biographies and other history books, but as I write this I have the film Emma on - perhaps I should read it...

Poetry Challenge February

I've decided to challenge myself to try and write a poem a day during February, using 4 random words [per day] generated from a random word generator site. 

I'm not sure how this is going to pan out as I'm away for 4 days in Feb, with no internet access so I will have to write the poems when I get back!

I have already generated all the words I am going to use. 

Today's words: 
Direct
Basement
Search
Baptism

Some words have appeared twice when I clicked to generate, but I'm still going to use them as they are with other words!

How did I choose them?

I generated enough words to have 4 per day in Feb 28x4 = 112
I wrote them down and then wrote the numbers 1-28 above them, but not necessarily in order all the time e.g. 

The first set of 14 I wrote 2,4,6,8 etc above them, then the next set after those - 1,3,5,7 etc
Some sets I wrote, 7, 14, 21, 28, then after that 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9 and so on

There is probably a more logical way, but thought this would shake them up a bit.

I have 2 poetry blogs which I use to post my poems, although I'm in the middle of putting together 2 poetry books full of the poems on my blog (and my other 2 poetry books I've written). 

Poetry Blogs:
Just-in-Rhyme - all kinds of poems, crazy, serious, 
Pools of Living Water - Christian poetry I've written

How I progress at writing a book

Think of an idea for a book

Write down ideas

Think of another book idea

Write down said idea

Think of 20 more book ideas

Start actually writing a book out

Nearly finish it - start on a new book

Go back to original book and finish

Re-read, think it's rubbish, re-write

Leave for a bit and start yet another book

Go back to original, add a couple of ideas then leave it

Write a few poems

Start writing music to fit poems

Go back to written book, read through it then revert back to original

Write some more poems

Try and finish off music

Procrastinate about sending it to a publisher

Don't think it's good enough

Procrastinate some more

Rinse and repeat

2018 - will it be my year for actually finishing and sending a book?

Shallow Life

Your life is as shallow as a half dug grave;
With your smoking and your drinking and your drug-filled raves!
You think you're cool with your body full of rings,
With your implanted horns and the trash that you sing!

Your life's in the gutter - as base as can be;
With your swearing and your sex-talk and your blas-phem-y!
You think you're cool with your chest hanging out
With your mouth so vile as you scream and shout!

Your life is like rubbish that rots on a tip;
With your drinking binges, and your big fat spliff!
You think you're cool when you're high as a kite
When you go down the town and you start some fights!

Your life will end in a lonely, black grave;
Cos of your smoking and your drinking and your drug filled raves!
Nothing left behind but your bones and your rings,
Implanted horns, but no songs to sing

Deeper than the gutter - your coffin will be
No more swearing, no more sex-talk, no more blas-phem-y
No more low cut clothes with your chest hanging out.
Silence, just silence, you won't scream or shout!

Your body will rot like rubbish on a tip;
Your time is done, like your burnt out spliff.
No more highs; no flying like a kite
No more town trips and no more fights



©Carolyn Davison 2011

Bonfire Night

I remember remember the fifth of November;

The kids on the corners with guys!

They'd ask for a penny,

And if they got any

Their faces would look so surprised!

I remember remember the fifth of November

The sparklers we'd all whizz around

We'd write in the air

Avoiding our hair

Then toss them burnt out, on the ground

I remember remember the fifth of November

The rockets would fly way up high

The bonfire was huge

Heat making us rouge

With excitement you'd hear us all cry

I remember remember the fifth of November

The colours as bright as the sun.

Fireworks popped and whizzed

And sparkled and fizzed

Oh those nights were such fun!

Avon World

Some buy from me, some just diss me

I think that’s OK

If I don’t give them any credit

They will walk away

They can choose and they can buy

From pages that are bright, that’s right

The customer with the cold hard cash

Is nearly always right, Cause they are

Buying from the Avon world

And I am the Avon girl

You know that they are buying from the Avon world

And I am the Avon girl

Some like perfume, some like make-up

That’s all right with me.

Some don’t order from my brochure I

Have to let them be

Some use skincare and some use deo

I just hope they pay

Only those who spend their pennies

Make my rainy day, ‘Cause they are

Buying from the Avon world

And I am the Avon girl

You know that they are buying from the Avon world

And I am the Avon girl

Some sign-up and some say no

When I knock at their doors

Some just can’t stop selling Avon

And want to sell lots more

People come and people go

But that’s all right, you see

Sales Leadership has made me rich;

I’m always on T.V. Cause we are

Buying into the Avon world

And I am the Avon girl

You know that we are buying into the Avon world

And I am the Avon girl.

By Carolyn Davison 15th January 2011