SHARPLY FOCUSED
Want to Unlock Reader Insights? Every Writer Should Survey Their Audience
How my most recent survey stopped me from a colossal mistake
Writing means a lot to me, and I take it seriously. My goal is to provide solid, relatable help to those who want to make money writing. Secondarily, I thrive on forging solid connections with my readers. Let’s look at how I did both this week via an impromptu focus group.
With great enthusiasm, I considered a suggestion from a reliable source. I saw some potential issues with the idea; it involved AI-generated content. Yuck. I decided to put it in front of those who value my writing because I solve problems for them.
The proposed idea
My partner, who is very tech-oriented, has deeply dived into a platform called NotebookLM (by Google, of course). He asked if he could convert some of my writing to “podcasts” via this tool, and I was mildly interested in the idea. When he brought me the samples, I admit I was impressed by the voice quality and “realism.” Yes, it’s AI.
After several discussions, at times heated because we sit at opposite ends of the AI-generating question, I agreed that these recordings might be a way to help more writers more often through…
