A personal look at how I’ve built a repeatable system for writing — from idea intake to publishing. While the intent and voice remain human, tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity now automate parts of research and augment synthesis, accelerating both clarity and output.

We don’t just write from inspiration. We write from systems, and AI is accelerating and augmenting the process for me.

The “why” behind your writing is personal.

So is the “what” — it comes from your lived experience, your interests, your expertise.

But the “how” — that can be learned and is repeatable.

I’ve learned a lot from reading others’ posts on writing. But most focus on crafting a post with virality in mind — not on the system that powers the creative engine.

So I want to share mine.

A simple structure that guides everything I write.

It has three phases: Intake → Process → Publish

Let’s break it down.

1. Intake – Where ideas start

I divide this into two modes:

→ Absorb:

  • Podcasts
  • YouTube
  • Medium
  • LinkedIn

This is passive intake — letting smart people narrate the world to you.

→ Interact:

  • LinkedIn comments
  • Live conversations
  • Chance serendipity in meetings

This is active input — shaped by engagement and curiosity.

2. Process – Where ideas take shape

This is the messy, beautiful middle.

→ Observe:

  • Start by noticing.
    • The problem at hand.
    • How others tackle it.
    • What’s missing.
    • What feels broken.
    • What’s worth fixing.

→ Synthesize:

This is where AI kicks in.

  • I use ChatGPT to bounce ideas, Perplexity to challenge assumptions, and Grok to explore edges of adjacent topics (especially time-sensitive).
  • It’s not just about automating research — it’s about augmenting insight.

3. Publish – Where ideas come to life

Here’s how I turn drafts into posts:

→ Outline:

  • Paper and pen (has to be gel pens for me and in various colors!)

→ Draw:

  • XMind for mapping out and structure
  • Excalidraw for sketching
  • ChatGPT for images (hit or miss though)

→ Write:

  • ChatGPT for building out the final version

→ Other:

  • Video clips when the idea needs voice and tone (I haven’t gotten to this yet!)

Then vs Now

Then: I waited for the perfect idea to strike. Now: I trust the process — and let AI accelerate it.

I don’t think AI has replaced the writer in me — it is accelerating and augmenting me.

If you’ve struggled to find your content voice, don’t start with inspiration. Start with systems.

Build an engine. Tune it over time.

Because clarity doesn’t come before you start — it comes because you start.

#AIMusings

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