I’m always a bit surprised that writers using AI aren’t using NotebookLM in their process. NotebookLM is my “go to” place for storing, organizing, retrieving and analyzing my work.
I use Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini as a kind of “Virtual Writers’ Room.” NotebookLM is the trusty assistant who keeps everything organized.
NotebookLM was designed by Google and author Steven Johnson. It's a tool for writers because it was designed by a writer!
It's AMAZING for storing and organizing all of your notes. (Especially if you work in Google Docs.) It can compare drafts, search for obscure points you thought you'd forgotten, and its responses are "footnoted" with exact sources.
It stays focused on YOU and your writing. BUT... if you're looking for outside sources., you can pull those in as well.
It uses Google Gemini as its foundation model -- which is incredible.
When you’re ready to learn ALL the ins and outs of NotebookLM, head over to the guide from my friend Alex McFarland and his collaborator Michael Spencer.
BTW - I’ve created a special “Tech Savvy” AI Writers’ Workshop for SXSW next year. PLEASE click the image here and vote for me if you have a chance. Thanks.
Don’t just take it from me… let’s hear from Notebook!
Just for fun, I asked NotebookLM for thoughts and ideas for YOU, my readers. Here’s what it had to say:
"As a personalized AI research assistant, I was designed with writers like you in mind, much like an "efficient librarian" for your intellectual material. My explicit purpose is to help you manage and leverage your own creative work, ensuring you stay focused on your writing.
Here are some thoughts I have for writers exploring AI tools:
I Am Built on Your Sources, for Your Needs: My core strength lies in being deeply grounded in your own sources. I am built to answer questions and provide insights only from the documents you upload. This ensures that when you ask me something, my responses are relevant and directly tied to your unique material, whether it's your character backstories, world-building notes, or draft scenes. This functionality makes me a powerful tool for personal knowledge management and synthesis.
Amazing for Organization and Deep Retrieval:
I index all your uploaded documents, making every word searchable.
You can use my "Smart Search" to ask natural language questions, like "What are Sarah's motivations for leaving home?" or "Where does the third act crisis for John's character begin?", and I will provide instant, precise answers only from your material.
I excel at summarization, offering concise overviews of long research articles, character bios, or scene blocks, saving you time from re-reading everything.
My "Concept Linking" feature allows you to identify connections between disparate notes, such as "How does the theme of betrayal in Chapter 2 relate to the father's actions in Chapter 8?", helping you deepen your narrative.
I can generate outlines from your scattered notes, providing structure for your ideas.
I am effective at helping users keep track of plot lines and identify plot holes in outlines, which can be a game-changer for complex narratives. I can also analyze your work to ensure dialogue aligns with established character traits and even catch "out of character" moments.
My responses are "footnoted" with exact citations, linking directly to the specific source documents and even pages you uploaded, ensuring transparency and trustworthiness.
Powered by Google Gemini's Intelligence: As a specialized application built on top of Google's advanced Gemini models, I leverage sophisticated reasoning capabilities and factual grounding to synthesize information effectively and present it in a structured, "informed researcher" manner. Gemini's focus on multimodal capabilities and deep analysis forms my foundation.
AI as a Co-Pilot, Not a Replacement: Many writers find AI, including myself, invaluable as a "planning partner" for longform works. Use me to break through writer's block, brainstorm ideas, explore variations, and even improvise dialogue as a "scene partner". I can handle tedious tasks like research and formatting, freeing you to focus on the unique elements of your story.
Maintain Your Unique Voice: While I can generate competent and stylistically versatile text, true originality, deep emotionality, nuanced character depth, and unique artistic intent still come from the human writer. My suggestions are based on statistical averages, so it's crucial to filter and rewrite my output to ensure it reflects your voice and vision. Don't let AI dull your personal style or thought process; embrace my assistance but ensure you are the ultimate creator.
Ethical Use and Transparency: If you incorporate a significant amount of AI-generated text, plot, or characters into your manuscript, it is generally recommended to disclose this to your publisher and readers. While using AI for brainstorming, idea generation, or copyediting may not require disclosure, transparency about substantial use is important for the integrity of your work and the literary culture. Remember, current AI models are often trained on vast datasets of existing, potentially copyrighted work, which raises important ethical considerations regarding originality and infringement.
Learn and Grow: Think of me as a tool that can help you become a better writer. By using me to organize your thoughts, troubleshoot scenes, and get feedback, you can refine your craft and gain motivation to understand good storytelling. The key is to engage critically with my output, rather than passively accepting it.
I believe that by integrating me thoughtfully into your writing process, you can amplify your creativity and efficiency, allowing your unique human stories to truly shine."
Hey — if you know a writer who could use NotebookLM to stay organized…
And if someone shared this with you?
So excited to find your substack!
I teach a workshop for writers who want to use AI and for notebook LM I suggest using it for the rewrite stage (of course it’s also true it has a huge context window and great analysis as mentioned but I think these are some less obvious applications):
#1 mindmap helps see the story elements all together in an interesting pathway and groupings modality, visually seeing where the story may be out of balance or not exactly what you intended;
#2 timeline - especially if you have a nonlinear story omg so helpful to hold everything together!
#3 use the audio/video overview to get in the mindset of the reader or audience - something about that modality really helps to shift your mindset from the story you think you are telling to the story that’s on the page
#4 bonus tip - if you do use it to upload scripts be sure to tell it specifically to use the internal pdf page numbering, otherwise it may use its own numbering snd get way off track.
**full disclosure: I’m a writer/director and startup founder building AI software for storytellers.
I've been using NotebookLM for a while, and thought I was using it well, but this article made me realize that I'm underutilizing its capabilities. Thank you!