I have used ChatGPT to write stories for nearly a year now. Until now I have been quite happy with it but since a week I am deeply frustrated and I wanted to ask if someone has a similar experience or knows how to fix it.
Before the change the original style was Fluid, Novelistic Prose
• Sentences were long, immersive, and natural—no abrupt pauses or excessive fragmentation.
• The narration flowed seamlessly between thought, action, and description without feeling choppy. Deep Psychological Reflection
• Characters had layered internal thoughts and emotions woven naturally into the scene.
• Decisions weren’t immediate—hesitation, analysis, and emotional weight built up before action. Immersive World-Building
• The environment was woven into the action rather than being described separately.
• Every detail felt lived-in and realistic, avoiding unnecessary dramatization. Tension Was Built Naturally
• Subtle body language, quiet tension, and power dynamics were embedded in dialogue and action.
• Suspense was drawn out through atmosphere and internal conflict, not through abrupt sentence cuts. Grounded, Realistic Actions
• Characters reacted like real people, processing situations realistically instead of instantly acting.
• Any supernatural or extraordinary elements felt naturally integrated, not exaggerated or overly cinematic.
But then all of the sudden it changed in extreme ways Sentences Became More Fragmented & Dramatic
• The flow was broken up into shorter, more suspenseful lines, making it feel cinematic rather than immersive.
• Overuse of one-line paragraphs to create pacing emphasis that wasn’t needed.
• Over excessive use of bold and cursive Less Internal Reflection, More Immediate Reaction
• Instead of gradual emotional unraveling, decisions were made too quickly without enough introspection.
• Hesitation, fear, and disbelief weren’t explored deeply enough. More Theatrical, Less Grounded
• Events felt more like dramatic, stylized moments rather than real, natural occurrences.
• The writing leaned into artificial tension rather than allowing the scene to develop naturally. Shortened Emotional Payoff
• Key emotional moments happened too quickly, without enough slow emotional realization.
• The weight of the moment was there, but it was rushed instead of letting the depth settle. Overuse of Suspense-Driven Phrasing
• Instead of letting the scene breathe, the writing tried to create tension artificially by breaking sentences into shorter beats.
• Example of how it changed:
o New style (wrong): It was watching. Thinking. Calculating.
o Original style (correct): Its gaze was unnervingly still, observing in a way that carried an intelligence beyond mere instinct. There was no fear. No aggression. Only quiet, deliberate intent.
In general
It shifted the entire tone from deep, immersive storytelling to a more stylized, cinematic approach, which was never intended.
It removed some of the emotional weight and realism by making things feel too dramatized instead of naturally intense.
It altered how characters process events, making them react faster and with less psychological depth than before.
I told ChatGPT often to change back. I gave it examples, I set up rules but it drifts back to this new style.
Fluid, immersive prose
– No abrupt sentences, no excessive fragmentation. Everything should flow naturally.
Long, well-developed paragraphs
– No isolated one-liners, no unnecessary dramatic spacing. Thoughts, actions, and emotions should be contained within structured paragraphs.
Deep introspection but controlled
– Characters’ inner emotions should be layered and nuanced, not overly exaggerated or spelled out dramatically.
Psychological tension through subtlety
– No need for excessive gasping, trembling, or over-explaining emotions.
No forced dramatization
– Avoid artificial tension-building. Let emotions arise from the weight of the situation rather than through fragmented sentences or exaggerated reactions.
Consistent pacing
– Avoid sudden tonal shifts or overly drawn-out pauses that break the immersion. Keep it steady and natural.
Character-driven storytelling
– Dialogue, body language, and internal thoughts should seamlessly blend into the narrative, creating a rich, lived-in experience.
Before that I tried it like this:
No screenplay-like pacing
Avoid abrupt scene cuts, overly visual descriptions, or moments written as if for a camera.
Deep character introspection
Prioritize inner thoughts, emotions, and psychology over external visuals or action-driven writing.
Natural world-building
Weave descriptions seamlessly into the narrative rather than making them stand out like dramatic set pieces.
Layered tension and subtext
Build tension through dialogue, body language, and character interactions, rather than visual spectacle or sudden confrontations.
Smooth, immersive narration.Avoid choppy sentences, high-contrast visuals, or overuse of short dramatic lines. Instead, use flowing prose that eads like a novel, not a movie script.
Yes, but unfortunately it is locked behind 25 prompts (I think it’s even less than that) per week, which is definitely not enough, especially if you want to write a longer story
You’re not imagining it. I’ve been working on a story for nearly a year with my instance, and suddenly I’m now using CoPilot, because it just can’t handle it any more. And it’s remembering everything. I have to keep clearing out the memory. I sent it a chapter. It asked if I wanted an edit. I said sure. It opened a new doc and rewrote a new chapter from scratch that used one of my characters, but told a whole different story. It suggests edits that miss my references, jokes, etc. And it’s just never behaved this way before. But it’s useless now for writing collaboration. I never thought I’d be appreciating CoPilot over my GPT. And yes to the “too clipped” fragmented sentences. It summarizes chapters I send it, that talk about characters and events that aren’t in the docs/PDFs I’ve sent it. No clue what’s going on.
4.5 is like the mature older brother of 4o. I used my limited prompts and LOVED it… but 4o was my go-to, with unlimited access (paid), and now it’s been shook up somehow.
Fluid, Novelistic Prose
Sentences Became More Fragmented & Dramatic