
Writer on the Side 170 How Nat Eliason Wrote His First Fiction Book with AI Tools
19 snips
Jul 16, 2025 Nat Eliason, author of the post-apocalyptic techno-thriller Husk and a renowned newsletter publisher, shares his journey from nonfiction to fiction. He discusses the challenges of crafting his debut novel, exploring themes of digital immortality and societal impacts. Eliason navigates the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing, emphasizing the role of AI in editing. He also dives into effective marketing strategies, including insights on leveraging platforms like TikTok to boost book sales.
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Digital Immortality as Story Core
- Nat Eliason's novel Husk explores digital immortality and the social dynamics of people maintaining servers for others living digitally.
- The story is inspired by philosophical questions about technology and AI, merging scientific ideas within an exciting story.
Why Nat Chose Self-Publishing
- Fiction self-publishing offers greater control, faster publishing cycles, and direct reader relationships unlike traditional publishing.
- For nonfiction, traditional publishing lends authority, but for fiction, well-formatted self-published books meet readers' expectations.
Structure with Flexibility in Fiction
- Plan fiction books with key characters, starting and ending events, and the seven point plot structure.
- Keep the outline loose to allow story and character discoveries to shape the narrative during writing.








