Welcome! This guide will get you up and running in about 30 minutes. For deeper info, visit our how-to library.
In this guide:
What is Insight?
Insight is an AI platform built for book publishers. Unlike general AI tools like ChatGPT, Insight is designed around your books and your workflows.
- Your whole book, not just a snippet. Insight is optimized to work with full manuscripts.
- Everything stays organized. Outputs are saved with the book they came from.
- Built for publishing. Tools for proofreading, style coding, translation, jacket copy, and more.
- Shared across your team. Templates, rulesets, and styles can be built once and used by everyone.
Working with AI
- AI amplifies your expertise — it doesn’t replace it. The best results come from your judgment shaping the output.
- Think of it as a first draft. Insight gets you to a starting point quickly, so you can spend your time refining instead of staring at a blank page.
- Review is part of the process. Give outputs the same careful read you’d give any draft — especially details like names, dates, and quotes.
- It gets better when you push back. If something isn’t quite right, tell it what’s off and try again.
Your first 30 minutes
The best way to learn Insight is upload a book and work with it.
Upload a book you know. A recent frontlist title works best — you’ll be able to tell if the AI is getting things right. Use the main Upload button in the left sidebar for books and long-form content. (Shorter business documents like spreadsheets or slides can be added directly in AI Chat instead.)
Read the AI analysis. When your book has been processed in Insight, you’ll get an email. Open it and browse the tabs (Editorial, Marketing, Metrics, Comp Titles, etc.). Compare what Insight generated to what you’d write yourself.
Chat with your book. Click the blue AI Chat button. Try a question like: “Who is the ideal reader for this book, and what would make them pick it up?” See more prompt ideas here.
Try a document tool. From your book, click Actions > Document Tools. Try Translate, or use Scan to run a sensitivity check or identify words that need to be localized.
Organize it. Add your book to a Collection to keep related work together.
Writing good prompts
How you ask matters sometimes more than what you ask. A few small adjustments can dramatically change what Insight gives back.
Think of a prompt less as a question and more as a brief. The more you tell Insight about what you need, the better it can deliver.
- Give it context. Who is the book for? What tone do you want? What’s special about the title? The more context, the better the output.
- Give it a role. “You are a literary publicist writing for a trade audience…” Role prompts set the voice and perspective instantly.
- Ask for what you actually want. Length, tone, format, number of options. “Give me three versions, each under 75 words, ranging from literary to commercial.”
- Have a conversation. The first answer is rarely the best one. Tell Insight what’s working and what isn’t: “I like the second option — make it warmer and cut the last sentence.” Keep going until it’s right.
- Start fresh when you need to. If a conversation isn’t going anywhere, open a new chat and try a different angle.
The mindset that unlocks the most value: you’re not asking AI for the answer — you’re working with it to produce something that reflects your judgment.
Which tool should I use?
| If you want to… | Use… |
|---|---|
| Get baseline metadata, descriptions, and keywords | AI Analysis tabs (automatic) |
| Ask questions, brainstorm, draft quickly | AI Chat |
| Proofread, translate, or adapt a whole manuscript | Actions > Document Tools |
| Generate book cover ideas, write alt text | Actions > Image Tools |
Working with your team
Templates, rulesets, AI styles, and saved prompts can all be shared with your group. Set them up once, and everyone’s outputs stay consistent.
- Shared: your group can see and use it.
- Private: only you can see it.
Chat prompts to try
Below you’ll find a few prompts and ideas to help you start chatting with your books.
To use these prompts, go to AI Chat, select a book to chat with, and enter the prompt into the chat field.
Prompts for editors
Structural edit suggestions:
What kind of structural edits would you suggest for this book? What elements need to be fixed in order to make this book more consistent and engaging?
Marketability of a manuscript:
Analyze the manuscript's marketability. Does it have unique elements that will stand out in the current market? Suggest ways to make the book more appealing to readers.
Main plot analysis for fiction:
Summarize the main plot of the book and identify any plot holes, inconsistencies, or areas where the narrative could be strengthened.
Subplot analysis for fiction:
Identify the subplots in the manuscript. Are they well-integrated into the main story, and do they enhance the narrative? Suggest improvements or adjustments.
Evaluation of the introduction for nonfiction:
Review the introduction of the book. Does it effectively set up the topic, engage the reader, and outline what they can expect? Suggest improvements if needed.
Relevance and timeliness for nonfiction:
Analyze the relevance and timeliness of the content. Are the topics and examples up-to-date and applicable to current trends or issues? Suggest updates or adjustments to ensure the book feels current.
Prompts for marketing
Influencer outreach angles:
Suggest three unique angles or talking points that could be used to pitch the book to influencers or bloggers in the relevant genre.
Hashtag ideas for social media:
Create a list of 10 unique and relevant hashtags for a social media campaign promoting this book, considering genre, themes, and target audience.
Seasonal tie-ins:
Identify any elements in the book that could be tied to upcoming holidays, awareness months, or trending topics, and suggest ways to incorporate these into the marketing campaign.
Launch event concepts:
Propose three creative launch event ideas (virtual or in-person) that would generate excitement and buzz for the book’s release, incorporating elements from the story or author’s background.
Prompts for publicity
Publicity plan outline:
I'm a book publicist. Help me draft a publicity plan for this book, which is coming out in April 2026.
Crisis communication preparation:
Identify any potentially sensitive or controversial topics in the book and suggest three strategies or prepared statements to address challenging questions from the media.
Talking points for interviews:
Generate a list of 8–10 talking points or soundbites the author can use during media interviews, focusing on the book’s key messages and relevant personal anecdotes.
Media pitch email:
Craft a concise and compelling pitch email (150–200 words) to send to journalists or bloggers, explaining why they should cover this book and suggesting interview or feature angles.