The Idea
We have a bandwidth problem:
Humans read ~250 words per minute, but AI generates thousands per minute.
If you treat AI like a search engine, you drown in generic noise. Stop trying to read faster and start forcing the machine to be brief.
Try This
Stop asking "What does this book say?" and start using Constraint Injection.
When you ask generic questions, you get a generic book report. To get high signal, you must treat the AI like a junior engineer: give it a role, a constraint, and a format.
Try the "Author Mode" Protocol on your next book with AI tool like NotebookLM:
Set the Role: "Act as the author. Use specific vocabulary from the text."
Limit the Output: "Give me the core argument in exactly 3 sentences."
Build a Menu: "List 3 logical follow-up topics. Number them 1-3 so I can pick the next step by typing a single digit."
This changes the game. You stop "reading" the book and start interviewing it. The numbered menu turns a wall of text into a simple button interface, allowing you to drive the insight with a single keystroke.
A Spark
I have the full "Author Mode" prompt saved as a text file.
Reply AUTHOR and I will send it to you.
Until next time,
Gav.
