Peanuts by Charles Schulz for November 30, 1984

Nix that brainstorm!

ChatGPT wrote a long boring story with that prompt, which seems to justify Snoopy’s decision to nix it. Here’s a shorter version.

He was a huge man with a fierce and wild expression, and eyes like a teeny tiny little yellow bird. His name was John, the most feared bounty hunter in the Wild West. John caught up with notorious outlaw Jake in a saloon. They faced off, John drew his gun and fired. He took Jake into custody, rode back to town where he was tried and sentenced.

[An editor using the same bot to write a rejection letter]

Thank you for submitting your short story “He was a huge man with a fierce and wild expression, and eyes like a teeny tiny little yellow bird” to our publication.

After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that your story has not been accepted for publication. Although your work was certainly creative, we feel that it did not meet our current needs or standards.

While your use of descriptive language was commendable, the story lacked sufficient depth and complexity. The plot was relatively straightforward and lacked sufficient character development or emotional resonance. Additionally, the story was quite brief, leaving readers with a sense that it lacked substance.