Start Here: What Is a Gem?
This site teaches you how to use Google's Gemini Gems to build progressively richer AI-assisted intellectual maps of your own writing. If you want a full reference for all the Gems/Gemini/NotebookLM AI tools, visit the AI Tools Guide. This page is more focused. It shows you one specific use — building a connected body of writing using a single Gem.
Platform option: Everything on this page also works in ChatGPT Custom GPTs. If you already use ChatGPT, you can follow the same workflow there.
By the end of these first three pages, you'll see how a Gem gets more useful as you feed it more of your work. That's the same principle behind the Intellectual Map sequence that follows.
What Is a Gem?
A Gem is a custom AI assistant inside Google Gemini. You give it a set of standing instructions — who it is, how it should behave, what it should focus on — and those instructions stay in place every time you open it. Think of it as a version of Gemini that's been tuned for a specific job.
Unlike a regular chat, where you have to re-explain what you want every time, a Gem remembers its role. You set it up once, and then every conversation with that Gem starts from those instructions. That's what makes it useful for sustained work across a whole series of writing.
What you'll need: Access to either Gemini Gems or ChatGPT Custom GPTs. For Gemini, go to gemini.google.com and sign in. For ChatGPT, use an account with Custom GPT access.
The Demo: Building a Week of Writing
To show how this works, we'll walk through a real example: Dr. Plate (the author of this guide) using a Gem to plan and write three connected pieces in one week, all building on a single topic — the dystopian framing problem.
Here's the short version of the topic: about 150 years of dystopian science fiction have trained us to see new technology through a lens of fear. That framing shapes real policy debates and real public attitudes — and it may be doing more harm than good. Two recent articles make this argument from different angles, and they're the seeds for everything that follows.
The key idea: The Gem accumulates context as you write. Piece 1 seeds the Gem. Piece 2 builds on Piece 1 inside the Gem. Piece 3 builds on both. By the end of the week, the Gem knows your argument well enough to identify contradictions you didn't notice.
Step 1: Find Your Starting Sources
A Gem needs something to work with. You can't just say "write about dystopia" — you need to give it specific material. Here are the two articles used in this demo:
Source 1
Adam Thierer, “How Science Fiction Dystopianism Shapes the Debate over AI & Robotics”
Argues that dystopian portrayals drive overly cautious regulation. Expert consensus often contradicts popular fears. Introduces the idea of the “Black Mirror fallacy” — letting fictional scenarios dominate real policy debates.
Source 2
Torie Bosch, “Dystopian Sci-Fi and the Fear of Today and Tomorrow's Technology”
Argues that dystopian fear can paralyze rather than motivate. Cites data showing 75% of young people find the future “frightening.” Calls for hopeful alternatives alongside the warnings.
When you do this yourself, you'll pick your own topic and your own sources. The important thing is to start with real material — articles, chapters, essays — not just a vague idea. Copy the URLs or paste the article text directly into your Gem conversation.
Step 2: Create the Gem
In Gemini, go to Gem Manager (left sidebar) → New Gem. If you're using ChatGPT instead, go to Explore GPTs → Create. Give it a name — something like "Blog Week: Dystopian Framing" — and paste in the following instructions:
Click Save. Now you have a Gem that's ready to help you build a week of writing.
Tip: You can always edit these instructions later. As you use the Gem and figure out what you wish it did differently, go back and revise. The instructions aren't permanent.
Step 3: Start the Conversation
Open your new Gem and share the two source articles. You can paste the URLs, paste the article text, or both. Then try one of these opening prompts:
“Here are two articles about how dystopian fiction shapes attitudes toward technology. Analyze the key claims in each and tell me what angle would make the strongest blog post.”
“I want to argue that dystopian fiction functions as a frame — it pre-loads how we interpret new technology before we've even experienced it. Help me build that argument using these sources.”
The same opening prompts work in ChatGPT Custom GPTs.
You don't have to use these exact prompts. The point is to give the Gem a clear task: look at these sources and help me find an argument.
Step 4: Use the Gem to Write
Work with the Gem iteratively. It suggests an angle — you push back. It drafts a paragraph — you revise the direction. It's a conversation, not a one-shot prompt.
When you ask the Gem for a draft, remember:
- The draft is a starting point, not a finished piece. Edit it to sound like you.
- The writing should engage with the sources — quote them, paraphrase them, argue with them. Don't just summarize.
- Make an argument. Take a position. Say something the sources didn't say.
- Aim for 750–1500 words — enough space to develop a real idea.
Remember: The Gem is a thinking partner, not a ghostwriter. It helps you develop your argument, but the argument is yours. You decide what to claim, what to emphasize, and what to push back on.
What Happens Next
Once you've finished and published your first piece, something interesting happens. You can add your finished writing back into the Gem. Now the Gem doesn't just know the sources — it knows your argument. It knows what you actually said, what angle you took, what you emphasized and what you left out.
That's what makes the second piece different from the first. You're not starting from scratch. You're building on a foundation the Gem can see.
Next up: The next page walks you through adding your first piece to the Gem and using the accumulated context to write a stronger, more connected follow-up.