What I Want from Our A.I. Future (as a Writer)
Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is here in full force. In the past month, I’ve felt like there is more discussion around A.I. in writing than ever before. Reasons range from recent profiles of indie writers who have multiple pen names and use AI to churn out book after book, the rise of AI programs in our everyday life (I did my taxes and it was part of my tax software that I use), and the scandal surrounding Mia Ballard.
The Mia Ballard situation really opened my eyes. I was aware that A.I. became part of a lot of writers writing strategies, but this is something different. If you don’t know, Ballard was an indie writer whose got a trad publishing deal, only to have it canceled when allegations of A.I. were made. She has said that although she didn’t use any A.I., her editor (a friend) did and ended up rewriting some of her book.
Honestly, that sucks. But also, why didn’t she read her book before she self-published it? A mistake for sure, and I hope she keeps writing and exercises more discretion over who she works with in the future. This is a lesson for any writer who decides to outsource some of their work. Trust but verify.
Also was Hachette asleep through the whole acquisition process? Did they not do their own due diligence? I haven’t heard anything on the trad publishing side that describes their process of acquiring the book, and then getting it ready for it’s publication in 2026. Didn’t others read it and note that it was problematic? (And not bring this up in editorial meetings?) They changed the cover, because it used an actual art piece without permission, but that is all I know.
I know some are hardcore anti-artificial intelligence for writing. I, myself, would never use it. (I have tried it for some blog posts to see what it could offer and hated the prose with a fiery passion. Plus once I learned about the environmental toll, I hated it even more.) But I can see the writing on the wall. People are using it to plan, outline, give character detail, and, in some instances, write. The reality is here. We can wage our finger at it, but it’s still happening.
So I started thinking about what I want in the future of book publishing, both as a writer and a reader. If A.I. is here, then here is the future I want.
First, I want transparency. Right now I like anyone who is using A.I. are doing it in secret. A few books might be honest, but most are not. Yes, there are readers who don’t want to read these books, so if there is a label, they skip them. But even worse, a reader buys a book and then realizes it is written with A.I. They feel betrayed and become distrustful of writers (esp. indie writers) that don’t have years and years of books out already. Newer writers who don’t use A.I. will pay the price.
(Also, it is important to note that there are two camps. Some writers are using A.I. to assist them for things like outlining, character development, etc. This is A.I. Assisted works. Then, there are the writers who use it for actual writing. So I think there should be two labels – Written with A.I. and A.I. Assisted Works.)
These labels will drive some readers away from anything with an A.I. label, but I also think there are readers who don’t care. Just like there are shoppers who look for organic labels and those that buy whatever is cheaper. Or shoppers who pay for natural fiber, sustainable clothing and those who buy whatever they like at Walmart or Target. These readers will read the books that peak their interest. They won’t care if it was written by a real person, or not.
Labels will only help readers who want to read books by humans. Just like those that want silk, cashmere, or cotton shirts when they shop for clothing. The whole point is to satisfy the readers desire. Right now I think a lot of writers are feeling the pressure to create their “brand” and prove that they can write. This pressure comes because readers don’t know who to trust.
Secondly, I think that a lot of writers need to start protecting themselves. Save every draft that you create of your work. I’ve even heard of a few writers screen recording themselves while writing. Accusations are flying around and a lot of them have no proof. The A.I. detection software is not 100% accurate. (I’ve read that it is actually crap.)
And what if you are like me? I’ve had a blog on the internet since 2009. My first fiction piece was published in 2014. My first non-fiction piece was published in 2001! A.I. was trained on my writing because my writing is out there. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if some of my current writing came back as some percentage artificial. There’s no getting away from it. Lucky for me, I hand write a lot and have many drafts of my work. I plan on saving everything. I think you (if you are a writer) should too.
One aspect I hadn’t thought about was the issue of copyright. I watched a video on YouTube from a copyright lawyer who talked about using A.I. to write. Basically, if you use A.I. to write the text, you can’t copyright a story. Not a huge problem if you are an indie writer. But if you want a trad publishing deal? No way you will get one if A.I. wrote your story.
Save every draft people. You need to protect yourself.
In some ways, it feels like the wild west now in publishing. Everyone, writers, readers, and publishers, are trying to figure out what is the best way forward. We are moving slowly and the tech is moving quick. I think these two actions are the best way forward, but in time we will see what this business becomes.
Thanks for reading and happy writing.
Christina Keller's Blog 