I never realized how sensitive the topic of AI is until I became an author. There is an entire network of people dedicated to “cancelling” authors who implement AI in their literary work. They argue that using AI and AI programs in writing isn’t true writing and takes away from authentic work of authors who’s work is 100% their own. With so many tools out there such as, cactus.ai, livingwriter, ChatGP and grammerly, many writers have sought computer aided assistance to enhance their writing.
Where is the line drawn though? Many anti-AI groups are against any use of AI. When publishing, either traditionally or self, you are asked if you used AI in any part of your work. Literary events will even ban authors who use AI from participating, essentially blacklisting them from vendor lists. But, how do they reach their conclusions?
I have come across situations where authors are criticized for using AI on their cover art, in marketing materials, accused of using AI for writing because their work contains em dashes. They have been told they can’t participate in book fairs due to this. Here are my thoughts on AI and authors.
It is not an all or nothing topic. You can not write, edit, publish and market a book without using some form of AI. No one excepts typewriter, whiteout edited, mailed manuscripts anymore. You have to use a computer to type them, they have to be formatted in some way. That is AI, all be it in its simplest form, it is AI. When you self edit using spell check or grammar check, you are using AI.
When you create a file, format and save your work, you are using AI. When you search for anything online for research, you are using AI. In these times, authors need some social media and a website, that is AI. Hashtags, keywords, search engine optimization, algorithms are all AI.
I am a writer, most days I can spell with a moderate degree of accuracy. I can even chance proper punctuation. However, that is where my talent ends. As with most fiction writers, I am somewhat introverted. Marketing is not my forte. While I can challenge most kindergarteners with my amazing stick figure drawings, I am no Picasso (yes I had to look that up, two “S” who knew?).
My point is, I use AI to ensure my commas and semi colons are in the right spots and I spelled Picasso with two s’s instead of one. I do not use AI to enhance my writing, to rephrase sentences or optimize my style. I do use em dashes, well because they are grammatically correct when interrupting dialogue.
I pay someone who went to college for graphic design. Someone with student loans, a mortgage and a car payment. I pay them to take my ideas and put them into an appealing cover design that will sell my book. Do they use AI to create their designs? Quite possibly. But that is the time we live in. This is the computer age. They went to school to learn how to make these designs and for the genre I write, more often than not, what they come up with is more appealing than sketch work. If I was writing a book that called for illustrations, I would most likely take a different approach and hire an artist to draw my illustrations. This would depend on my budget of course, because many authors can’t afford this option. I don’t think a writer should be cancelled because they choose to hire a professional they can afford.
Also, I will most likely pay for ads at some point on some platform. All ads are AI in some form. In their most simplistic they are chosen fonts, backgrounds and styles paired with keywords and search engine optimization. On the higher end they have some sort of graphic or animation, possibly even music (that is enhanced too). If I have a few extra bucks, maybe I by a marketing package that includes artwork for social media, ads and my website. Even if a person drew all the art, AI is still involved in uploading and formatting it for these purposes.
I payed a live person to edit my work. From developmental editing to copy editing. Guess what, they didn’t print out my manuscript, pull out their red pen and thesaurus before going line by line. They used a computer, a program and typed out notes. Then they emailed them to me. All of which is AI.
At the end of the day, all creative work and wording came from my delusional thought process. The character voices, dialogue and settings are authentically mine (even the em dashes). The improved spelling and grammar are thanks to Microsoft Word. The mistakes are mine too.
The work that wasn’t writing, I paid someone who went to school for that trade. Someone with bills to pay, a family to support, and dreams of their own. I do not condone writers who use AI to be writers. I do not condone anyone who uses AI for anything under the guise it is not. However, I also do not condone cancelling someone who worked hard just because you feel or think they did something. I don’t condone bypassing literary work because their ads or cover use AI.
If you are totally against AI, good for you. That is your right. Just know, you found this article by using AI.
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