Good Bye 2025
It’s been an interesting year. AI is really having an impact on the publishing world. I’m now part of (a very small part) a class action suit where writers’ published works have been used to train AI. It will be interesting to see if I get any money from that. And, I hate to admit it, I’ve used AI to create audio books from eBooks I published on Amazon. Recently, many writers, including me have received emails promising to show the way to better promote our books. They sound so convincing. Sound like they actually read my book.And their teaser suggestions make sense. I almost got hooked by one. I was ready to pay for ways to get word out about my last P.J. Benson Mystery (SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT). The woman said she worked as a marketing editor for a publishing company. I looked, and there was such a company. I was hooked until it came to paying her. Not only did she want the money to go through PayPal, the money would be converted from dollars to some other currency. That’s when I did more that check if there was such a publishing company, I asked if she worked for them.
Surprise, surprise. They didn’t have a marketing editor and no one by that name worked for them.
That scam was for marketing. Now, I and others are receiving emails from “companies” that will get our books picked up by book clubs. Again, the summary I received about the book they would promote was wonderful. They said nice things and pointed out positives in my writing. The last one, however, goofed. I received a wonderful teaser for THE EYE OF THE CROW. Book clubs would love it, I was told. Problem is, EYE OF THE CROW is a 20 page short story in eBook and audio form. I don’t think many book clubs would pick it up.
Before uploading a manuscript to Amazon, the writer is now asks if any part was created using AI.
I’ve heard readers can tell. Maybe they can, but I think it’s going to become more and more difficult to tell as the process develops.
Just what we needed. There are already millions of self-published books available for purchased. How does one stand out in that crowd?
2026 Is going to be interesting.
By the way,January 1st is the last day of the Smashwords holiday sale.THE CROWS, AS THE CROW FLIES, EAT CROW AND DIE, SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT, ECHOES OF TERROR, LYONS PRIDE, AND HEIRESS SEEKING PERVECT HUSBAND are all available (and on sale) on SMASHWORDS.
1 Comments
Comments are closed.
Thank you Maris. You certainly shared some much needed and appreciated information. When we’re eager to get published, it’s easy to fall prey to these things. So many thanks for reminding us “all that glitters is not always gold.”
Happy 2026 to All.