Frequently, I wonder about the age we're living in. Been giving my book one final go-over before it comes out in March, and I keep forgetting things, which has meant submitting and resubmitting various versions of the manuscript to Amazon. And one thing that strikes me is the insistence on AI content, which is just insane to me.
There's a box you need to tick, ascertaining you haven't used AI in your book. They don't care, they'd let you go ahead even if you have, and I've seen a bit of discussion on the topic in bookish circles on social media. But Amazon doesn't care. They just want honesty. Are you or aren't you?
As someone who'd never even consider that, this insistent question (you can't publish the damn thing unless you check off the AI question at every minute modification, I'm becoming really irritated. You still haven't used AI? Like they don't trust me or something. And that's the worst part, I think. That they don't even care. They just wanna know what's what.
To even have to answer -- did you write this book yourself or did you make the computer do it? -- is like something out of a bad dystopian debut novel, but here we are. Eventually, of course, that's going to get ruled out as discriminatory towards AI. Probably with the advent of one or two clever dicks who'll publish a book about how to become a millionaire making AI art. Honesty. It's so ludicrous to insist on honesty when something so vital in our human history seems to be rapidly going down the drain.
I mean, it's not like publishing on Amazon is such a walk in the park, or a joyous activity. If I have nothing to say, why would I put myself through that? World's gone crazy, man.
So as much as I can say I'm (confidently) human, I can also say I've finished with the trilogy. Finally. The last book, Skydiver, is coming out on March 4th, which is really exciting. But also bewildering. I've been picking at the books for a little while, you know, finding little things to do to keep busy. But now, they're done. Over.
Which begs the question, what next?
There's a certain loneliness and desolation that comes, finishing a book (or in this case, a series). It's like, for a considerable while, all your focus has been this one thing, and now that one thing's gone from your hands. It's exciting, I suppose. I could write anything. I could also stop. Take a break for a while.
For now, I'm just listening to music. So my gratitude to @ablaze for the Three Tune Tuesday challenge, which keeps me on a fresh stream of songs. Some old, some new.
Because it gave me the dedication for the final book. I was very privileged to see the great man in concert last year a number of times, and he played this song live. It's the sentiment that was behind my trilogy, really. How close we are (and how close we bring ourselves) to the end.
Like the moment when the brakes lock
And you slide towards the big truck (“Oh no!”)
You stretch the frozen moments with your fear (Scream)
And you’ll never hear their voices ("Daddy, Daddy!")
And you’ll never see their faces
You have no recourse to the law anymore
All equal in the end. All of us. Seems nothing short of criminal to pretend otherwise.
On my repeat at the moment. Funny, because it contrasts my actual feelings quite a bit. It's just such a great song. I spent a couple hours in bed reading with coffee this morning and listening to this. Eventually, I reckoned it was either time to get outta bed or switch to harder stuff. I got out.
Still in my "country phase". It seems to me 90% of country songs are at least marginally about I really should stop drinking, but it ain't gonna be today. Seems like an ethos I can get behind.
There comes a point. This is the song you get to eventually after you've razed the bar to zero.
Congratulations on your books! What a monumental accomplishment!
Thank you, my dear.
So let’s just assume that Amazon does not care since they are only after money all other thing is not their business
Congratulations to you on your trilogy
You’re a fantastic human!
I'm sure they don't care. They're the ones driving this whole AI effort in the first place. Weird.
Thank you!! :) As are you.
So exciting! Congratulations on finishing your trilogy! Writing one novel is no small feat a trilogy is something to be celebrated.
With the way the world is going I'm afraid that, eventually, books written by humans will be a niche product that will be enjoyed by a select group. I hope it takes us many decades to get to that point.
Thank you! I got so caught up in the "what next", I seem to have skipped the bit about taking a moment to integrate what I've done. Yet another time where my yoga practice's got something to teach, eh?
Don't hold it against me, but I really hope you're wrong. Or at least that it's many decades away. It's not even the question of "what would I do", 'cause you'd probably make a living some way, but knowing your life's purpose has become pointless? I don't wanna live there...
There's a certain pressure too to keep producing for fear of losing your fanbase but if they like you they'll be patient until the next book. I think there's even something to be said about taking extended breaks to build anticipation, as long as you engage with your readers in other ways.
I, for sure, could be wrong. Back lashes happen as well where the public rebel against sweeping change. I don't think a niche market for human-written books would necessarily have to be a bad thing. I would just mean a more concentrated and passionate group of readers. What it would mean though is it would be tougher for new authors to break through. Where there's a will, there's always a way though. Creatives have proven that again and again down through the millennia.
Perhaps. Then again, I can think of several writers taking loong breaks. As the reader, it does put me off a bit when it's been 5 years or something and still no new release... Seeing it from both sides, though, I can see how it can become challenging for the artist.
<3
Yes, that's definitely me. Life (the film series I was working on from 2016-18) derailed the follow up to the first novel and I've never gotten back on track. It might be "one and done" for me. I had the second book 80% done but now the real world has caught up to the "futuristic" storyline. I haven't come across another story that feels important enough for me to dedicate that kind of time/energy to yet, but perhaps some day.
https://bdtechtalks.com/2024/02/12/writing-in-the-age-of-generative-ai/amp/