In Publishing News this week,
The news that Claude, Anthropic’s AI, was introducing watermarks has caused comment and derision across the publishing blogosphere. Commenters like Mark Williams are asking why? The AI has been trained on our work. What does a water mark bestow? That the work is legitimately AI?
Dr Sam Illingworth has written an essay on the fact that every author will be accused of using AI. Even if you didn’t. He details how you can prove that you haven’t used AI and he recommends you put some procedures in place now so you aren’t scrambling to prove your innocence.
Meanwhile James Blatch has raised some questions about the way a romance reader event in England is demanding no 'AI using authors' attend. They seem to be asking for people to inform them about who might fit this criteria. AI is being used in publisher’s offices. It’s writing marketing plans, back cover copy, and editing and grammar checks. Do we want to witch hunt authors using a new tool in their author business?
This week I was asked about the Jason Arday story which gripped the UK recently. The tragic death of Cambridge’s first black professor shows what happens when the mob gets out of hand over an unsubstantiated claim.
Mary Kole, has been an agent and specialist children’s book editor and writer. She recently reevaluated her editing business after she received two AI assisted manuscripts. They were not easy to edit as they were missing a critical factor. Author voice. She details her new strategies in an in-depth essay on Jane Friedman’s blog.
Ingram Spark has been quietly testing a new service which is a shot across Netgalley’s bows. They have launched Covered- a digital review copy website for publishers aiming squarely at the bookseller and librarian market. They are also chasing the influencer market next year. Meanwhile they have been expanding their direct buy links to Australia.
It’s happening. I said it would. Being a space geek, I knew it was only a matter of time before a book made it onto the moon. The fact it’s a graphic novel is even more interesting. The book will be etched in its entirety on a non destructible disc to last for all time.
Finding and getting the word out about author events can be difficult. Publishers Weekly interviewed an ex bookseller about a new venture she has created- a database tracking author signings, events, and book clubs.
We have all had those days when we have stared at the manuscript and thought I’m supposed to be a writer and I’m not writing. Jenn Windrow has an interesting essay on productivity - The Most Productive Writing Day I Never Had. Jenn reminds us that deleting pages is also productivity.
Joanna Penn had an interesting chat with John Bond on all things Indie publishing recently. They discussed marketing and innovation and how the Indie publishing space is breaking new ground all the time.
James Scott Bell is an excellent writing teacher. This week he wrote about the three writing selves that the author has, the voice, the public face, and the private face. How different are they to the real you?
In The Craft Section,
Antagonists and action- Lisa Miller- Bookmark
Writing Sex – Jennie Crusie – Bookmark!
7 Elements of an enduring tale- Kathryn Craft- Bookmark
Your story Hook and Heart- K M Weiland – Bookmark
Showing fear in real time- Angela Ackerman- Bookmark
In The Marketing Section,
Darcy Pattison has 3 links for understanding children’s book marketing- Bookmark
The introverts guide to author visibility- Rea Frey- Bookmark
YouTube deep dive for authors- Dale Roberts interview- Bookmark
When back copy goes bad- P J Parrish- Bookmark!
A+ content creation tips – Written Word Media- Bookmark!
To Finish,
Every year since I judged the Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, I have been watching and celebrating the rise of indigenous language publishing. Children need to see themselves in their own books. With the flowering of indigenous language schools (kura) alongside mainstream English language schools, it is important that we support publishing New Zealand books in our own pacific languages. The librarians had a separate set of awards just for Te Reo highlighting separately picture books, junior fiction, and young adult. It was ground breaking. When the amalgamation of the LIANZA Children’s Book Awards with the National Book Awards happened ten years ago, the Māori language awards continued in one category. They have recently expanded to a translation award alongside a written in Te Reo first award. Since the amalgamation I had not seen any long form books make it into the Te Reo category until this year. It has always been picture books. And very few of them at that. Most years everyone that entered finalled, they were so few. Last night at the annual Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, the best first book award was given to a Young Adult novel, written in Te Reo. Finally. I hope it’s a sign of great things to come.
Amongst the best speeches of the night and there were some great ones, The Young Adult prize winner, Rachel Craw talked about how we need these pats on the head, these gold stars, because publishing can be brutal. Her book and career almost came to a shuddering halt when her American publisher folded. Mark Lefebvre has an essay reflecting this. Believing in yourself when nobody else seems to. It’s hard. All you need is one person to shine a light on you. If you are struggling in this writing game, try to shine a light on others and bask in the reflected light. You never know who you might have encouraged to have a massive career in the future.
Maureen
@craicer
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