It's IWSG time! And I'm excited I didn't have another gap since I was running every other month there for four months.
The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a place for writers to air their insecurities and support each other. Created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, it occurs the first Wednesday of every month. Anyone can join. Simply click on his name and sign up on the IWSG tab.
The co-hosts this month are Kristina Kelly, Miffie Seideman, Jean Davis, and Liza Salerno.
The optional question this month is: Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?
I'm not touching it with a 10-foot pole. I write because I enjoy writing.
I've also been seeing the harm it's causing from an angle maybe some folks haven't. Short story markets have been having to shut down over the last few months because they're being absolutely flooded with AI submissions from non-writers. Markets are having to figure out how to pick out the AI submissions. A highly respected speculative fiction magazine, Clarkesworld, had to shut down for a bit because they were featured in one of those articles on how to make easy money, with the pitch that you could use AI to write short stories and submit them. Since it's a pro-pay market, it was considered a great target. I'm sure others have been featured similarly.
Because of all this, speculative fiction markets keep shutting down, at least temporarily, so it's already impacting short story authors. But even novelists are going to be impacted. The RWA is doing a workshop on using AI to help with your books, taught by an author who openly uses AI to mill out books already. Self-published authors were already constantly under attack from some traditionalists, and now self-published "authors" who use AI are going to make that worse by putting up poor quality novels that compete with the real books and make a joke of self-pubbed folks.
So that's how I feel about it. It's already impacting my worlds.
BOOK TOUR
My book tour is going on right now, though I'm still looking for help if you're willing and able. You can sign up by clicking HERE. Below is the current schedule:
March 4 - Patricia J.L.'s blog Twisting the Myths: I write about the background of Wendigo in Michigan Isn't Safe From the Wendigo
March 6 - Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog: I write about my favorite childhood myths in movie form in Childhood Magic
March 8 - Roland Yeoman's blog: I write about Sasquatch in A Sasquatch by Any Other Name
March 13 - Anna at Elements of Emaginette, where she'll be writing about her favorite mythological character
March 15 - Jonathan and Kristina will be writing about their favorite mythological creature(s)
March 15 - Sandra Cox at Sandra's Place: I write Three Character Foodie Facts with Selina Moonstone
March 15 - Nate at Habitual Hobbit: Topic TBA
March 15 - DeAnna Knippling at Wonderland Press: I write about Ogopogo
March 18 - Steven Arellano Rose at Far Out Fantastic with a Q&A
March 20 - Toi Thomas at The Toibox of Words
And in April, Mary at Dimensions in Fiction
Thank you to the following people who shared out in other ways: HR Sinclair, Amanda Casey, and Natalie Aguirre.
Speaking of Amanda Casey, she has a new book out, as well! You can find out more at her website.
I was a guest at Geeky Gamer Podcast. I can't even sum up what we discussed--creatures, books, Dreadlore (the game), voice actors, and more.
Do you listen to podcasts? What are your insecurities? How do you feel about AI? What's your favorite mythological creature? How do you feel about online book launches?
May you find your Muse.
