Busy Season Incoming
Upcoming and updates
My fall’s looking to be quite busy. I got several exciting things lined up and I’m looking forward to another season of writing, editing, and preparing for publication.
I even finished the expansion of the novella I had started recently. I’m happy to report I have successfully completed its transformation into a novel. I doing another pass to smooth out some rough edges before letting it simmer, but I’m quite pleased with it.
I also surprisingly didn’t outline this book. I made a few notes of course, particularly for new or expanded scenes, but no outline ever materialized. But I guess the novella itself acted as robot outline, and I all needed to do was fill in the gaps!
I have resigned from Nanowrimo’s Writers Board in regards to their latest policy on AI:
A great write-up can be found here about the situation with some of the original language that was posted on 8.30.24 before being changed on 9.2.24 after the news hit.
Overall, I find their stance in calling those that oppose the use AI in writing as classist and ableist quite offensive and short-sighted in how this will impact the writing community.
AI is a tool, but as a writer, creative, and a person who thinks automating creative pursuits is a terrible use of technology, I find this take irresponsible and I will not supporti it.
AI in writing has existed for quite a long time with things such as spellcheck and Grammarly. There is space for tools that allow us to reconfigure text or provide suggestions and better word choices. But Generative AI ( such as what Prowriting Aid utilizes) is a very different beast. It trains by steals writing without permission, cheating not just the original writers, but the new writer of the joy of writing. And it’s highly likely that writing shared within Nano community going forth will be trained on AI and I would not advise anyone taking part in the future.
Despite all of this, I am quite sad to part ways with Nano like this. My role on the Writers board gave me a chance to fun engagement activities such as the writing salon I did last fall with the wonderful folks as Girls Write Now. And the Nano challenge, 50k words in a month, continues to serve as an inspiration for getting me into the rhythm of writing the first tricky draft of any story. In fact my forthcoming books started out as Nano books.
However with this change in policy AI, I can’t in good conscience remain on the Writers Board or avoid speaking out, as my silence on the matter would be quiet approval.
In happier news, I recently received two fantastic STARRED reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal.
If authors read any reviews, it’s the one from trades publications like these. The reviews from trades are great in helping to make a splash in the weeks leading up to publication, not to mention the source of many quotes you find on book covers.
That my first were both starred is amazing, and I’m genuinely touched and delighted for such a response.
Barnes and Nobles is having a sale again! Between 9/4 - 9/6, B&N members get an 25% with making a pre-order when they use code: PREORDER25.
The Improvisers arrives November 5th. Until then I’m giving away an ARC (Advance Review Copy) each month. If you’re interested in snagging a sneak peek, enter the survey below before 9/12.
If you entered previously, no need to enter again, you’re already in the running!
Huge congrats on TWO starred reviews! So glad you're getting the publicity you deserve. Pretty soon you'll have to make an "I'm Kind of a Big Deal" Barbie 😊