Writers in the Storm

by Miffie Seideman

It’s no secret that writers are increasingly relying on AI technology to generate queries, synopses, and even complete books, creating a controversy in the publishing industry. The technology is still unrefined, generating poorly written prose and stilted dialogue, absent the beauty of human story creation.

It’s even more concerning that AI generates information from pre-existing online content, often word for word and with no acknowledgement of (or consent from) the original author. For these, and other reasons, a number of literary agencies are already specifying that they will not consider any submissions generated by AI. 

But the internet remains a great wealth of knowledge and writers are turning to AI assistance to help with time-consuming research for stories.

So, what’s the problem with AI?

AI is still in its infancy. It’s terrible twos, to be more exact. AI is rapidly growing and learning, while still relying on very human programmers for direction and guidance. And by virtue of all that, it can (and does) make mistakes—some significant. For just a brief overview of recent AI-generated errors including recommendations to break the law and producing explicit imagery, check out this article by Aaron Drapkin and another by Danny Goodwin.

Writers unaware of the limitations of using AI for research risk creating an error-laden story that alienates readers and damages credibility. But writers can avoid these problems by understanding just a few key concepts:

• What AI can get wrong (and why)
• How to validate AI generated information

1. What AI can get wrong (and why):

The days of combing through volumes of bound encyclopedias, with content vetted by editors and specialists, have been replaced by internet searches. And most writers know that the information on the internet can be factual, opinion, biased, or completely fake. For a long time, simply checking the names of websites returned in a search could help writers hone in on factual sites.

However, over the last year, there have been rapid changes to the formatting of information provided through web searches. Have you noticed that AI-generated summaries of your queries automatically appear at the top of your search results? They look slightly different in various apps, but the overall effect is similar: the summaries look authoritative and are very easy (and tempting) to click.

But be careful, that information can be false:

Wrong information

Some information (reported) by AI is blatantly false. This can happen when AI misinterprets information it collects to compose summaries. For example, X’s chatbot Grok misunderstood an online conversation involving the term ‘throwing bricks’ (a basketball slang term for missed shots) and reported that a famous NBA player had vandalized another player’s home using bricks. And while this gave everyone a good laugh, what if the information had been taken as fact, magnified on social media, and resulted in fan retribution?

Incomplete or omitted Information

You might draw wrong conclusions if an AI summary leaves out information. This has been reported to occur in up to 75% of drug information queries using AI, prompting the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists to issue a warning that patient’s lives could be endangered by using AI-generated drug information.

My own test of both Google AI and Facebook’s Meta AI asking “what is kush?” (a slang term now used for three distinct illicit drugs) resulted in incomplete responses, some blending together information about all three drugs. Had I used that information, my blog post would have been very wrong.

Facts mingled with fiction, or please don’t glue your pizza!

AI uses information sourced from across the internet, but it can’t tell the difference between fact, false posts, satire, and jokes. Nor does it separate content from crowd-sourced information sites, like Reddit or Quora, from reputable sources. AI simply collects information on a topic and presents it.

The result?

AI has recommend using glue to hold cheese onto pizza and changing a car’s blinker fluid (which doesn’t actually exist).

Fabricated information and AI hallucinations

AI is simply programmed to complete a query task. Sometimes, like a two-year-old, it really just wants to give you an answer, even if it’s made up. In addition, poorly worded or leading queries can add to the odds of AI returning fake information.

Why?

Because AI doesn’t fact check your query wording, it just answers it. To test this, the University of Maryland library ran a query prompting AI to write an essay on Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, and his time at The Ohio State University. AI generated information on Jim Henson’s start in puppeteering at The Ohio State University and the impact of one of his OSU mentors, Dr. Richard Lederer.

Wouldn’t this information create a rich character background for a story? Maybe your MC ‘s entire life choice was influenced by working with Jim Henson on projects in Dr. Lederer’s class.

Sounds great, right?

There’s a problem. Jim Henson never attend The Ohio State University. And Dr. Lederer? Well, he doesn’t exist. The University of Maryland ultimately identified him as a ‘hallucination’ of ChatGPT.

Unintentional programming consequences

Computer programs only do what they’ve been programmed to do (at least, so far). And human programmers are…well, human. Program outcomes may not always be foreseen, as was the case of one intended to create more racial balance online. AI’s response was to reassign incorrect races to various historical figures. Imagine if you’d written an historical fiction novel based on that information?

References

With all the potential confusion, doesn’t is make sense to simply tell AI to only use accurate resources? Queries have attempted to do just that, asking for only peer-reviews references, for example. Unfortunately, even those references cited by AI, which looked quite professional, were completely fabricated.

2. How to validate AI-generated information

So, what’s a time-starved writer to do?

Even before AI-generated information was so prevalent, online information had to be considered with a certain amount of skepticism. When writing The Grim Reader, every drug fact I read on various websites, from how a drug is used to the symptoms a character could feel, had to be fact checked (and double checked!) via reliable resources.

But with AI-generated information, it may be a little trickier. Since AI pulls bits and pieces from various resources throughout the internet into its summary, the source of the information may not be obvious.    

Fortunately, simple steps have been developed by the University of Maryland for checking the credibility of AI generated information:

Prompt perfect:

What used to be a simple search question online has become a more complicated query that needs to be well crafted to avoid incorrect information. Covering all the tips for writing good queries would take an entire blog post, but writers can use this resource to get a good overview.

Fact checking:

Basically, anything that looks like a fact in the AI prompt response should be independently verified. Here’s a good short video on fact checking. In addition, Canada’s Centre for Digital Media Literacy has developed a program called “Break the Fake” to help internet users tell fact from fiction.

Scholarly reference check:

Those references AI credits for its summary may look nice, but are they real? As mentioned, AI sometimes fakes references. Here’s a great video on how to check those scholarly references to be sure you’re not writing more fiction than you intend!

Leave your bias at the door:

Unfortunately, AI-generated summaries can include biases from several sources:

• The way the prompt is written
• The author(s) of the information gathered
• The programmer of the computer.

At a minimum, writers should check a prompt for biased (or leading) wording and verify the reliability and credibility of sources being used.

Where do we go from here?

AI is continually growing and changing. What we know today about how it’s programmed and what to be aware of may completely change in the near future. Being aware of how to best use AI to get credible information and ideas for stories and characters can offer a powerful tool to writers. For the moment, AI is probably best thought of as a virtual assistant (in training) that needs oversight and verification.

Has this information helped you better understand how to use the power of AI to research story ideas? Has AI generated wrong information from your searches? Let us know in the comments.

About Miffie

Miffie Seideman has been a pharmacist for over 30 years, with a passion for helping others. Her research articles have appeared in professional pharmacy journals. Miffie blended her passion for pharmacy and her love of writing into THE GRIM READER: Putting Your Characters in Peril (A Pharmacist’s Guide For Authors),(Red Lightening Books, Indiana University Press). She’s represented by Amy Collins with Talcott Notch Literary Services.  

An avid triathlete, Miffie spends countless hours training in the arid deserts of Arizona, devising new plots for her upcoming fantasy love story. She can be found hanging around her website https://GrimReaders.com offering tips to writers and on X @MiffieSeideman…you know…tweeting. Contact her at info@grimreaders.com/

Picture attributes:

• Kermit: mdherren via Pixabay
• AI: GDJ via Pixabay
• Toddler: OPenClipArt-Vectus via Pixabay
• Detective: GraphicMam-Team via Pixabay
• Basketball player: Mohamed_hassan via Pixabay
• Cheese Pizza: Cheifyc via Pixabay

by Lisa Norman

One of the greatest delights of my business is working with authors, watching stories come to life, watching books come into existence.

Lately, I've been struck by how often we must wait as authors, and how often that waiting takes new authors by surprise. In my publishing business, I have a strict “no deadlines” rule, not because I don’t want books done quickly, but because deadlines can lead us to miss opportunities. It is too easy to rush and make mistakes. Once a book is in print, you can still change things, but it is no fun to have regrets.

One author I know is waiting for an editorial slot. She’s finished the book! She can’t wait for feedback and to start this next grand adventure. The editor can hopefully get to the book in three months.

Three months?

May be a bit longer. But they’re a fantastic editor, so they’re busy. In demand. Worth waiting for.

Except not everyone is willing to wait. And they go with someone with a shorter lead time… who may or may not be as skilled. We’re trading time for skill.

I was making an appointment with a fantastic cover artist for an author. They have a slot open in five months. I jumped to take it, even though the book is ready for a cover now. Why? Because if I don’t book, it’ll be a year before I get in with that artist. Sure, I could use another artist, but this artist has done the first three books, and changing style, a style that has been successful, would hurt the chances. I’m trading time for consistency.

A month ago, I signed up with a marketing firm and put down a chunk of change. My ads just started running. I can’t wait for the results. But I need to! Sure, I could manage the marketing myself, but this company comes with a great reputation. I’m trading time for expertise.

I’m working with an author who is waiting to hear back from an agent. Early comments from the agent have been very positive, and she’s got feelers out with some others in the industry. The waiting is murder. She could just self-publish. But she’s trading time for a chance at something bigger.

So much of what we do as writers involves waiting.

Recently, I worked with two different authors to resolve similar situations with Amazon. One decided the problem couldn’t be avoided and took a drastic measure: pulling down a bunch of books and putting them back up with new ISBNs. Why? Because that was the “only” way to resolve the problem. Meanwhile, slowly and patiently, I watched another author solve the same issue. We traded time and frustration for a better marketing stance.

When I talk to authors, my answer is usually, “take a deep breath and start the next book!” But I admit it, that can be hard!

Patience: the silent companion on every author’s journey.

Have you run into the waiting game in your writing career? Have you rushed something you wished you hadn’t? What do you do to help ease the stress of waiting?

About Lisa

Lisa Norman's passion has been writing since she could hold a pencil. While that is a cliché, she is unique in that her first novel was written on gum wrappers. As a young woman, she learned to program and discovered she has a talent for helping people and computers learn to work together and play nice. When she's not playing with her daughter, writing, or designing for the web, she can be found wandering the local beaches.

Lisa writes as Deleyna Marr and is the owner of Deleyna's Dynamic Designs, a web development company focused on helping writers, and Heart Ally Books, LLC, an indie publishing firm.

Interested in learning more from Lisa? Sign up for her newsletter or check out her classroom where she teaches social media, organization, technical skills, and marketing for authors!

Top image from Depositphotos.

An opinion on successful editor-author relationships

by David Lombardino

I hear the stories all the time: authors jaded by a traumatic experience with an editor and editors frustrated by authors who won’t listen to them. The authors lose confidence in themselves or, worse, abandon the desire to pursue their writing dreams. The editors lose work and reputation. Isn’t there a better way? Aren’t there editor–author relationships where both get what they want?

If you are an author, how do you get this kind of relationship? If you are an editor, how do you get it?

FIRST, FOR AUTHORS

Nothing is more enriching or empowering as an author than having an editor who supports and encourages you and provides valuable insight and guidance in the pursuit of your vision. Behind all the world’s most successful authors, no matter how you define “successful,” is one or more editor who has performed this role.

But how do you find such an editor or develop such a relationship with one?

Different Editors Have Different Skillsets and Personalities

In the same way different editors have different personalities, different editors possess different skillsets. An editor who is great with evaluation and development of a story or manuscript may not be a great copyeditor with an eye for syntax or phrasing, or a great proofreader who can catch every missed comma.

So the first question is: What type of editor do I need?

How to Find a Great Proofreader

If you need a proofreader, you want someone who has a keen eye for detail and knows grammar and punctuation, as well as any style guide requirements. You want someone who can find and correct every error with a high degree of accuracy. You want someone who will be right and knows they are right.

Such an editor makes for a great proofreader and should be the type of editor you consider for a proofreading role. But someone who is used to being right all the time, and expects that authors view them that way as well, may not make a great developmental editor or copyeditor.

How to Find a Great Developmental Editor

A great developmental editor has, perhaps, the opposite personality of a great proofreader. A great developmental editor starts with listening to the author and asking questions. What are your goals for your book? Do you wish to sell as many books as possible, and are you willing to make any changes to the story to achieve that? Or are there certain changes you wouldn’t be willing to make, say to a character or a particular plot point? The best developmental editors will listen to your goals and give you recommendations and guidance within that perspective.

So when looking for a developmental editor, start by meeting with them and having a conversation. Pay attention during it. Do they listen to you? Can they tailor their suggestions and advice according to your particular goals for your book while respecting what you’re willing and not willing to change about the story? Do they accept your feedback regarding what type of help you would find most valuable? Can they be a reliable partner?

How to Find a Great Copyeditor/Line Editor

A great copyeditor/line editor falls between a proofreader and a developmental editor in terms of both skillset and desired personality. Since a copyeditor’s role includes correcting errors in syntax, grammar and punctuation, you want them to have the proofreader’s mindset I described above. But since their role also includes changes to wording or phrasing that could affect tone, voice and writing style, you also want them to have the developmental editor’s mindset.

The question is: Can you find both in the same person?

Signs You Have the Wrong Editor

Depending on the editor’s role, you can identify some signs before hiring the wrong editor. If you need proofreading done, and the editor you are considering has a personality more like that of a developmental editor, one who wishes to build a relationship with you before starting the work, this may indicate they are not as skilled in proofreading as you would want. They may not provide the quality of work you should expect from a proofreader.

And the opposite is true. If you need developmental editing, and the editor thinks they can just jump right in without getting to know you and your goals for your book first, you will likely find the experience to be an unfulfilling, frustrating and misdirected one. How can they give the right advice if they haven’t taken the time to get to know you and your goals?

For copyeditors/line editors, take an approach in between. Do they exhibit a strong understanding of grammar and punctuation while being approachable to talk to? Are they well-versed in the relevant style guide while remaining flexible to align their approach with your goals?

NOW, FOR EDITORS

Don’t worry. I’ve been there. I’ve seen changes that would strengthen my client’s writing, but they still don’t want to accept my recommendations. What do you do?

The comparison I like to give is it’s like if you were a doctor. Someone comes to you with a stomachache and asks what they can do to resolve it. With all your training and experience, you see right away what is causing the pain and write a prescription for a medication you know will take care of it. You give the prescription to the patient, and the patient leaves your office.

At this point, you have done your job and done it well. It is up to the patient to decide whether to have that prescription filled and to take it according to your instructions.

Tips by Editor Type

If you are a proofreader, you make all the corrections you see need to be made. You do so with tracked changes, and the writer has the responsibility to accept them.

If you are a developmental editor, none of the necessary improvements you recommend will bring any value to the author if you have not taken the time to ensure your advice is the type they want to receive. Like addressing the patient with the stomachache, who may also have a scratch on their leg that needs attention, start by telling them about what would cure their stomachache. You can ask them about the scratch, too, but avoid simply telling them how to fix it without treating their primary need first.

As odd it may seem, they may be completely fine with the scratch on their leg. Jumping in to tell them about it without addressing their main concern will likely cause them to get defensive and think you haven’t listened to what they want.

If you are a copyeditor/line editor, look to strike a balance between the above. Know what rules in writing cannot be broken, and with the rest, allow yourself to be flexible within the author’s goals for their book.

And even with rules that cannot be broken, be open to the possibility that, in the right circumstances, they can.

About David

David Lombardino started his career in 2001 as an editor for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris, France, while pursuing his passion for writing fiction, publishing short stories in literary journals The Helix, Sonora Review and Soundings East. He returned to the U.S. in 2008 to found a premier editing and proofreading company, and thus began DLA Editors & Proofers.

Chosen for their collaborative mindset and genuine desire to see each of their authors succeed, DLA’s book editors’ expertise spans a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres. DLA clients are equally diverse, from novice to seasoned writers, from self-published writers to best-selling authors, and everything in between.

DLA’s book editing services include manuscript evaluation, developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading.

When he’s not busy championing the successes of DLA’s editors and authors, David enjoys photography, volunteering at the Houston Food Bank and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Top image purchased from Depositphotos.