Author: Jennifer Vance

This blog post was not written by artificial intelligence, though we highly considered it.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a pretty broad term that describes using computers and machines to mimic the human mind. Whether it’s Siri or Alexa, face recognition software or even predictive text, the use of AI is becoming more and more prevalent on a daily basis. And new platforms and software are constantly being developed and improved upon.

How authors can use AI

First and foremost, you need to familiarize yourself with what’s available. Most authors will utilize what’s known as generative AI, which can produce various types of content, like images, audio, text, etc. Below are only a smattering of the AI options out there, though they’re definitely some of the most popular. Acquaint yourself with different platforms to find what works best for you.

• Jasper AI
• ChatGPT
• Claude
• Perplexity
• StudioShot
• Perfect Bound
• Alt Text
• FlexClip

There are genuine reasons to use AI, like getting a head start on a project; doing the routine, mundane tasks; augmenting the scalability of tasks, etc. Below are some ways to consider utilizing AI as an author:

• Generate ideas for your blog
• Organize an outline of your current work in progress
• Workshop back cover copy
• Draft query emails for agents and editors
• Analyze author bios and draft your bio at different lengths
• Brainstorm social media captions
• Recommend questions for author events, talking points for interviews, etc.

In general, you should never take what AI has created and use it as is. These tools are great to research, inspire and jump-start ideas, but your voice and personality are what draw people to your content. A social media caption created by AI is going to sound like it was created by AI. Remember to always keep the human element in your content; use the ideas AI has given you and expound and better it.

It’s also important to think about what you are putting out into the world. As we see increases in spam, books that are completely written by AI, and more, the relationships we build from person to person are becoming more important than ever. It’s incredibly important to keep in mind the responsibility we hold for the content we provide people. 

AI and book production

Publishers are also testing AI capabilities not just in marketing but in the book production phase as well. When it comes to forming metadata, brainstorming keywords, and even indexing, AI cas assist publishers in some of the more routine tasks, allowing them to free up time and personnel for more creative endeavors. The time it takes to get a book to market will also likely shrink — with a shrinking of costs included — with companies’ increased use of AI.

Whether you realize it or not, AI is all around the publishing world in some of the programs you’re already using: Tools like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and even PDFs have accessibility tech built into them. And authors frequently employ platforms like Grammarly and ProWritingAid. Even using an EPUB accessibility checking tool, like Ace by DAISY, is common practice for helping publishers meet industry standards and file requirements for ebooks. 

Legal landscape of AI

Important questions are even now being worked out in the legal system about protectability, authorship and ownership of AI-generated material. Currently, precedent says that to own something, there must be human authorship — works created by animals, celestial beings, machines, etc. don’t count.

Furthermore, the U.S. Copyright Office has declared that things made with AI need to have a disclaimer on them, though the agency is ​​continuing to collect information to analyze current law and how it applies to generative AI. Cases involving graphic novels with AI-generated images and human-authored texts, as well as whether using existing materials to train AI is infringement are currently working their way through the courts.

The final word on AI

Be responsible and remember why you became an author in the first place: because you had something to say. AI content will always be just that — content. But art comes from humans, and no matter how much inspiration AI provides, it’s not something authors can depend on full-stop.

Jennifer Vance

Jennifer Vance is a publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.

Interested in what’s possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.

Yeah, it’s exhausting keeping up with social media and whatever Twitter is now called — it’s X, by the way, even though the URL for the site still says Twitter. And with the many changes that have occurred at the former bird app, users are flocking (pun totally intended) to other newly created social media platforms. 

But do you need to?

Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. Social media is a great tool to promote your book, but there’s no singular way to successfully do social media.

So what is Threads?

Threads is a text-based app that’s part of the Meta universe. With the ability to open an account via your Instagram account, Threads is a great alternative for those looking to take the leap from Twitter to an app with a similar interface and functionality. Threads has a 500-character limit for posts, and consists of a fun feature where you can share your Threads posts directly to your Instagram stories.

There are some downsides to the new app though: Threads definitely looks and performs better on mobile over desktop. Also, it’s really hard to get rid of your account. Want to delete your Threads account? You’re going to have to delete your Instagram account as well. And of course, like many new apps, there are glitches and it can be difficult to find your audience just starting out. 

But if you can look past the growing pains, you’ll find an app very similar to Twitter that has the potential 

Alternatives to X

If you can’t be on Elon Musk’s app without getting the ick, we understand. It’s important to decide what platform is right for you and post on an app you enjoy. If it becomes a chore, it’s going to feel like a chore. So here are some alternatives to X and Threads:

Mastodon

This definitely isn’t a straightforward alternative like Threads. It’s “decentralized” format declares to put the feed back in the hands of the users, which If you enjoy Reddit or Discord, then you’ll likely be able to catch on to how Mastodon functions. 

Spill

Billing itself as “a visual conversation at the speed of culture,” the Black-owned app has been developed to monitor abuse and/or hate against communities of color, like that users might have experienced on Twitter.

BlueSky

BlueSky was developed by Twitter’s former CEO, Jack Dorsey, so it stands to reason that there are similarities between the two platforms. It’s like Twitter, stripped down to the essentials. You can still post and include images and repost, but it differs greatly in that, like Mastodon, it’s decentralized, operating on independently run servers rather than one owned by a business.

WT.Social

Visually, it gives off a vibe similar to Facebook, though it labels itself “the nontoxic social network.” If that’s the case, the platform founded by Wikipedia’s creator would be a far cry from Zuckerberg’s.

If all else fails, you can still check out the stalwarts of the social media platforms and get to posting in places like Facebook and TikTok.

What do the numbers say?

Like it or not, X is still the leader when it comes to users. Excluding Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, X is still has millions more users than its closest competitor. Musk claims the platform has over 500 million, though that would be a large increase compared to user numbers in the mid-250 millions in 202 only a year ago.

Threads has over 100 million users, though that still lags greatly behind X. And the alternatives have even less. That doesn’t mean that audiences won’t steadily grow, but it does mean that when it comes to potential to reach the most people, X is still one of the largest platforms.

Ultimately, it’s important to find the platform that works for you. The best method to discover that is by jumping in and testing them out!

Jennifer Vance

Jennifer Vance is a publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.

Interested in what’s possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.