The Indie Book Review just banned my book because it has an AI-generated cover art. Their policy is that any use of generative AI is "unethical" because it hurts the employment of writers, artists and translators. Thus they ban books that make "any use of generative AI". This luddite viewpoint overlooks the fact that any tool can make a talented writer, artist, or translator better and more productive. What's next, banning artwork that an artists creates using Photoshop instead of crayons? What about writers employing ghostwriters from countries with lower labor costs than in North America or Europe? They cite that both of these reduce employment opportunities for those who service this industry. My decision, as an emerging author with a shoestring budget to use AI to reduce cost for both my book cover and subsequent marketing is a creative decision to rely on my own creativity to guide generative AI, instead of hiring someone else's. Ethics does not extend to guaranteed employment of others. This confounds politics with ethics. Should not the reader be the sole decision maker of quality? Book banning based on the creative process, or many other reasons, is unethical.

Many people aren't lacking ambition. They aren't sure which direction to take next. I've been in that position myself, and getting the right perspective made a big difference for me. If you're currently building something and have a challenge you're trying to solve, I'm happy to share what has worked for me where I can. What are you currently working on, and what's the biggest challenge you're facing?

Sometimes we say “I need more sales” when the real issue is that we're attracting the wrong people. Or we say “I need more traffic” when the real problem is conversion. Or we say “I need a better strategy” when what we really need is consistency. What problem are you currently trying to solve, and what do you think is causing it?

What are your thoughts? I’ll go first. Spell check is AI. People have been using it in editing for decades. Now we have tools and software that can help us with flow, finding plot holes, and determining overused words. I’m here for it! As long as you are doing the writing and not using AI to write your story, I think it’s fine to have it help you read through and edit it.

What genre is your current manuscript? Have you published before or will this be your first?