Writer’s Corner: What to expect from your Publisher

Posted: November 2, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Books, Indie Publishing, Intellectual Property, Publishing, Self-Publishing, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing Business | Tags: independent publishing, Intellectual Property, Kaye Lynne Booth, Publishing, Publishing Contracts, Publishing Platforms, Traditional Publishing, WordCrafter Press, Writing Business | 7 Comments

Caracature of a woman typing on a keyboard at a very messy desk. Text: Writer's Corner with Kaye Lynne Booth

Traditional vs. Independent Publishing – What you should know

If you follow me, you probably know I don’t have a high opinion of traditional publishing. For decades it was simply the way things were done in the publishing industry. The author would submit their work to different publishers, wait several months to receive a reply, which sometimes never came, but was usually a rejection. Then, on the off-chance that they did receive an acceptance letter, they would be given the option to enter into a contract which was usually stacked in the publisher’s favor and often screwed the author royally. Kevin J. Anderson tells horror stories about authors who got stiffed, literally, because publishers ask for rights they don’t need, and authors sign away rights that they didn’t have to, thus diminishing the authors rights and their ability to manage their own IP, (Intellectual Property).

I can’t produce KJA to explain this all to you, but I did find this YouTube video by a woman calling herself the guerilla publisher. I don’t know anything about her credentials, but I do know that what she says about the publishing industry is true and KJA’s stories were very similar.

As soon as I got a taste of what publishing the traditional way involved, I knew two things: 1- I didn’t have the patience for traditional publishing. I was already in my forties, and I didn’t have the time to sit around waiting for someone to fall in love with my work. I wanted my work to be out there where people could read it. Like this blog, I was writing to be read. And 2- I wanted to keep control over my own assets. Independent publishing seemed like a no-brainer for me. And the move to go back and get the M.A. in publishing so I could learn how to do it right was one of the best moves I ever made.

I had actually published the first edition of Delilah through a small independent press. I signed a 5-year contract, which luckily, didn’t have any of the pitfalls mentioned in the video, because I did not know what the hell I was doing. They tried to stick me with a lame cover that wasn’t truly representative of the story within, and although they claimed they were marketing the book, I never saw any of their efforts. At the end of five years, I had earned very little in royalties and most of them came from the books I purchased on Amazon, since the publisher didn’t offer author copies at a discounted price. At this point, I had already published several anthologies, as well as Hidden Secrets and Last Call, on my own through Draft2Digital, and I truly felt I could do a better job of selling Delilah than my publisher had, so I did not renew my contract. I was lucky. Getting out of it was pretty easy.

But, publishing is a lot of work, and isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and I can see why some authors would want someone else to public their book for them. And today, there are many small independent publishers who will do this, including WordCrafter Press. When I decided to found my own publishing house and publish the works of others, I wanted to do a better job than that small independent press where I published Delilah, so I try to not only publish a quality book through my editing and formatting skills, but I also offer full services of cover design, book trailers and wide availability.

That’s right, wide availability. That means that WordCrafter Press books are available through retailers worldwide, including Amazon, and on subscription services, such as Kobo Plus, and on library lists. And that means, that people can find WordCrafter Press books in all those places, if readers look for them there. I promote WordCrafter Press books through a Universal Book Link (UBL), which takes potential readers to a landing page with links to all the retailers where the book can be distributed, and of course, they can also access retailers directly to find what they are looking for.

Availability vs. Distribution

Follow the link below for a guest post by Tanya Hall on Jane Friedman’s blog, which explains what an author needs to know when publishing through a publisher and how to understand what the data is that they are looking at. It offers a clear explanation of the difference between availability and distribution, which makes a big difference in what the author may or may not expect as far as selling books.

Way to Tell If a Publisher Actually Has Distribution | Friedman

Ms. Hall’s article makes some valid points. Just because your book is available through a specific retailer, or on library and subscription lists, does not mean that it is placed anywhere where readers can find it. Efforts must be made somewhere along the line to give our books visibility, if we expect readers to find and read them. Having your book carried with online retailers may not be enough. That’s where promotional efforts come in. the bigger, the better. Although independent authors can determine to spend as much or as little as they want on these efforts, this is one area, where publishers usually step back and leave it up to the author.

And that’s where, hopefully, WordCrafter Press stands out from the rest, offering book blog tours with every book release, creating trailers and/or shorts for the book and collaborating with authors to create excerpt readings and other promotional materials. The authors can chose to carry it a step further through other avenues of promotion, but I try to at least give each book a good start, and I also promote WordCrafter’s backlist regularly, so they don’t just fall by the wayside.

Publishers and aggregators, (middlemen between authors and retailers, like D2D), may make a book available, but do little or nothing to let readers know that it’s there. Even traditional publishers are doing less and less to gain visibility, leaving it up to the authors to get their books in front of readers, (and advances are becoming smaller, or even non-existent in recent times). But with WordCrafter Press, it is a joint effort. Every book I publish for another author, or anthology that I compile, is a collaboration with the authors involved.

Some authors bring their own covers to the table, while others may prefer to have me provide one, or we might collaborate on that, too. I use book blog tours with every release, and that requires guest posts, or readings, from the authors to provide the tour content. Promotional efforts are a collaboration, too. When you combine two or more author platforms, you are bound to reach more readers. Since WordCrafter Press authors are really partners in the endeavor of publishing and selling the book, instead of offering large advances or paying a set price for individual stories, which I couldn’t afford to do, authors are offered a royalty split for each project.

Many independent publishers don’t have the ability and resources to get books placed in brick & mortar stores and library lists. WordCrafter Press can get them on the lists through D2D, but sadly, actually getting them into libraries and brick & mortar stores is still up to the authors, because it involves engaging people and building relationships. Book store and library lists are long, with hundreds of books available, and librarians and bookstore owners need to be aware that a book exists before they can purchase it, or carry it on their shelves. The best reference I know that explains how this all works, and how to build those relationships, is Mark Leslie Lefebrve’s, An Author’s Guide to Working with Bookstores & Libraries. I’ve talked about getting your books into libraries and bookstores, previously, and reviewed Mark’s book. You can see that post here.

In Conclusion

The landscape of the publishing world is rapidly changing. Today’s authors are not set in the traditional publishing path or not at all. They are faced with many choices as to the methods used to get their books in front of potential readers. While you may still choose to publish through traditional routes, with long wait times between submission and publication, shrinking advances and smaller royalties, contracts which favor the publisher rather than the author, and less promotional efforts on the publisher’s part, I’m finding difficult imagine why anyone would want to.

Success comes for today’s author through hard work and determination. And for those who don’t want to do it all, or don’t have the time due to other life commitments, finding a good independent publisher may be the solution. Whatever you choose, learn to do it properly, and protect your rights and your IP. And if you’re considering publishing with WordCrafter Press… well hey, you know where to find me. (KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com).

About Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.

Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.

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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by Undawnted.

Step Into the Undawnted Universe

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Welcome to Undawnted, where imagination is fearless. Whether you’re craving a slow-burn paranormal romance, a bone-chilling horror story, a mind-bending sci-fi thriller, or songs/lyrical poetry that lingers long after the last line- there’s a feeling here waiting to pull you in.

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Chase the multigenerational curse. Fans of atmospheric enigmas will want to dive into the Salt Pines Mystery series, where a family curse spans generations and secrets refuse to stay buried.

Go beyond the ordinary. In the sci-fi novelette The Reality Hackers, reality itself isn’t as constant as you think. And for readers who want an ongoing saga, DL Mullan’s multi-book Legacy Universe — a supernatural superhero series — is currently in the works, promising an expanding mythology for readers who like to get lost in a world for the long haul.

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Writer’s Corner: The AI Controversy

Posted: October 5, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: AI Technology, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: AI Technology, book marketing, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing to be Read | 10 Comments

I’ve always been one to stand on the middle ground in most things. “All things in moderation” is one of my mottos. And that’s how I was when it came to AI. I saw the value in some AI tools and I admittedly experimented with both AI and Generative AI tools a bit. I would use AI editing tools to polish each of my manuscripts. The AI tools often caught mistakes and errors that my familiar eyes might have otherwise missed. And I played with generative AI to stimulate my own imagination on my descriptions, occasionally. I also have four of my own books which I published in audiobook form with AI narration, but I don’t think I’ve sold even one audiobook, so I’m not sure how valuable that AI turned out to be. I have always been transparent about my use of AI, when I did use it, and I didn’t see the harm.

But now, it seems AI is being shoved down my throat. You may have heard this rant from me before, but it is true. (You can read that rant here: https://writingtoberead.com/2026/06/08/writers-corner-the-ai-delimma/)When I open an app, or email, I’m prompted to let copilot, or some other AI device, write it for me. And especially on my phone, I don’t seem to be able to get rid of it. The little box appears in my email suggesting I ‘polish’, and it won’t let me type myself as long as it is up. Now, I am a writer, and frankly, I find it insulting to think that I would need help from an AI tool to write an email, or anything else.

I know. There are people out there who want to let AI write the whole damned book for them, probably because they really can’t write themselves at all. And it’s true they are tarnishing the good names of those of us who can write, and making things more difficult, and more expensive, in the publishing world.

The AI Controversy

The controversy over AI has heated up in recent years, and at times seems to be out of hand. There are several different issues, including those mentioned above, which come up in author discussions about AI, and often get lumped together in the controversial category. Other issues include, but are in no way limited to, careers being damaged by the admitted use, or the championing of AI technology, copyrights being infringed upon by Generative AI’s unauthorized use of creative works and tying authors up in lengthy legal battles. These are all real concerns that should be taken into account as authors navigate the world of publishing.

What AI Can Do To An Author’s Career

Serepha Giron and the AI Witch Hunt

Horror author Serepha Giron, was recently outed from the Horror Writer’s Association just for speaking out in favor of the use of AI in some instances, calling the publishing industry’s over the top response to the use of AI in creative endeavors a witch hunt.

HWA Cancels Their Member Sèphera Girón After Pro-AI Newsletter Column Sparks Backlash

Chuck Wendig’s Response to the HWA’s Response

Regarding The Pro-AI Tantrum In The HWA Newsletter – Chuck Wendig: Terribleminds

Generative AI

Now, the other side of this debate involves a different matter involving generative AI specifically. There’s been quite a ruckus caused by the way generative AI is being trained using the words of talented authors without obtaining the proper permissions to do so. I know several authors whose works have been used for this purpose, and they are now tied up in a maze of legal battles over copyright and compensation. Authors on this side of the debate aren’t talking though. After the fiasco with the HWA and Seraph Giron, none of them would touch my invitation to guest post or comment here with a twenty-foot pole.

The most reasonable discussion I’ve found regarding this issue comes from Laura Hemling, The Guerrilla Publisher. She explains how generative AI works when used to write with the assistance of an AI tool, why not all generative AI training is not theft, or piracy, and why using AI tools to help write YOUR book doesn’t take away from YOUR authorship.

Just for the sake of transparency, let me go on record as stating that I use the MS Editor which is built into my MS Word program to locate possible problem spots, but then, I decide how to correct them, if I think they need correcting. Since AI is often wrong, I find it often doesn’t need fixed, or I have a better fix for it than the AI suggests. I no longer use Pro-Writing Aid, as its suggestions are mostly total rewording, which I don’t need, and neither do my authors.

I am going to have to rethink how I want to present my stance on AI, when it comes to collaborative works, because I don’t ask my authors about their AI use, so I can’t claim the WordCrafter Press books don’t use AI because I don’t really know. My feeling is to each his own, but I don’t want to make any false claims. I don’t want to be one of the publishers who tries to control their authors use of AI, as mentioned in the video, so perhaps just requesting them to notify me if AI was used so I can represent the work honestly would be the best way to go.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you use AI to assist in your writing? Use it just for editing? And if you do, are you forthcoming about it, or avoid mention of the topic? Let me know in the comments and let’s stir up a conversation.

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Now, be aware, the use of AI tools is not cut and dried. There are many different types of AI tools, and using an AI editor is not the same as using generative AI to write a book for you. And that is different than using generative AI to create a cover. And those are all different than the AI that helps us write or improve ads.

Other Uses for AI as an Author

AI is here to stay. It’s not going to go away, no matter what direction the controversy takes. It infiltrates almost every aspect of our lives today. We have it tied into our home systems, it’s at our fingertips on our phones, and now, it’s changing the way we find things on the internet. It’s writing books, narrating audiobooks, creating art and illustrations, and answering our queries.

It is embedded into the technology we’re already using. I didn’t want AI to summarize my emails, because I prefer to read them myself, and I don’t need it to write my emails for me. I find that insulting. So, I turned off the smart features in my gmail, as per Google instructions. To my chagrin, it didn’t just disable those two features, but also the sorting feature that divides my inbox into Primary, Updates, Social and other categories, making it easier to sort through. So, when I opened my inbox, instead of seeing my primary messages which I need to give attention, as usual, every message was bunched together in one big inbox, making them impossible to sort through. I had no idea that this was a smart feature, but apparently, if I want it, I’m stuck putting up with the features which I find so insulting.

I’m a writer. So, again, I would not use an AI tool to help me put words to page, (or write my emails). That’s what I do, so I think I will retain my creativity, although I may still use the editor which comes with MS Word.

But, I am not a cover designer or a marketer, so I might consider using AI tools to help me to complete such tasks. I see the value in using AI to carry out tasks that I don’t have the talent or the knowledge for. Is that wrong? I don’t think so. But I do think an author needs to be cautious in these tumultuous times, when any kind of association with AI could tarnish a good reputation, or even result in a death sentence. And if you are going to use AI, you need to be very transparent about it. You may lose some readers, but probably not as many as if you were not transparent and then get called out on it. I firmly believe it is better to state it up front.

We need to be aware though of what AI technology in these capacities entails. Using AI to create illustrations or book covers is truly an AI assist, because the technology creates the image according to what we, the humans feed it. We tell it we want an image of a girl, standing in a river and that’s what it gives us. Then, we tweak it to our own specifications. i.e. “a girl with red hair dressed in Native American attire”, etc… In fact, we are still the creators, because without our instruction, the AI can do nothing on it’s own. And I believe you can even provide the base image yourself and use AI to enhance it. It may take several attempts to get it right, because AI gets it wrong a lot, especially if you don’t know the right way to phrase your instructions so that AI understands.

Book Covers and Illustrations

I don’t use AI for the book covers I design, such as the ones shown above, but at times, I use a cover designer who does. DL Mullan of Undawnted, creates many of the WordCrafter Press book covers. Next March, when the third book in my Women in the West Adventure Series, Marta, is released through my Kickstarter campaign, I’m planning to offer special illustrated editions of all three books in the series, which Miss Mullan has created special covers for and she also is creating some spectacular illustrations, such as the girl in the water used in the example above, from Sarah, book 2.

Audiobook Narration

A few years ago, there was controversy about AI narration taking jobs away from human narrators. For me the point was mute, because I didn’t have the finances to afford a human narrator, I tried AI narration out on three of my books. The Rock Star & The Outlaw, Delilah and Hidden Secrets are all available in AI narrated audiobooks on Google Play Books, and another edition of The Rock Star & The Outlaw is also available on Apple Books. I put them all out there, although I admit I didn’t really know what I was doing, and I thought the quality of the AI narrations were fair. (I recently had the opportunity to review an AI narrated audiobook, Magnolia Bay Mystery: The Tainted Taffy, by Fiona Grace, (see my review here), and I would not have been able to tell the narrator was not human, had I not known.) But to be honest, that is as far as it went. I haven’t, to date, sold one copy. I don’t think I’ll be using AI narration any more in the future, as it just isn’t worth the effort.

If you are interested, you can check them out at the Google Play Books links below.

The Rock Star & The Outlaw: The Rock Star & The Outlaw: Time-Travel Adventure by Kaye Lynne Booth – Audiobooks on Google Play

Delilah: Delilah by Kaye Lynne Booth – Audiobooks on Google Play

Hidden Secrets: Hidden Secrets: Paranormal Mystery by Kaye Lynne Booth – Audiobooks on Google Play

(On a more exciting note, at least for me, I now may actually have a human narrator for both books in my Time Travel Adventure Series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw and Double Visions, and that tickles me purple. If all works out, those may be available as early nas 2028.)

Book Marketing

LinkedIn recently came out with a “New Guide: How to Dominate the AI Search on LinkedIn“, which may be aimed at B2B marketers, but the concept of writing to the AI Search might be useful in book marketing, as well, because AI Search is the new way readers are finding books.

The fact is, AI is changing the way our books are being discovered. The technology marches on, whether we jump into the procession or not. As things shift from browser to AI search, SEO is no longer the golden key which unlocks the door for readers to find our books. We may be writing books for our ideal readers, but it looks like we should be writing our book descriptions for AI recommendations, according to this article, “Make Your Books More AI Visible #Marketing”, by author and blogger Deborah Jay: https://deborahjayauthor.com/2026/08/17/make-your-books-more-ai-visible-marketing/

One Last Thought

One doesn’t have to be an author to worry about AI. If you want to ponder something that should scare the bejeesus out of you, check out Kim Kamando’s article, “Will AI be the End of the Human Race?“. This is some scary stuff, if you think about it.

About Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders. Her novels include Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Books 1 & 2 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, and Double Visions.

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by Undawnted.

Step Into the Undawnted Universe

Some authors write in one lane. DL Mullan builds worlds — and then dares you to walk into every single one of them.

Chase the multigenerational curse. Fans of atmospheric enigmas will want to dive into the Salt Pines Mystery series, where a family curse spans generations and secrets refuse to stay buried.

Visit www.undawnted.comto explore the growing library, read excerpts, listen to soundtracks, and find your next obsession.

Like/Comment/Subscribe to Undawnted’s YouTube channel.

Undawnted: Read. Feel. Discover.

Writer’s Corner: Preserving The Craft of Writing

Posted: September 7, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: AI Technology, Editing, Writer's Corner, Writing, writing craft | Tags: AI Technology, Editing, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read | 6 Comments

Advice for writing success I seem to be hearing a lot, is to “Put out more books”. I first heard this advice several years ago, from bestselling author, Kevin J. Anderson, and while it is good advice, he wasn’t talking about cranking out a gajillion sub-par books with AI in order to get rich quick. He was talking about becoming prolific and crafting some quality works of literature, because we are writers, and that’s what writers do.

We craft our words, often deliberating over each and every one to make sure they serve a purpose in our stories. We labor over the right words to say what needs to be said, to mold and shape our stories into the works that were meant to be. For real writers, the joy of finding just the right words to make our stories come alive is a glorious feeling that we wouldn’t trade for any amount of money.

Real writers labor over their words, then send them off to others to ensure they are grammatically correct, they haven’t missed any plot holes, and the logic of the story isn’t flawed. Because real writers know the value of a good editor. We know that a second set of eyes, even if it is just a beta reader, or a good proofreader, can pick out things that our own eyes have missed because the writer may be too close to the story. No one on this planet knows the story better than the writer does.

Those other folks who have popped up recently, using AI to crank out stories and fill their catalogs, may have a lot of books, but they aren’t writers. They are wanna-be-writers, who don’t have the skill and talent to write on their own. They don’t care about the quality of the work. All they care about is making oodles of money.

Could I use AI to write a story faster. Maybe… but I won’t, because I am a real writer and a real editor, who helps others to perfect their own stories. Through WordCrafter Press, I publish between eight and ten books per year. They aren’t all mine, of course. To do that, I’d have to implement AI tools. No, one or two each year are my own, and I also publish two-four anthologies annually, and the rest are the works of others. Anthology contributors take a part in the process and offer more eyes on the works, in case I miss something. I also offer editing services, through Write it Right Editing, where authors can seek editing help or advice, without mortgaging their house, to assure they put out a quality piece of writing.

I maintain that writing books with AI isn’t really writing and is an insult to the craft. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

About Kaye Lynne Booth

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by Write it Right Quality Editing Services, and WordCrafter Press.

Caricature of woman staring off in thought at a table holding a quill pen. Papers and ink bottle on the table.

Quality Editing at Affordable Rates

Let Write it Right make your manuscript shine.

Editing Services | Writing to be Read

Writer’s Corner: Publishing Wide

Posted: August 3, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Indie Publishing, Publishing, Self-Publishing, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: Direct Selling, Intellectual Property, Kaye Lynne Booth, Publishing, Publishing Wide, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read | 10 Comments

Many of you know that I publish wide. I’ve published Writer’s Corner posts on this topic in the past such as, “Why Put All Your Eggs in One Basket?” or “6 Reasons I Chose to go Wide with my Books“. All of the reasons mentioned in those posts still hold today, but the one that stands out the most for me today is maintaining control of my intellectual property (IP). Something many authors may not realize, is that each story they write has value as IP. Maintaining control of your IP means that you can restructure and reuse your IP as you see fit. Authors who sign away their IP to traditional publishers no longer have the right to reuse that IP.

So, if I sign a book with a traditional publisher, I sign away all rights to that book. The publisher decides when and how the book will be released. They have the right to change the title, choose the cover, and they may even have the right to tell you to change the wording or the whole direction that the story takes. But, if I publish independently, or at least be aware of the wording on any contract I do sign, I can retain control of my copyright. (With short fiction anthologies, usually your copyright is signed over for short time, 3-6 months, and then it reverts back to you, but you must make sure this is in the wording.) That enables me to turn around and use that same book in a box set collection, or that story in a short story collection of my own, giving it even more value. This is important because IP is an intangible that can be passed on to your family after you die. It is a part of your estate. It is best described in a book by Dean Wesley Smith, called The Magic Bakery, which I talk about in my “Review in Practice“.

I know lots of authors who just want to write. They don’t want to worry about promotion or selling. They can’t be bothered with worrying about their IP. They’d rather just publish on Amazon, enroll their books in KDP, and move on to the next story. But like it or not, when you are an author, you are a business. And if that’s the way these authors want to do business, that’s okay. They can do that.

But think about this. Amazon has been known to suspend author accounts for various reasons. If they claim you have breached their policies in some way, they can do this, and it’s up to you to prove to them that there has been no breach. This is no easy feat and could take an indefinite amount of time. Meanwhile, if you are exclusive on Amazon, your whole writing income has just been placed on hold. On the other hand, as a wide author, they can suspend me, and my book income from other channels still continues uninterrupted. Now, I admit that Amazon brings in the largest part of my sales income, so if that happened, it would still hurt, but it wouldn’t devastate me like it might an author who publishes exclusive through Amazon.

But publishing wide doesn’t just mean getting your books out with as many retailers as possible. Publishing wide means getting your books on subscription channels and library lists, as well. Selling direct is also a valuable piece to selling wide because an author keeps more of their royalties by cutting out the middleman. This is something I’m just dipping my toes in the water with, through my digital doubles deals I’ve run for my series books this summer. This month’s Sizzling Hot Summer Digital Doubles Deal offers my short fiction, with both Hidden Secrets and Last Call and Other Short Fiction for $5.

But don’t believe me. I’m still finding my way in the publishing landscape. Listen to the BookFunnel Podcast where Mark Leslie Lefebvre talks about the publishing aggressively wide, below.

Mark Leslie Lefebvre on the BookFunnel Podcast

Self-Publishing Aggressively Wide | Mark Leslie Lefebvre | The BookFunnel Podcast

BookFunnel Offers Valuable Author Tools

I use BookFunnel to supply free copies of all my books for giveaways and reviews. My subscription is the lowest one, and I don’t even get to collect an email list from those who use the service to get copies of my books. Now, I could pay more and be allowed email collection, and also get access to other tools they offer that can be used to sell direct from my website, but I hope to be able to do so someday soon. I use BookFunnel to provide a valuable writer’s tool, which enables me to deliver to my readers. It makes delivering an ebook easy and convenient, with several methods of delivery, including reading in the BookFunnel app for those would be readers who don’t have a reader to read their ebooks.

About Kaye Lynne Booth

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Ones Who Stayed With Me, by Nurse Sammy, and WordCrafter Press.

Digital and Print copies of The Ones Who Stayed With Me, by Nurse Sammy

Chronicles of the journey into the medical field as a young nurse and beyond, told with raw sensitivity and compassion. The Ones Who Stayed with Me offers small glimpses into the world of an L.P.N. put in difficult, often touching or humorous, situations—and Nurse Sammy’s courage, vulnerability, and insight are a gift to us all. In these pages, Nurse Sammy tells her story and that of those she met along the way.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/OnesWhoStayed

Writer’s Corner: AI is Changing the Way Readers Find Our Work

Posted: July 6, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: AI Technology, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: AI Technology, Attracting Readers, Building a Reader Platform, Kaye Lynne Booth, WordCamp US 2026, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read | 5 Comments

WordCamp US 2026

Attending WordCamp US 2026 is a great way to connect with the people who are shaping the future of the web and find out directly where AI powered experiences are changing WordPress for writers, from content creation and site building to performance, personalization, and developer workflows. WordCamp US 2026 is relevant to developers, designers, agency owners, bloggers, store builders, and anyone building on WordPress. The new Sunday–Wednesday schedule means the weekend before is free to explore the Phoenix area and the Pheonix Convention Center is fully air conditioned for cool comfort to enjoy WordCamp US 2026.

Now granted, I’m a writer, not a tech person, as you may know. In fact, in many ways, the use of AI and today’s rising tech scares the heck out of me. (See my articles, “The AI Dilemma” & “To Use AI or Not To Use AI”.) Most of that stuff goes right over my head and I don’t have a clue.

Why Attend WordCamp US 2026?

That’s why I think attending WorldCamp US 2026 could be an important step in understanding how AI is impacting my writing business and how it may impact it in the foreseeable future. Technology is changing at phenomenal rates and if we aren’t careful, I believe things could get out of hand quickly. I’ve worked long and hard to build my writing business, and a lot of it is centered around WordPress. In fact, you may have heard me claim that my blog is my best marketing tool, and it is. I sure don’t want to see what it has taken me almost two decades to build fade into the infrastructure because AI has decided that my content is irrelevant.

According to Automated Affiliates, in their article, “Affiliate Content SEO in 2026: Why rankings are dropping and how to recover” in May of 2026, 71% of WordPress sites are seeing a decline in traffic because AI ranks sites different than they were previously. So basically, what used to work to draw traffic doesn’t work anymore. Thankfully, they are specifying affiliate content, so in my case, it may not be too terrible, but how can I be sure? WordCamp US 2026 may hold the answers. And if you have questions like mine, or you are more of a techy than I am and just want the abundance of information that will be available at WordCamp US 2026, let me tell you about my affiliate offer.

The $100 general admission ticket covers four full days of sessions, workshops, and meals. Sponsors include: WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Jetpack, and Pressable, so attendees can meet the teams behind the products they already use and ask any questions they may have. Even better, as members of my audience, you can get $20 off a general admission ticket by using the code AF26 at us.wordcamp.org/2026/tickets/, so your admission will only cost you $80.

About Kaye Lynne Booth

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Ones Who Stayed With Me, by Nurse Sammy, and WordCrafter Press.

When a Girl with a Guitar Meets a Man with a Gun, It’s Time to Travel

Only in July and only on the Time Travel Adventure page, get books 1 & 2 of the Time Travel Adventure Series for only $10.

Writer’s Corner: The AI Dilemma

Posted: June 8, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: AI Technology, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: AI Technology, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writer's Corner, Writing to be Read | 10 Comments

As I sit down to write this, I have a feeling that it may turn into a rant. This AI thing really disturbs me, and it’s getting worse instead of better. If you’ve followed me in the past, you may know that I’ve been known to use AI editing tools such as ProWritingAide in the writing of my books, and also that I’ve utilized generative AI, such as the free versions of Chat GPT to help me form my words in some of my descriptions, as this is an area I am weak in. (Before the anti-AI group begins to raise a fuss, please note that I have never used the AI’s wording, but rather used it to get ideas on how I wanted to use my own words. So, AI does not, and has never, written any part of my books and stories for me.)

More recently, however, I’ve been rethinking this, and I’ll tell you why.

I Don’t Like Having AI Shoved Down My Throat

AI seems to be encroaching on my life in ways which are not wanted and have not been requested, and I’m guessing some of you may feel it, too. AI tools, which we’re told are meant to make our lives easier, such as Alexa, or Google Assistant, or Seri, or whatever, seem to be trying to help without being summoned to do so on occasion. When I’m having a discussion and my Google Assistant pops in with unrequested information uninvited…, to me, that’s kind of scary. We’re told these devices and apps, which we bring into our homes, or download onto our phones and carry with us everywhere, are not listening to us; that we must say the catch-word, (Alexa or Hey Google, etc…), to activate them, yet they pop into a conversation without being summoned, offering unrequested and unwanted information. Seems to me, the AI must be eavesdropping, and how scary is that, to think they are even capable of doing such a thing?

Advances in AI technology are being thrown at us hard and fast. My email now comes equipped with AI, which offers up a summary of each email I open, (I guess to save me the trouble of actually reading the correspondence?), and then, pops up in the middle of my replies, offering to rewrite it for me! As if I cannot be bothered to write my own reply. And most of the time, what it offers up is not even close to what I wish to say. When it pops up on my phone, I am often unable to continue with what I was writing until I can convince it to disappear from my screen, as if it intends to prevent me from replying myself. Not only is this a little scary, but it’s a lot aggravating.

I did not ask for these ‘upgrades’ to my email. They just suddenly appeared after the automatic updates. I opened my email and there they were, in my yahoo account. No one ask permission to shove AI tools in my face; no one asked if I desired them. But there they are, in the applications that I use. Microsoft did the same thing with Word, although theirs is not as pushy, appearing as a little comment icon over to the side of the screen that I can click on if I need it. (I don’t.)

My MS Word program and the WordPress platform both offer AI editors, but they leave it up to you whether to use them. You must click on them to bring them up. They don’t just pop up and try to take over. It’s a matter of choice with these programs, and I don’t have a problem with that.

Since the beginning of the year, I have backed off my use of AI, and only using the built in editor on MS Word to locate possible needed corrections, but fixing them myself, because I often don’t like the solutions offered. It is frequently wrong, suggesting words which aren’t at all what you wanted to say and totally miss the point. The same with AI editors, such as ProWritingAid. It seems you can’t just take AI’s word for it anyway. You still have to use your noggin.

In the Name of Progress

On her Risky/Women Substack, “AI Won’t Kill Your Career. Your Resistance to It Will.“, Rachel Rogers says, “Refusing to use AI in 2026 is the equivalent of refusing to use the internet in 2000.” She claims that if we don’t embrace AI in the early stages, we will be left behind and our businesses will suffer.

Well, guess what? That’s exactly what I did. In 2000, I refused to have a computer in my home or grant my children permission to use the internet at school, and it did give me a slow start. I was still writing on a manual typewriter and submitting work via snail mail in 1996. By 2000, I had decided snail mail submissions were too costly for me, and my writing had tapered off to near nothing.

I became disillusioned with the public school system when I finally gave in and signed the slip allowing my children internet access at school and almost immediately got a call saying my son had accessed an inappropriate site. As it turned out, their firewalls had failed, and my son had viewed a site with the image of a woman in a bikini. Although it wasn’t the end of the world, it was exactly the kind of thing which I had feared, and my children had only had access for two days. After that, I put my boys in a charter school, but once they reached the age for middle school, I chose to home school them through an online home school program.

The home-schooling program provided computers for each of my boys, but that meant I had to give in and allow computers in my home, and I had to allow my sons to have internet access. Once that happened, I had no choice but to learn to use them myself, and I soon discovered the many opportunities which the internet offered for writers. I mean, you could submit online and it didn’t even cost the price of a stamp. It changed my whole outlook on the matter and soon, I was carrying my own laptop with me everywhere. When required to do readings at a memoir workshop in 2011, everyone else came with folders of papers to read from. As I set up for reading, my comment was, “I don’t know about the rest of you, but my life is in my laptop.” That was no joke, at that point, it really was. My computer had become an integral part of my life.

So, did my resistance to technology and the internet set me back, putting my writing business behind the times and leaving me at a disadvantage? Perhaps.

I certainly missed the dot-com craze. But one could argue that I was still in the learning phases and did not yet know how to put it all together at the time. This was prior to my enrollment in the graduate program in creative writing at Western State Colorado University, where I learned how to write a novel length work; before I learned how to publish and market my work in their masters in publishing program; before all the pieces were in place for me to turn my writing endeavors into a business.

It was also before aggregators like D2D came along which allow authors to publish digitally and on demand with no up-front costs. Before platforms like BookFunnel were available to allow me to create reader magnets, review copies, and giveaway gifts from my books. So, one might argue that it was actually perfect timing, because by the time I had figured out what it was I wanted to do, all the tools I needed to do it were available at my fingertips.

To Use AI or Not to Use AI? That is the Question.

AI can certainly do some amazing things. But there still exists great controversy about the way in which generative AI is trained, taking human authors’ words without their permission. Although that’s an argument for another day, it matters here because it was a big part of the reason I stopped using ProWritingAide in my editing process. That, and the fact that more than half the time, the AI was incorrect for the purposes of my stories, even if the English was correct.

I have always been anti-establishment. I don’t want the government, or anyone else, up in my business. I place a high value on my privacy, and I feel like AI devices are an invasion of privacy. I think maybe we need to send out a message to all these technology companies that are trying to push their AI technology down our throats and disable all their AI tools from our personal and business accounts. That’s big talk, but I don’t have a clue as to how to go about it. I didn’t ask for the AI and I don’t know how to get rid of it. I’ve tried ignoring them, but they don’t go away. And I haven’t found any way to turn them off or reject them.

But these are different tools we’re talking about than the AI tools, like Chat GPT and ProWritingAid, which I’ve used in my writing in the past. These tools are appearing in my email apps without having been requested or desired. The writing tools which I have used were tools which I sought out and was happy to find free versions. While I still feel AI editors miss the mark more often than not, they can be helpful, and I don’t feel that, using these tools in the manner that I do, is letting them write for me, or damaging the integrity of my work. In other words, my work is still mine.

I like the responsible approach presented by Alex Cattoni, in this video, “Your Biggest Advantage Over AI Starts Here”, on YouTube:

Let’s look at what we know about using AI.

We know that AI tools can be helpful in the writing process.
We know that it is possible to use AI in writing without replacing the human words with AI written content.
We know that it is possible to use AI tools and still put out content we can be proud of.
We know that AI is coming, whether we like it or not.
We know that to choose not to use AI may mean being left behind.

Choices Moving Forward

I may not know how to get rid of the AI tools that are being pushed through apps, but I can choose not to use the AI tools that pop up in my email, etc… I will not be rebellious of my writing tools, just because programmers insult my intelligence with the idea that I cannot read, interpret, or write my own emails. They may push them in my face, but that does not mean I have to use them.

I can chose which AI tools to use and how I use them, so that my writing can still remain mine. I don’t want to get left behind again, not when my writing business is finally beginning to take off. So, I am choosing to continue to utilize the AI editor in the MS Word program, but not access Copilot, which recently appeared in the same program, or ProWritingAid, since they try to rewrite my words and are often not correct.

I will also choose to use generative AI in creating my descriptions cautiously, and be very selective about any wording suggested, to keep my words, my own.

I will choose to be transparent in my writing, letting readers know when AI was used in my writing or in my covers.

What about you?

About Kaye Lynne Booth

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Ones Who Stayed With Me, by Nurse Sammy, and WordCrafter Press.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/OnesWhoStayed

Writer’s Corner: Person & Tense

Posted: April 6, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Fiction, Point of View, Tense, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: Kaye Lynne Booth, Point of View, Tense, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing to be Read | 14 Comments

I recently wrote a short story for the upcoming Legends anthology. I wrote it in third person, present tense to give the tale a sense of immediacy. My beta reader sent back comments, saying that, while the story was a good one, the present tense put her off, as she does not care for stories in present tense. Who would have known?

I had a similar reaction when I first read The Hunger Games, which was written in first person, present tense. It really was a bit off-putting, particularly in the dialog tags when reading aloud. But as I got into the story, I became more accustomed to the style and by the end of the book, I hardly noticed it anymore. First person, present tense is difficult to write, because it must be done well, or it doesn’t work. I’m not that brave.

But, I have been playing around with third person, present tense, which I find a little easier to pull off. I like using present tense because it makes the story feel more immediate, pulling the reader into the story and helping to build suspense. I’ve been using third person, present tense in writing Marta, the third book in my Women in the West Adventure Series, although the first two books were written in third person, past tense. I felt using the present tense in Marta helped to build tension and move the story along.

After the comments from my beta reader, I am wondering if I should rethink that. Readers are put off by different things, and I realize I can’t please all of the people all of the time. But, if this is off-putting to one reader, how many others may feel similarly? If I do change it, that means going back and rewriting the three quarters of the story that is already written, roughly 55,500 words, but if it will turn away readers, perhaps it is worth the effort to go the other way.

So, I’m asking you. Please tell me how you feel about the passage below. Is first person, past tense off-putting to you? Would it be better in third person, past tense?

It’s a passage from chapter one of Marta, just a few paragraphs:

“Excuse me. Is this seat taken?” a man’s voice draws her attention away once more. She turns to see a man, fancily dressed, standing in the aisle and addressing her, indicating the seat next to hers. She had met the infamous Doc Holliday once during his stay in Leadville. This man is like him. She’d seen plenty of his type in Leadville. They dress like a dandy, and come to gamble, but they aren’t particular about how they come by their money and aren’t above working on the other side of the law, and they all carry guns on their hips.

The man is staring at her, expectantly, waiting for a response to his question. He had been polite enough to ask, and the seat wasn’t taken. How could she say no? “No sir, it is not,” she admits. She doesn’t own the train seat and can’t stop him from sitting there, but she doesn’t have to trust him. A woman traveling alone can’t be too careful.

She reaches down by her feet to be sure her carpet bag is still there. Not only does it contain all her money, but also the thirty-two caliber pistol which she purchased in Leadville. Before sitting up straight in her seat once more, she brushes her fingers over the top of her boot to check that her knife is still there, as well. That knife had saved her life with Franz, the dirty traitor, and it gives her comfort to know it was within reach.

He gives her a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes as he slides into the seat. “Why, thank you, Ma’am,” he says. “William Barnesby is the name, but my friends call me Bill.”

She plasters her best smile across her face and says, “I’m Marta Olmstead, and this young woman is Rose… uh… Dunbar, is it?” she says, looking toward the young woman.

“Yes, Ma’am,” she says, nodding her head and quickly averting her eyes from the gentleman, toward the window. Obviously, the man’s presence made Mrs. Dunbar uncomfortable, as well. But what could she do? The seat didn’t belong to her, and Mr. Barnesby had purchased a ticket just like everyone else on the train.

About Kaye Lynne Booth

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” with Kaye Lynne Booth sponsored by WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services.

Whether it’s editing, publishing, or promotion that you need, WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services can help at a price you can afford.

Stop by and see what we have to offer today: https://writingtoberead.com/readings-for-writers/wordcrafter-quality-writing-author-services/

Writer’s Corner: Who Are You Writing For?

Posted: February 2, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Book Promotion, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: BookMarketing, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing to be Read | 2 Comments

Who are you writing for?

This was the first question posed to me in graduate school. And it baffled me. What did my instructor mean? I write because I have something to say, because there are words inside of me that need to come out. At the time, if there was any one person I wrote for it was my deceased son, Michael, who had been my biggest fan when he was alive.

But that wasn’t what he meant. He meant who was my target audience. I wasn’t writing for an audience of teenaged boys, who were on the verge of becoming men, which is the audience my son would fall into. At the time I had written a few short stories, and had not yet tried my hand at a longer, book length work, but nothing that members of such an audience would be drawn to.

He meant that I needed to know about the persons who would want to read my books, so I could write them in a way that would appeal to them and draw readers from that group to them. I needed to know what their reader expectations are, so I can be sure my story meets them. After all, it’s not a romance if there isn’t a HEA (Happily Ever After), or at least a HFN (Happy For Now), in the ending.

That’s a trope of romance, but it is one that every reader of romance will expect to find, and they will be disappointed if your story doesn’t deliver it. So, it’s important to know the tropes for your genre, as well. But the original question of who you are writing for is important for more reasons than that one, because you need this knowledge about your target reader audience not only to write to expectation, but to market your book properly. You need to know who your book is aimed at and then you need to know where to find them, so you can get book promotions in front of them.

Being a multi-genre author makes it all more difficult. Multi-genre authors need to know tropes for each genre they write in, and they need to know the audience for each genre, as well. I must be sure I’m not marketing my western historical women’s fiction of my Women in the West adventure series someplace where all the gamers hang out, because they won’t give a fig about those books. However, they might be interested in the dark fiction anthologies in the Midnight anthology series, so it might be smart to market those books there. Anthologies have several authors, who all write to a slightly different audience, so in that way, they may widen the scope of audience appeal. But the need to know who you are trying to appeal to is just as great, if not greater than it was when I was creating the books.

Children’s books are tricky, because you’re writing for the kids, but marketing to the parents. Although the books aren’t written for adults, if they don’t appeal to the parents, they aren’t going to sell. When you write for kids, you bury the message within the story framework, so it is delivered subtly, as they are entertained by the story. In my marketing, I point out that each book carries with it a moral lesson, even though the kids wouldn’t give a fig about that. If the wonderful illustrations by Robbie Cheadle draw the child’s attention, the ammunition is there to help convince the parents.

As you can see, who you are writing for is important to know for several reasons. So, what’s your answer?

Who are you writing for?

About Author Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by the Robbie’s Inspiration blog site, where you can find ideas on writing and baking with hostess, Robbie Cheadle.

Writer’s Corner: To use AI, or not to use AI?

Posted: January 5, 2026 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: AI Technology, Writer's Corner, Writing | 5 Comments

I’m not a big tech person, but I have found uses for AI tools as they develop, as we all have. Today we use AI search engines, and have an Alexa or Seri or, whatever yours is named in nearly every household, AI creates illustrations, narrate books, and can even write our books for us. (Just because it can, doesn’t mean it should.) I use generative AI tools to work out my descriptions of places I’ve never been, or places I have been but far in the past. I don’t use the AI description given, but rather, pluck little gems from it and make them my own. I use book covers created with AI assistance. So, I definitely see the potential uses for AI.

I was the holdout parent, who would not allow my children internet access when “everybody else does” at school, because I saw the potential for the invasion of privacy. But eventually, I relented. I usually do. I still don’t do my banking online, use credit cards, or share address and phone number online. (To tell the truth, the identity theft who steals my identity would be sorely disappointed, so I don’t know why I worry.)

I don’t have a smart home device, but I do have a Google Assistant on my phone, and it scares the heck out of me when I’m talking to someone else and out of the blue the Assistant responds to something that was said, and I didn’t even say, “Hey, Google.” I have to ask myself, “Is someone listening in on my conversations?” It gives me the creeps. (Maybe there’s a story there.)

Do these things bother anyone else? I mean, don’t you ever wonder?

Now, they are telling us that generative AI has been using authors’ works without the proper permissions to train the AI, resulting in a weird form of plagiarism. I don’t quite understand how that all works, but I do understand that it is a bad thing. Our words are like our brain children and AI has committed a massive kidnapping of our intellectual properties. (My first response upon hearing about this: “Wow! If my stuff is good enough to train AI, I must be smoking! But come to find out, it doesn’t really matter whether you are a good writer. AI doesn’t care and will use anything it can get, regardless of quality.)

I also have to wonder why they name AI devices and apps? Is it to make them seem more human?

They are even making sex-robots now, which can do anything a human partner can do in addition to fulfilling all your sexual pleasures. They are actually doing this, and each one carries the same name, probably with a number designation tacked on the end. They also speak like real humans, (they were probably trained with one of my books). AI narrators, too. You can choose from several, male or female, each with a different name, but they still have little glitches that give them away as AI. You also get to the reading speed for the AI, (at least on Google Play Books you do). I have three AI narrated audiobooks on Google Play Books, but no one has listened to them to ask for opinions on them.

You know the whole NaNoWriMo thing came to a screeching halt last year, after they allowed AI writing to be used during the annual writing challenge. I guess everyone raised a big stink about it, although I didn’t hear anything about it until this year when I went to sign up. As I said, I use generative AI during my writing, but I don’t use its words. I don’t know if they submitted completely AI written manuscripts in last year’s NaNoWriMo, or if they just didn’t disclose that their story was AI assisted. But even as I peruse a manuscript with the assistance of an AI editor, (I use two, Microsoft Word editor and ProWriting Aid), I realize there is something an AI just can’t quite capture, and that is the author’s voice. How silly it is for someone to try and pass off AI written work as human created. (Could it happen? Could an AI written story be passed off as human writing? Maybe… probably. Even if it can’t be done yet, (or maybe it can), I have no doubt that it will be possible, probably in the near future.

To use AI or not to use AI? That is the question. We all have to find our own personal answer that we are comfortable with, or can at least tolerate.

What’s your answer?

About Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by the Robbie’s Inspiration blog site, where you can find ideas on writing and baking with hostess, Robbie Cheadle.

Writer’s Corner: Love it or Hate it, AI is here to stay

Posted: November 3, 2025 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: AI Technology, book marketing, Book Promotion, Book Sales, Publishing, Writer's Corner, Writing | Tags: AI Technology, book marketing, Genereative AI Search, Kaye Lynne Booth, Publishing, Writer's Corner, Writing, Writing to be Read | 4 Comments

I’m not one to trust technology. I’m leery of devices such as Alexa, or Seri, or Google Assistant. Call me paranoid, but in the words of Rockwell, “I always feel like somebody’s watching me.” 👀But, seriously, how do these AI devices hear the trigger word and respond unless they are listening to us all the time. I know my Google Assistant on my phone responds to words spoken in casual conversation with someone, and often it responds to words spoken by the other person. It’s not even my voice and the trigger words were never spoken. Scary, I say.

But like it or not, AI isn’t going anywhere, and in fact, it is infiltrating more and more aspects of authors’ lives, slowly and quietly, or sometimes, not so slowly. We can have whole conversations with generative AI; it can write stories for us, create cover illustrations, and even narrate audiobooks. I’m smart enough to see that AI is here to stay, and so, I’ve done my best to adapt and find ways that AI can be used to my advantage as an author.

I have most of my own books available on Google Play Books as AI Narrated audiobooks. I’ve heard both sides of the argument for and against AI narration, so I’m aware, but I thought I’d give it a try. Those who are against it may not have so much to worry about as far as AI taking jobs from human narrators, since I haven’t sold even one, and they are free!

I’ve also used generative chat, specifically, Chat GPT, to help me visualize scenes I’m trying to write in places where I’ve never visited personally, or places I have visited, but not in the time period I’m writing about. And I’ve used covers that were created with the assistance of AI, (not by me, I’m not that artistic), and I hope to publish a special edition collection of my Women in the West series, with color illustrations created with AI assistance next year, when I’m finally ready to release the third book in the series, Marta. My stand on the issue is that it is fine, as long as I am transparent about it, as the author.

According to Ricardo Fayette, over at Reedsy, the next wave of generative AI technology is about to flow in, or rather, it’s already here. We’re talking about AI search, which is about to upheaval the way searches are conducted, and in specific, the way folks search for books.

It May Not All Be in the Metadata Anymore

By now, we all know how a keyword search works, and publishers, both traditional and independent, try to play to those searches, hoping to choose the right keywords in the metadata that will help readers to find our books. But, Ricardo Fayette claims that with the rise of AI search, that is all about to change. Instead of searching for keywords, AI search looks for a string of words which are related to those you search for, words that the AI search connects based on what’s been entered in your search, combined with what the AI knows about the reader. Already, we have advertisements pop up in our inbox related to earlier searches, (which is kind of scary, in itself), but AI search will combine all the information it has about the searcher, such as previous purchases, and combine it with words from the search box and others connected to those words, and search through all the available books which fit to give us more accurate search results in a fraction of the time it would take to do it manually.

If that’s confusing to you, you aren’t alone. That’s the best way I could describe it, but I’m not technologically inclined at all. Ricardo Fayette did a whole series of newsletters explaining all this. He claims generative AI searches are based on three things and he wrote a newsletter covering each one.

You can bet I’m going to be watching those Reedsy newsletters in the near future to see if he explains how to apply this knowledge to ensure our books have maximum visibility, but the way I’m understanding it, because of the personalization factor, two people could run the exact same search and come up with completely different results because each person has a different history, so I’m not sure where that leaves us. As it stands, it always feels like I’m playing catch-up when trying to get my books out there, so you can be sure I’m going to do everything I can to find out and then, jump on before it takes off without me.

About Kaye Lynne Booth

For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders and The D.I.Y. Author writing resource.

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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by the Robbie’s Inspiration blog site, where you can find ideas on writing and baking with hostess, Robbie Cheadle.