AI in Publishing Isn’t the Enemy—But How You Use It Matters
Why Authors and Readers Need to Stop Panicking and Start Thinking Critically
If you’ve been anywhere near the publishing world lately, you’ve probably felt it:
The tension.
The opinions.
The fear.
The frustration.
And if I’m being honest? The confusion.
AI has become one of the most talked-about—and misunderstood—topics in publishing right now. And I get it. There are real concerns. There are valid conversations happening. There are also a lot of very loud opinions from people who haven’t actually taken the time to think critically or understand how it’s being used.
So I want to talk about this in the way I talk about everything with my clients:
Calmly.
Strategically.
And without shame.
Because at the end of the day…
AI is a tool.
Not a replacement for you.
Not a shortcut to success.
And definitely not the devil people are making it out to be.
Let’s Start Here: AI Is Not New—It Just Feels New
Before we even get into the publishing side of things, I want to ground our conversation.
We have always used tools to make our lives easier.
Spellcheck
Grammarly
Plotting templates
Writing software
GPS
Google Password Manager (I’m sure not remembering all 200+ passwords I’ve saved)
Even something as simple as a standing mixer instead of hand-mixing ingredients
AI is just… the next version of that.
And like any tool, it comes down to how you use it.
My Take as a Publishing Strategist
I'm more than happy to be very open this:
Yes, I use AI.
And I’m not hiding that.
As a small business owner, AI has become a tool that helps me:
Brainstorm content ideas
Organize thoughts
Work through marketing strategies
Build business plans
Think through different angles quickly
It’s essentially like having a second brain I can bounce ideas off of.
But here’s the part that matters most:
It has never replaced me.
It has never:
Replaced my strategy
Replaced my understanding of the publishing industry
Replaced my experience working with authors
Replaced my perspective
And it never will.
Because the value I bring—and the value you bring as an author—is not just information.
It’s interpretation.
It’s creativity.
It’s lived experience.
It’s emotional depth.
AI cannot replicate that in a meaningful way. Listen, I’ve worked with it for over a year and a half, and if you can get it to do everything you want the first time, major kudos to you!
AI is a tool—but your voice, your perspective, and your strategy are what actually build your author career.
The Real Problem Isn’t AI—It’s How People Are Using It
This is where the conversation gets messy.
Because there are two extremes happening right now:
1. People who think AI should never be used at all
2. People who are trying to use AI to replace the entire creative process
And both are missing the point.
The issue is not AI itself.
The issue is intentionality and ethics.
The Fear-Based Narrative Around AI (And Why It’s Not Helpful)
A lot of what we’re seeing right now is fear-driven.
For example, there’s been discussion around things like the “human-authored certification” concept, which honestly reminds me of the non-GMO labels in food marketing that I encountered when I was getting my BS in Animal Sciences and later working in the ag industry.
There’s already been conversation happening around things like the “human-authored certification,” and while I understand the intention behind it, I also see how quickly something like that can turn into a fear-based marketing tactic rather than a meaningful distinction.
I was reading an article recently that broke this down in a way that really stuck with me—how these kinds of labels can become more about perception than actual impact.
Not because the intention is bad—but because of how it can be used.
In many cases, those labels:
Don’t actually reflect meaningful differences
Become marketing tools
Create fear instead of clarity
And I worry we’re heading in that same direction with AI in publishing.
Because instead of educating authors and readers…
We’re creating an “us vs. them” narrative.
And that doesn’t help anyone.
The Bigger Question: How Do We Even Measure AI Use?
One of the most frustrating parts of this conversation is this:
How do people actually know if AI was used?
There have already been situations where books are being publicly questioned or even rejected based on suspected AI use—but the reality is, there’s no clear or reliable way to determine that with certainty right now.
I came across a breakdown of a recent publishing situation that raised this exact concern: if we don’t have a consistent or transparent way to evaluate AI usage, then we risk making decisions based on assumptions rather than facts.
So the question for AI accusations will continue to be…
Based on what?
Writing style?
Tone?
Patterns?
That’s not a reliable system.
And it opens the door to:
False assumptions
Public backlash
Authors being unfairly judged
This is where cancel culture starts creeping in—and I’m just going to say it:
We need to stop.
We need more conversations.
More education.
More nuance.
And a lot less public shaming.
What Authors Are Actually Saying About AI Right Now
This isn’t just a debate happening at the publisher level—authors themselves are still figuring out where they stand.
Some are excited about the possibilities.
Some are cautious.
Some are completely against it.
Tbh, that’s normal.
There have been a few recent discussions and articles that highlight just how mixed the response is across the industry right now—from indie authors to traditionally published writers.
Because the truth is, there isn’t one “correct” stance right now—there’s just a lot of learning happening in real time.
What Authors Actually Need to Understand About AI
If you take anything away from this post, let it be this:
AI is not your career. It is a tool inside your career.
And how you use it should align with:
Your values
Your goals
Your audience
Your integrity
Where AI CAN Be Helpful for Authors
Here are areas where I see AI being genuinely helpful for authors:
Brainstorming & Ideation
Plot ideas
Character names
Dialogue variations
World-building prompts
Act as a thesaurus
Business Support
Content planning
Email structure ideas
Marketing angles
Organization
Efficiency (Not Replacement)
Drafting outlines
Summarizing notes
Reworking messy ideas
This is where AI shines.
It helps you move faster without removing your voice.
Where AI Becomes a Problem
AI becomes an issue when:
It replaces your writing entirely
It removes your voice and perspective
It’s used without transparency (when required)
It’s used to mass-produce low-quality content
Because at that point…
You’re not building an author career.
You’re just uploading content.
And readers can feel that difference.
The Publishing Industry Is Still Figuring This Out Too
Something I want authors to understand:
The industry does not have all the answers yet. No one does.
Platforms, publishers, and organizations are still trying to figure out:
What counts as “too much” AI
How to detect it
What policies should exist
How to protect intellectual property
There are also ongoing conversations around how platforms might respond to AI-generated content in the future.
For example, there’s already been discussion about whether platforms like Amazon KDP should introduce fees or restrictions to discourage low-quality, mass-produced AI content.
But here’s the challenge with that:
If platforms overcorrect, they risk penalizing authors who are using AI responsibly—or not using it at all.
And it raises a really important question: how do we regulate misuse without hurting legitimate authors?
There are also legal conversations happening around AI and copyright, which will likely shape how things evolve moving forward.
So right now?
We’re in a transition phase.
And that means things may:
Change quickly
Feel unclear
Require adaptability
That will most likely be our reality until we find a middle ground for how to approach AI in publishing.
The Reality Most People Aren’t Talking About
Something else I don’t think gets talked about enough is that many authors are using AI in their business operations, not their writing.
Tools are emerging that help authors manage their workflows, plan content, and stay organized—which is honestly something a lot of authors struggle with in the first place.
And I think it’s important to separate those uses from the conversation around AI-written books, because they’re not the same thing.
Many authors are not using AI to replace writing.
They’re using it to:
Run their business
Stay organized
Manage content
Keep up with everything required to be an author
And if we start penalizing AI use across the board…
We risk punishing authors who are simply trying to keep up.
And that’s the real issue—authors are just trying to keep up. When you’re wearing all the hats in your author business, you’ll try anything that will give you more time, money, or results, so you can get back to doing what you love: writing.
Let’s Talk About Accessibility + Affordability
There’s also an interesting conversation happening around AI being used for things like audio and video content—especially in marketing.
Some publishers are already experimenting with AI-generated microdramas and promotional content, which opens up accessibility for authors who don’t have thousands of dollars to invest in production.
And while that may not be for everyone, it does highlight how AI can be used as a stepping stone—not a replacement—for creative work.
And sometimes that stepping stone is needed because publishing a book is expensive.
Editing
Covers
Formatting
Marketing
Ads
Audiobooks
We’re talking thousands of dollars.
So when AI is used for things like:
Basic graphics
Early-stage content
Video/audio experiments
It can actually help authors:
Get started. Build momentum. Make money that they can reinvest into hiring people later.
That’s practical and not something anyone should be shamed for. Life is tough, and we’re all trying to get to a point where we can live off of our creative endeavours without someone screaming “It’s AI slop” in our faces every day, yet wanting so badly to keep up with reader demand and stay relevant.
What I Teach My Clients (And What I Believe)
When it comes to AI, my stance is simple:
Use it with intention
Use it with integrity
Use it as support—not replacement
Because your long-term success as an author depends on:
Your voice
Your connection with readers
Your ability to build trust
And none of that can be automated.
And none of that can be automated.
Despite my stance on AI being positive, I want authors to be aware of the legality and copyright issues still being explored, especially when it comes to intellectual property and how AI models are trained.
Some recent legal discussions suggest that future rulings could significantly impact how AI tools are allowed to operate within publishing and content creation.
This is another reason why staying informed—and using AI responsibly—is so important right now.
AI Will Not Build Your Author Career—Strategy Will
This is the part I really want to drive home.
AI can:
Help you brainstorm
Help you organize
Help you move faster
But it cannot:
Build your audience
Create reader loyalty
Develop your brand
Sustain your career
That comes from:
Understanding your readers
Building a relationship with them
Creating stories that resonate
Thinking like a business owner
Which is exactly what I teach inside my membership.
The Conversation We SHOULD Be Having
Instead of asking:
“Is AI good or bad?”
We should be asking:
How are authors using it?
What’s ethical?
What aligns with reader expectations?
How do we maintain creativity and integrity?
Because those are the conversations that actually move the industry forward.
Don’t Let Fear Dictate Your Career
AI is not going away.
And trying to avoid it completely out of fear isn’t going to serve you.
But blindly relying on it won’t serve you either.
The middle ground?
That’s where you find your sweet spot in trusting yourself and utilizing the tools to help you.
Here’s what I want you to remember:
You are the author.
You are the strategist.
You are the voice behind your work.
AI is just a tool sitting on your desk.
Use it wisely.
Use it intentionally.
And don’t let anyone shame you for learning how to navigate your own career.
Want Help Building Your Author Career (With or Without AI)?
If you’re trying to figure out how to:
Build your audience
Market your book
Create consistent sales
Actually turn this into a full-time career
That’s exactly what I help authors do.
Inside the Story Flow Collective, we focus on:
Real strategy
Sustainable systems
Building a reader base that actually buys
Because tools come and go.
But strategy?
That’s what builds your career.
P.S. Letters From Story Flow is your bi-weekly resource for authors who are ready to grow their careers with clarity and ease—without relying on hustle-heavy strategies that don’t feel like you.
If you're ready to build a sustainable author business, connect with readers, and get expert guidance that actually meets you where you are, click here to join me!