The AI Debate Is Tearing the Writing Community Apart

 

Hello fellow writers,

Gonna bring up a controversial topic today...which could cost me clients, friends, and connections in this industry, but I am tired of watching writers tear each other apart.

So, I’ve stayed quiet about AI for a long time. Not because I don't have thoughts (believe me, I got 'em), but because this topic has turned into one of those conversations where no matter what you say, someone is ready to burn you at the stake. 

As someone who has been cyber-bullied over AI art, I know the hurt people can cause and how quickly online attacks can damage a career, a reputation, and a person’s peace of mind.

In my opinion, readers and authors are having two completely different conversations. Most readers seem to only care about two main things: whether the story is good, and whether it delivered what it promised. Authors, on the other hand, are mainly concerned about how AI is affecting the publishing industry, and those conversations matter because no one should be dismissed for having real concerns.

I get why the authors who don't use AI are afraid of what it could mean for publishing, so I understand the fear that books could be devalued, creative work could be exploited, and an already difficult industry could become even harder to survive in.

But what I’m seeing now, though, goes way beyond defending the craft. I’m talking about the bullying, the blacklisting, the public shaming, the witch hunts, the demands that authors prove they are “real” writers, the harassment campaigns, the screenshots, the pile-ons (often without knowing the full context or facts of the situation), and the way people are being treated like criminals based on suspicion, rumor, publishing too often, or someone’s personal opinion of what their business process should look like.

That is not about protecting books or the writing community; it is just hurting a lot of innocent people.

The part that weighs on me most is knowing that some writers are hiding behind new names, leaving communities they once loved, or feeling like they have to film themselves typing just to prove they wrote their own book. 

Personally, it is none of my business how another author runs their business or what tools they use to create their art, and frankly, I do not care. I don't believe anyone should be openly punished, judged, or shamed. Instead, we can chat about ethics and where publishing is headed without acting like authors owe anyone a backstage pass to every tool, draft, editor, grammar checker, or business decision behind their books.

All I'm trying to say is, it's okay if we disagree about AI, have strong opinions, or draw lines for our own businesses and reading choices, but we should be able to do that without destroying each other in the process.

We need to stop acting like cruelty is the same thing as integrity.

Before joining the next pile-on, maybe we should ask ourselves whether we are actually helping the writing community or simply making another author afraid to exist in it. 

~Sherry