Amazon’s Policy on AI-Assistance
Returned home tonight to find a post from Mark Dawson on Amazon’s Policy on AI-Assistance. The Amazon Terms of Service now contain statements on the use of AI to generate content in books. …
News
News from me or the wider publishing world
Unearthed Americana
Monday morning’s unearthed Americana comes via the airwaves. I feel slightly better about my pastiche-Americana piece for the July writers’ group session. …
Summer Reading Challenge 2023
Join the Gadgeteers with this year’s Summer Reading Challenge 2023. Libraries across Devon want children to sign up to the Gadgeteers Summer Challenge and read six books this summer. With the hook line Ready, Set, Read! the Summer Reading Challenge 2023 launches this Saturday, 8 July. …
Find Your Readers Summit 2023
Daniel David Wallace returns with another writers’ event: Find Your Readers Summit 2023, running August 4th to 7th. …
Independent Bookshop Week 2023
This week is Independent Bookshop Week 2023, a celebration of independent bookshops in the UK. From Saturday 17th – Saturday 24th June, this highlights the vital role independent bookshops play in their communities.
Launched in 2006 by the Booksellers Association, Independent Bookshop Week 2023 is sponsored by Hachette UK.
The key ingredient of good independent bookshops are the staff; book experts with a passion for books and reading, getting the right book into the right hands. Go to them for advice and recommendations. Can’t find a book you want? The Indies will order it for you.
Most independent bookshops work with local communities in the drive to promote reading for pleasure. Adding vitality to our high streets, independent bookshops generate local jobs and contribute to our local economy and local community.
Every bookshop celebrates Independent Bookshop Week in its own way, so find your local indie and see what’s planned. Perhaps it’s an in-store author signing, a virtual event, book club, special offers or promotions.
Shoppers are encouraged to share book purchases on social media tagging @booksaremybag and #IndieBookshopWeek.
National Writing Day 2023
This year’s National Writing Day takes place Wednesday 21 June 2023.
Head over to the First Story website for the annual celebration of writing for pleasure and self-expression. As usual, First Story has laid on free activities to inspire your creativity. Share your writing online using #NationalWritingDay. …
Shepherd’s in Da House
The shepherd’s in da house again this Tuesday 6 June for Sampford Courtenay Novel Writer’s Group.
Join us at the New Inn at 11am. I’m in the chair one more time while the intrepid traveller returns. …
2022 a ‘record-breaking year’ for book sales
According to The Guardian last month, the UK publishing industry declared 2022 a ‘record-breaking year’ for book sales.
The UK Publishers Association confirmed an astonishing 669m physical books sold in the UK last year, with a total income of £6.9bn. …
Shepherding the Writers’ Group
This month, while Lin drives the wagon around Scotland, I’m shepherding the writers’ group.
In today’s session at the New Inn, we’ll be reviewing our 500-word fiction challenge pieces and looking at some essential elements of scenes in fiction.
Open to all. Fancy quill pen not required.
The AI Author Panic
The AI author panic has overtaken writers’ conferences and podcasts since the start of the year. Endless experiments with ChatGPT and the current generation of Generative AI has the author community spooked.
Author Tiffany Yates Martin even asked ChatGPT to explain itself as a potential threat to authors.
So what’s the verdict? …