To my fellow indie/self-published authors: It doesn't matter
if you're utilizing certain features available on WordDocX via WordDoc 365, you’re
still considered an author. I'm frustrated with people criticizing authors who
employ specific writing tools to enhance the quality of their writing.
Remember, you understand your audience; you know your audience, those who purchase,
download, or listen to your books, let them judge. You are an author, whether
you are self-published or not!
My Experience: Twenty-three years ago, self-published
authors faced significant criticism on social media, a landscape I was not part
of at the time since I didn’t have a Facebook account, I only had MySpace. I
shared a link to my book, Chandra’s Quest, on forums and MySpace. I was unfamiliar with eBooks, my book was only available on eBay as a
paperback. Despite my efforts, sales were minimal, and I was met with harsh
comments on forums from users who had never even read my book but only despised
my presence simply because I chose the self-publishing route and was sharing my
book
Chandra’s Quest, my first novel, was originally written in
the first person but was later revised to a third-person narrative in the
2010s. My encounters with online trolls, who seem to thrive on targeting Indie/self-published
authors, have shown me that their tactics remain unchanged; they now use AI as
an excuse to accuse writers of using it because their books may not be as bad
as they first assumed.
I have read numerous indie books, I can confidently say that
many are well-written, and I don’t perceive any AI influence in them, as I
focus on the content rather than the medium. I typically prefer purchasing
paperback editions, I’m not looking for AI, only Karens do.
Look, regardless of
whether a writer is using some form of editing tool for their work, people
shouldn’t be quick to judge. Personally, it’s taken me two years to write out
my book and I am currently editing it but as I do, I am releasing it in parts
on GooglePlay until I can merge all parts together into one full length novel.
If you are following me on Facebook and other social media websites, I’m sure
you know which one I'm referring to. I PREFER to write out my books before editing them thoroughly.
Sorry if you thought otherwise.
Here's a thought: When it comes to AI, it's pretty
straightforward- you just need to provide a brief prompt, and the AI takes care
of the rest. I've come across one or two AI-generated books, and honestly, they
weren't impressive. As I've mentioned before, I'm not interested in AI for
storytelling; the two I read felt like they were written by someone who
didn't put in much effort into them. That's not my style—I prefer to write my stories and
refine them using the editing tools available in Word.
The way I see it is, if you're paying for Office365, you
might as well take advantage of those features. In the end, people will always
have their opinions, and there will be critics and trolls out there, often just
reflecting their own ugliness. Ugly is, as Ugly does.
Below are sceenshots that I took of another user's rant on Wattpad reddit about AI & how it has tainted people's view on indie authors works. Not everything is AI & not all authors, especially indie authors use AI. If you're on a crusade in calling out people who use AI for certain creative endeavors, then you have issues. You're not perfect and before pointing the finger at someone else, look in the mirror.
