Yep, you read that right. Yours truly, an award-winning author and AI-certified book coach, got booted from a Facebook group for daring to suggest that ChatGPT could help writers on a budget. What followed was a firestorm of misinformation, fear-mongering, and some of the most entertainingly bad takes I’ve seen in a while.
"AI wipes all emotion from the page." (Enlightening! Also, a giant neon sign flashing: “This person has no idea how to use these tools effectively!”)
"AI is a terrible editor, it erases nuance." (See Above)
"AI steals from human artists." (See Above, Above) :-)
Folks, I felt like I was in a medieval town square getting shouted down for saying the Earth orbits the sun. But here’s the kicker: resisting AI isn’t going to protect writers, editors, or creativity. In fact, it’s doing the opposite; it’s handing the future of the art of storytelling over to those who do embrace & exploit these tools.
So let’s talk about the real danger here: if writers, editors, publicists..whatever... don’t start adapting, we’re the ones risking extinction.
How These AI-Generated Content Software Peddlers Are Muddling the Landscape
Let’s get one thing straight. AI is not here to write your novel for you. (And if someone’s selling you a tool that promises to do that and guarantees bestseller status, run. Seriously, run.) I’ve seen an onslaught of software with a “Mad Libs”-style front end and a large language model (LLM) like Claude or ChatGPT on the back. Literally anyone can plug and play, and boom; here’s your AI-generated book and cover (which, by the way, usually looks like something you’d find in a 1990s clip art folder - but the AI version).
You can find these guys popping up in your social media ads and it typically says AI + Amazon! I recently attended Dan Holling's "AI Profit Pathways" pitch - where he was selling his $2497 front end tool (back end Claude, ChatGPT, etc) promising would-be authors Amazon success in one afternoon. And my FAVORITE part was the promo email for his pitch read: Why this is unlike anything you’ve seen before; it’s not ChatGPT, crypto, or the same old AI hype. [ bruh, with all due respect, it is ChatGPT among other LLM back ends]. And Dan, no hard feelings, I know you're trying to turn a buck - we all are. But as a writer myself (a real writer - not a MadLibs writer as your software promotes) I have a bit of a bone to pick with this model (at the moment anyway) as I'm sure you can probably understand.
The Facebook Fiasco: Why This Matters
Now Back to my now-infamous Facebook group kerfuffle. Here’s what happened: a writer posted about struggling to afford editing services, which, let’s be real, can cost thousands. I suggested she could use ChatGPT to get some early feedback, provided she used the paid version (and toggled off the privacy settings to protect her IP).
You’d think I suggested burning books in the town square. The editors descended en masse, accusing me of pushing some dystopian AI agenda. I was even told, “There’s no such thing as AI certification.” (Spoiler alert: I’m certified by Google. Yes, it exists. Check my LinkedIn.)
What floored me wasn’t the disagreement; it was the refusal to have a rational discussion. Writers and editors were clinging to fear and misinformation as if AI itself was the Grim Reaper for creativity. Ironically, this resistance is the very thing that’s threatening human artistry.
Why Fear of AI is Accelerating Creativity’s Decline
Here’s the paradox: the anti-AI crowd thinks they’re saving creativity by rejecting these tools. In reality, they’re speeding up its decline. AI is already transforming industries, and men are adopting it faster than women (forty percent faster actually); a trend that could widen the gender opportunity gap we’ve been fighting to close for decades.
If we, as real writers and editors, don’t adopt these tools thoughtfully and strategically, guess what happens? The AI + Amazon software peddlers or the world WILL flood the market with mediocre AI-generated content, and our work; the human, deeply creative work; gets drowned out (and God forbid we even consider using chatgpt to proofread, clean up, edit or outline our work).
This narrative is ridiculous, dangerous and it has to stop.
The Case for an AI Strategy (Yes, Even for Editors)
If you’re an editor, here’s a reality check: I personally wouldn’t hire someone in the writing industry (in whatever capacity) who doesn’t understand Ai, or has an AI strategy in their business to amplify value for their clients/students. Not because I doubt your talent, but because I want the best of both worlds; your expertise and the superhuman efficiency AI can offer.And quite honestly, I want someone who will push my talent forward and enable me to compete in today's publishing landscape.
Using AI doesn’t diminish your value. It amplifies it. You can use these tools to catch details faster, focus on the big-picture stuff, and provide even more value to your clients. The same goes for writers. By outsourcing technical tasks like outlining or POV analysis to AI, you free up your energy for the magic only you can create: the prose, the heart, the soul of your story.
Let’s Lead the Narrative, Or Machines Will Take Over
The writing industry is at a crossroads. Are we going to bury our heads in the sand, or are we going to lead the charge, steering AI in a way that preserves and elevates human creativity?
I’m here to lead that charge, and I want you to join me. If you’re curious about how to use AI in your writing process, I’ve got you covered. I’m hosting a free, live masterclass; Unlock Your Best-Selling Novel: Harness AI as Your Creative Ally; on January 30th, 31st, and February 6th at 12 PM MST. Come for the live demo, stay for the Q&A. Replays are available if the timing doesn’t work.
Sign up at The Novelist Studio.
Ana del Valle is an Award Winning Author | AI Certified Book Coach | Host of the Novelist Studio Podcast | X-Silicon Valley Gal
