The Three-Toed Sloth

            When I was very young and just learning how to play Scrabble, I was excited to learn a short word for a three-toed sloth: ai. Over the years, I’ve used it many times.

            Now, though, those two little letters have a different meaning: AI or Artificial Intelligence.

            And AI is a much-discussed and much-debated topic in the world of writing, agenting, and publishing. Some say it’s okay to use it for ideas; some say it’s okay to use it to polish a manuscript; and some say it is never, ever okay to use it for any of an author’s writing.

            During the first writing conference I attended, the oft-repeated mantra was “Do not use AI.” I’ve taken that to heart. If I want to be a writer, then I need to do the writing. If the writing is good, it’s mine; if it’s bad, it’s mine.

            Yes, I’ve used AI (ChatGPT) to design temporary book covers, and I emphasize “temporary.” Publishing houses do their own covers. Those folks know what kind of covers attract attention and lead to sales. I don’t.  The temporary covers from ChatGPT were primarily to have something to put on my website and, quite frankly, they are ego-boosters. I post a picture of the cover and have the satisfaction of thinking, yes, I’m writing a real book. If I ever get an agent and if I ever get published, the professional covers likely won’t have much resemblance to the few currently on my website.

            I’ve used ChatGPT for one other thing with my efforts. One of my books is nonfiction, and agents require a book proposal for nonfiction. I asked ChatGPT what a book proposal includes – not to write a book proposal for me but to let me know what is required in such a proposal.

            If I could throw a few basic ideas to AI for a manuscript, in return I’d likely get a pretty nice book, but, to me, that’s not writing.

            Taking the proverbial high road – or just being stubborn enough to refuse to utilize AI – obviously isn’t paying off: so far, I’ve gotten loads of rejection responses from agents. That’s okay, though; I keep trying.

            So, back to that other ai – the three-toed sloth. A sloth moves very slowly and spends most of its life hanging upside down. Maybe that’s the ai that fits me: moving slowly and feeling like I’m upside down in this venture.