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On that note I get the impression the whole publishing industry has an AI problem. I wrote a novel and started sending it out to agents recently. The number of
by vintagedave 8mo ago
On that note I get the impression the whole publishing industry has an AI problem. I wrote a novel and started sending it out to agents recently. The number of agents who emphasise no-AI, or simply say that due to volume they won't reply... Then, as an aspiring author you rapidly start getting messages offering editor services, or book clubs (like this), or agent access, and it becomes clear those are AI and require payment (ie are scams) too.
My novel isn't even one of the popular self-published genres (eg romantasy.) It's literature, set in post-sea-rise northern Europe where a drowned city's remaining above-water blocks have divided into political enclaves, and one young woman's journey. It's part adventure, part political satire. Think Metro 2033 on water in Europe. Tech bros and startups, librarians and sea monsters. I think this is difficult enough to find an agent for, but AI spam does not care and will target you relentlessly.
- velcrovan 8mo agoAgents have always had more queries than they could handle, this is not new to the AI era.
- malfist 8mo agoYour book sounds really interesting! Hope you get it published
- vintagedave 8mo agoThanks :)
- abnercoimbre 8mo agoI heard about some new agencies requiring "proof of work" which means mailing a handwritten manuscript. Sucks for the author, but that would filter out most AI spam and give real authors a better chance, right?
- AlotOfReading 8mo agoSlop is an issue, but you've also set yourself up in a difficult situation. The reality of the market is that publishers are interested in selling books, so they look for indications that your work might sell. If you haven't published in shorter formats (demonstrating skill in writing), you don't have an audience/social media presence, and you're offering something the majority of the customer base doesn't want (work produced with LLM assistance), that's a lot of hurdles to overcome even before you add the terrible odds in traditional submissions.