How authors are (really) using AI
Career novelists are quietly embracing AI — not to replace their voice, but to remove friction. Based on survey data and interviews with seven working authors, here's an honest look at how authors are using AI for research, editing, marketing, and more.
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Introducing Marlowe 3.0 and the Author Dashboard
Today we’re excited to announce the public launch of Marlowe 3.0, the latest version of our artificial intelligence tool for authors, and our new Author Dashboard. (It’s available even to those who haven’t registered.) Our team has been working on these changes for well over a year, and we’ve taken some additional time to roll […]
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What are your superpowers as a writer?
The first step in figuring out your strengths as a writer is to understand what inspires you as a writer. Find the right balance between your passion and skill set.
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Virtuous villains and flawed heroes
Andy Maslen and Alessandra Torre discuss how to create complex characters for your novel.
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10 books to make you a better author
In the age of AI, it’s worth remembering that even the best AI tools can’t provide a overview of what you know to become a successful author. So let’s take a breath, step away from the prompts field on your keyboard, and curl up with some of the best books to make you a better […]
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Which author conferences are right for you?
Whether you’re an indie or traditionally published author, there’s still nothing like getting together in person with fellow writers to get the lay of the land, to share inside tips, and to put a face to a pen name. In addition to Author Nation, the largest gathering of indie authors held each November in Las […]
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Another court rules for human authors
Those who have spent any time in writing and author groups know that it’s no easy matter to write a book — with or without artificial intelligence. Even if you’re AI-savvy, you can’t just pop in a prompt and have ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini spit out a fully formed novel. There are no easy shortcuts. […]
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AI & fiction: Where to draw the lines
Where do you draw the line when it comes to the use of AI in producing books? Authors AI's stance on ethical use of AI, and its purpose as a tool to support an author, not replace. Plus our adopted Ethics Statement of Principles.
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Sample query letter to a literary agent
A strong query letter needs just a few key elements: your genre, word count, and comp titles; a hook that introduces your characters, conflict, and stakes; and a brief bio. Personalize when possible — mentioning an agent's past clients or books that align with your work can strengthen your pitch.
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Why do we find (some) stories satisfying?
Why do some stories resonate with readers while other fall flat? Here's a peek behind the curtain of tropes and genre conventions.
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Takeaways from Author Nation
Some fear and loathing in Las Vegas — but not as much as you’d expect One of the big takeaways from Author Nation — the world’s largest gathering of independent and hybrid authors — in Las Vegas last week was the ringing consensus that AI has encroached into nearly every facet of the book publishing […]
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Photos from the Author Nation conference
Here’s the first of a three-part series of outtakes from Author Nation, the world’s largest gathering of independent and hybrid authors, which held its inaugural event in Las Vegas last week and drew more than 1,100 authors. Let’s start with some photos to give you the flavor of the event! Mouse over a photo to […]
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