#authorsguild — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #authorsguild, aggregated by home.social.
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Swimming the Author
England tested witches with water. The suspect was bound, right thumb to left toe, looped to a rope, and lowered into the village pond. Pure water was believed to refuse the devil's servant, so a body that floated was guilty and a body that sank was innocent, and the innocent were hauled up half-drowned to receive the town's apology. The procedure was called swimming a witch, and its genius was architectural: it could only convict. Whatever the water did, the crowd on the bank went home with the verdict it had carried down to the shore. Four centuries on, the pond fits in a browser tab. Paste the chapter. Click the button. Let the water decide. […] -
Swimming the Author
England tested witches with water. The suspect was bound, right thumb to left toe, looped to a rope, and lowered into the village pond. Pure water was believed to refuse the devil's servant, so a body that floated was guilty and a body that sank was innocent, and the innocent were hauled up half-drowned to receive the town's apology. The procedure was called swimming a witch, and its genius was architectural: it could only convict. Whatever the water did, the crowd on the bank went home with the verdict it had carried down to the shore. Four centuries on, the pond fits in a browser tab. Paste the chapter. Click the button. Let the water decide. […] -
Swimming the Author
England tested witches with water. The suspect was bound, right thumb to left toe, looped to a rope, and lowered into the village pond. Pure water was believed to refuse the devil's servant, so a body that floated was guilty and a body that sank was innocent, and the innocent were hauled up half-drowned to receive the town's apology. The procedure was called swimming a witch, and its genius was architectural: it could only convict. Whatever the water did, the crowd on the bank went home with the verdict it had carried down to the shore. Four centuries on, the pond fits in a browser tab. Paste the chapter. Click the button. Let the water decide. […] -
Swimming the Author
England tested witches with water. The suspect was bound, right thumb to left toe, looped to a rope, and lowered into the village pond. Pure water was believed to refuse the devil's servant, so a body that floated was guilty and a body that sank was innocent, and the innocent were hauled up half-drowned to receive the town's apology. The procedure was called swimming a witch, and its genius was architectural: it could only convict. Whatever the water did, the crowd on the bank went home with the verdict it had carried down to the shore. Four centuries on, the pond fits in a browser tab. Paste the chapter. Click the button. Let the water decide. […] -
Swimming the Author
England tested witches with water. The suspect was bound, right thumb to left toe, looped to a rope, and lowered into the village pond. Pure water was believed to refuse the devil's servant, so a body that floated was guilty and a body that sank was innocent, and the innocent were hauled up half-drowned to receive the town's apology. The procedure was called swimming a witch, and its genius was architectural: it could only convict. Whatever the water did, the crowd on the bank went home with the verdict it had carried down to the shore. Four centuries on, the pond fits in a browser tab. Paste the chapter. Click the button. Let the water decide. […] -
En fait c'est 74 % dont on a retiré arbitrairement les bibliothèques perso et les bibliothèques publiques (qui paient plus cher les ouvrages) pour présenter un résultat plus sensationnel.
On est passé de "le piratage c'est mal" à : le piratage + les bouquins qu'on se prête entre amis + les emprunts en bibliothèques publiques + les livres d'occasion et même relire des livres qu'on a chez soit c'est MAL !
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En fait c'est 74 % dont on a retiré arbitrairement les bibliothèques perso et les bibliothèques publiques (qui paient plus cher les ouvrages) pour présenter un résultat plus sensationnel.
On est passé de "le piratage c'est mal" à : le piratage + les bouquins qu'on se prête entre amis + les emprunts en bibliothèques publiques + les livres d'occasion et même relire des livres qu'on a chez soit c'est MAL !
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En fait c'est 74 % dont on a retiré arbitrairement les bibliothèques perso et les bibliothèques publiques (qui paient plus cher les ouvrages) pour présenter un résultat plus sensationnel.
On est passé de "le piratage c'est mal" à : le piratage + les bouquins qu'on se prête entre amis + les emprunts en bibliothèques publiques + les livres d'occasion et même relire des livres qu'on a chez soit c'est MAL !
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En fait c'est 74 % dont on a retiré arbitrairement les bibliothèques perso et les bibliothèques publiques (qui paient plus cher les ouvrages) pour présenter un résultat plus sensationnel.
On est passé de "le piratage c'est mal" à : le piratage + les bouquins qu'on se prête entre amis + les emprunts en bibliothèques publiques + les livres d'occasion et même relire des livres qu'on a chez soit c'est MAL !
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En fait c'est 74 % dont on a retiré arbitrairement les bibliothèques perso et les bibliothèques publiques (qui paient plus cher les ouvrages) pour présenter un résultat plus sensationnel.
On est passé de "le piratage c'est mal" à : le piratage + les bouquins qu'on se prête entre amis + les emprunts en bibliothèques publiques + les livres d'occasion et même relire des livres qu'on a chez soit c'est MAL !
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News Summary: Authors Guild Report Finds Only 25% of Readers Paid for Their Last Book
A new Authors Guild report has reached a stark conclusion: most readers are not paying for the books they read. To put it bluntly, that would seem to be the conclusion of a report from the Authors Guild. The report is dated December 2025, but the press release only came out in the last week, suggesting that some crunching and considering has been going on in the interim. I'll have a look at the more noteworthy findings and what they suggest for us as authors (Publishers Weekly's headline on the piece clearly cites a connection to declining author incomes), but first I want to situate this somewhat.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-report/#audiobookgrowth #authorincome #AuthorsGuild #bookpiracy #digitallibraries
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News Summary: Authors Guild Report Finds Only 25% of Readers Paid for Their Last Book
A new Authors Guild report has reached a stark conclusion: most readers are not paying for the books they read. To put it bluntly, that would seem to be the conclusion of a report from the Authors Guild. The report is dated December 2025, but the press release only came out in the last week, suggesting that some crunching and considering has been going on in the interim. I'll have a look at the more noteworthy findings and what they suggest for us as authors (Publishers Weekly's headline on the piece clearly cites a connection to declining author incomes), but first I want to situate this somewhat.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-report/#audiobookgrowth #authorincome #AuthorsGuild #bookpiracy #digitallibraries
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News Summary: Authors Guild Report Finds Only 25% of Readers Paid for Their Last Book
A new Authors Guild report has reached a stark conclusion: most readers are not paying for the books they read. To put it bluntly, that would seem to be the conclusion of a report from the Authors Guild. The report is dated December 2025, but the press release only came out in the last week, suggesting that some crunching and considering has been going on in the interim. I'll have a look at the more noteworthy findings and what they suggest for us as authors (Publishers Weekly's headline on the piece clearly cites a connection to declining author incomes), but first I want to situate this somewhat.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-report/#audiobookgrowth #authorincome #AuthorsGuild #bookpiracy #digitallibraries
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News Summary: Authors Guild Report Finds Only 25% of Readers Paid for Their Last Book
A new Authors Guild report has reached a stark conclusion: most readers are not paying for the books they read. To put it bluntly, that would seem to be the conclusion of a report from the Authors Guild. The report is dated December 2025, but the press release only came out in the last week, suggesting that some crunching and considering has been going on in the interim. I'll have a look at the more noteworthy findings and what they suggest for us as authors (Publishers Weekly's headline on the piece clearly cites a connection to declining author incomes), but first I want to situate this somewhat.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-report/#audiobookgrowth #authorincome #AuthorsGuild #bookpiracy #digitallibraries
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There is something weird (nefarious) going on with the Author's Guild--it's not new, but it does feel complicit. Especially at a time when public libraries are already under siege.
#PSA #Libraries #USPolitics #AuthorsGuild #CallToAction
http://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/06/library-people-strap-in-for-fight-with.html
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There is something weird (nefarious) going on with the Author's Guild--it's not new, but it does feel complicit. Especially at a time when public libraries are already under siege.
#PSA #Libraries #USPolitics #AuthorsGuild #CallToAction
http://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/06/library-people-strap-in-for-fight-with.html
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There is something weird (nefarious) going on with the Author's Guild--it's not new, but it does feel complicit. Especially at a time when public libraries are already under siege.
#PSA #Libraries #USPolitics #AuthorsGuild #CallToAction
http://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/06/library-people-strap-in-for-fight-with.html
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There is something weird (nefarious) going on with the Author's Guild--it's not new, but it does feel complicit. Especially at a time when public libraries are already under siege.
#PSA #Libraries #USPolitics #AuthorsGuild #CallToAction
http://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/06/library-people-strap-in-for-fight-with.html
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There is something weird (nefarious) going on with the Author's Guild--it's not new, but it does feel complicit. Especially at a time when public libraries are already under siege.
#PSA #Libraries #USPolitics #AuthorsGuild #CallToAction
http://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/06/library-people-strap-in-for-fight-with.html
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In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers
After more than two years, the return of H.B. 900, which would require bookstores and vendors to review all books in Texas schools at their own expense and rate them for sexual content, is a tense, and unwelcome development for freedom-to-read advocates.
The post In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2026/05/in-the-u-s-texas-asks-court-to-resurrect-unconstitutional-book-rating-law-alarming-publishers-and-booksellers/ -
In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers
After more than two years, the return of H.B. 900, which would require bookstores and vendors to review all books in Texas schools at their own expense and rate them for sexual content, is a tense, and unwelcome development for freedom-to-read advocates.
The post In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2026/05/in-the-u-s-texas-asks-court-to-resurrect-unconstitutional-book-rating-law-alarming-publishers-and-booksellers/ -
In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers
After more than two years, the return of H.B. 900, which would require bookstores and vendors to review all books in Texas schools at their own expense and rate them for sexual content, is a tense, and unwelcome development for freedom-to-read advocates.
The post In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2026/05/in-the-u-s-texas-asks-court-to-resurrect-unconstitutional-book-rating-law-alarming-publishers-and-booksellers/ -
In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers
After more than two years, the return of H.B. 900, which would require bookstores and vendors to review all books in Texas schools at their own expense and rate them for sexual content, is a tense, and unwelcome development for freedom-to-read advocates.
The post In the U.S., Texas Asks Court to Resurrect ‘Unconstitutional’ Book Rating Law, Alarming Publishers and Booksellers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives.
https://publishingperspectives.com/2026/05/in-the-u-s-texas-asks-court-to-resurrect-unconstitutional-book-rating-law-alarming-publishers-and-booksellers/ -
Via @victoriastrauss (on Bluesky):
"The Authors Guild has won a default judgment against deadbeat publisher TouchPoint Press, enabling 18 writers to get their rights back:
https://authorsguild.org/news/authors-guild-wins-default-judgment-against-touchpoint-press/"My blog post about the troubles at TouchPoint Press, with many updates. A reminder that a publisher doesn't have to be an intentional fraud to damage writers and their careers."
https://writerbeware.blog/2023/06/30/small-press-storm-warnings-adelaide-books-propertius-press-touchpoint-press/#Writing #Publishing #WriterBeware #AuthorsGuild @bookstodon
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Via @victoriastrauss (on Bluesky):
"The Authors Guild has won a default judgment against deadbeat publisher TouchPoint Press, enabling 18 writers to get their rights back:
https://authorsguild.org/news/authors-guild-wins-default-judgment-against-touchpoint-press/"My blog post about the troubles at TouchPoint Press, with many updates. A reminder that a publisher doesn't have to be an intentional fraud to damage writers and their careers."
https://writerbeware.blog/2023/06/30/small-press-storm-warnings-adelaide-books-propertius-press-touchpoint-press/#Writing #Publishing #WriterBeware #AuthorsGuild @bookstodon
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Via @victoriastrauss (on Bluesky):
"The Authors Guild has won a default judgment against deadbeat publisher TouchPoint Press, enabling 18 writers to get their rights back:
https://authorsguild.org/news/authors-guild-wins-default-judgment-against-touchpoint-press/"My blog post about the troubles at TouchPoint Press, with many updates. A reminder that a publisher doesn't have to be an intentional fraud to damage writers and their careers."
https://writerbeware.blog/2023/06/30/small-press-storm-warnings-adelaide-books-propertius-press-touchpoint-press/#Writing #Publishing #WriterBeware #AuthorsGuild @bookstodon
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Via @victoriastrauss (on Bluesky):
"The Authors Guild has won a default judgment against deadbeat publisher TouchPoint Press, enabling 18 writers to get their rights back:
https://authorsguild.org/news/authors-guild-wins-default-judgment-against-touchpoint-press/"My blog post about the troubles at TouchPoint Press, with many updates. A reminder that a publisher doesn't have to be an intentional fraud to damage writers and their careers."
https://writerbeware.blog/2023/06/30/small-press-storm-warnings-adelaide-books-propertius-press-touchpoint-press/#Writing #Publishing #WriterBeware #AuthorsGuild @bookstodon
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Via @victoriastrauss (on Bluesky):
"The Authors Guild has won a default judgment against deadbeat publisher TouchPoint Press, enabling 18 writers to get their rights back:
https://authorsguild.org/news/authors-guild-wins-default-judgment-against-touchpoint-press/"My blog post about the troubles at TouchPoint Press, with many updates. A reminder that a publisher doesn't have to be an intentional fraud to damage writers and their careers."
https://writerbeware.blog/2023/06/30/small-press-storm-warnings-adelaide-books-propertius-press-touchpoint-press/#Writing #Publishing #WriterBeware #AuthorsGuild @bookstodon
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News Podcast: BookCon Returns with a Welcome for Indie Authors; Anthropic Settlement Class Reaches 91%
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway reports on the return of BookCon to New York after a pandemic-era hiatus, where the Indie Alley proved a genuine hit with readers — a sign that the established book world is increasingly making room for independent authors. He also has an update on the Anthropic copyright settlement, where 91 percent of eligible titles were claimed before the deadline, putting the expected payout per title at around $2,931, with a reminder that traditionally published authors may receive less due to rights splits with their publishers.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-bookcon-returns/#Podcast #AIcopyrightpayout #Anthropicsettlement #AuthorsGuild #BookCon2026
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News Podcast: BookCon Returns with a Welcome for Indie Authors; Anthropic Settlement Class Reaches 91%
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway reports on the return of BookCon to New York after a pandemic-era hiatus, where the Indie Alley proved a genuine hit with readers — a sign that the established book world is increasingly making room for independent authors. He also has an update on the Anthropic copyright settlement, where 91 percent of eligible titles were claimed before the deadline, putting the expected payout per title at around $2,931, with a reminder that traditionally published authors may receive less due to rights splits with their publishers.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-bookcon-returns/#Podcast #AIcopyrightpayout #Anthropicsettlement #AuthorsGuild #BookCon2026
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News Podcast: BookCon Returns with a Welcome for Indie Authors; Anthropic Settlement Class Reaches 91%
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway reports on the return of BookCon to New York after a pandemic-era hiatus, where the Indie Alley proved a genuine hit with readers — a sign that the established book world is increasingly making room for independent authors. He also has an update on the Anthropic copyright settlement, where 91 percent of eligible titles were claimed before the deadline, putting the expected payout per title at around $2,931, with a reminder that traditionally published authors may receive less due to rights splits with their publishers.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-bookcon-returns/#Podcast #AIcopyrightpayout #Anthropicsettlement #AuthorsGuild #BookCon2026
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News Podcast: BookCon Returns with a Welcome for Indie Authors; Anthropic Settlement Class Reaches 91%
On this episode of Self-Publishing with ALLi, Dan Holloway reports on the return of BookCon to New York after a pandemic-era hiatus, where the Indie Alley proved a genuine hit with readers — a sign that the established book world is increasingly making room for independent authors. He also has an update on the Anthropic copyright settlement, where 91 percent of eligible titles were claimed before the deadline, putting the expected payout per title at around $2,931, with a reminder that traditionally published authors may receive less due to rights splits with their publishers.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/podcast-bookcon-returns/#Podcast #AIcopyrightpayout #Anthropicsettlement #AuthorsGuild #BookCon2026
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News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate
Beehiiv has been in the news again this past week. I want to report on the latest from the newsletter platform if for no other reason than an irresistible desire to say they have been busy little bees. A facility offering webinar capability will be of interest to some. But more interesting might be the so-called "metered paywall" capability. That's something many will be familiar with as readers, where you get a certain amount of content for free (say, three articles) before you have to pay to unlock more.
The post News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/beehiiv-adds-webinars/#Anthropicsettlement #authorpayouts #AuthorsGuild #beehiiv #classaction
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News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate
Beehiiv has been in the news again this past week. I want to report on the latest from the newsletter platform if for no other reason than an irresistible desire to say they have been busy little bees. A facility offering webinar capability will be of interest to some. But more interesting might be the so-called "metered paywall" capability. That's something many will be familiar with as readers, where you get a certain amount of content for free (say, three articles) before you have to pay to unlock more.
The post News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/beehiiv-adds-webinars/#Anthropicsettlement #authorpayouts #AuthorsGuild #beehiiv #classaction
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News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate
Beehiiv has been in the news again this past week. I want to report on the latest from the newsletter platform if for no other reason than an irresistible desire to say they have been busy little bees. A facility offering webinar capability will be of interest to some. But more interesting might be the so-called "metered paywall" capability. That's something many will be familiar with as readers, where you get a certain amount of content for free (say, three articles) before you have to pay to unlock more.
The post News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/beehiiv-adds-webinars/#Anthropicsettlement #authorpayouts #AuthorsGuild #beehiiv #classaction
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News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate
Beehiiv has been in the news again this past week. I want to report on the latest from the newsletter platform if for no other reason than an irresistible desire to say they have been busy little bees. A facility offering webinar capability will be of interest to some. But more interesting might be the so-called "metered paywall" capability. That's something many will be familiar with as readers, where you get a certain amount of content for free (say, three articles) before you have to pay to unlock more.
The post News Summary: Beehiiv Adds Webinars and Metered Paywalls; Anthropic Settlement Reaches 91% Claim Rate appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/beehiiv-adds-webinars/#Anthropicsettlement #authorpayouts #AuthorsGuild #beehiiv #classaction
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News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform
We end the week with two AI stories at very different ends of the news spectrum. First up is a statement from Authors Guild on AI in publishing and, as they put it, a "new model contract clause." The statement is an explicit response to the reports I noted previously that publishing professionals are uploading manuscripts to AI models to assist with editing tasks.
The post News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-issues-ai-contract-clause/#AIcontractclause #AIinPublishing #AuthorsGuild #CharacterAI #interactivebooks
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News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform
We end the week with two AI stories at very different ends of the news spectrum. First up is a statement from Authors Guild on AI in publishing and, as they put it, a "new model contract clause." The statement is an explicit response to the reports I noted previously that publishing professionals are uploading manuscripts to AI models to assist with editing tasks.
The post News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-issues-ai-contract-clause/#AIcontractclause #AIinPublishing #AuthorsGuild #CharacterAI #interactivebooks
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News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform
We end the week with two AI stories at very different ends of the news spectrum. First up is a statement from Authors Guild on AI in publishing and, as they put it, a "new model contract clause." The statement is an explicit response to the reports I noted previously that publishing professionals are uploading manuscripts to AI models to assist with editing tasks.
The post News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-issues-ai-contract-clause/#AIcontractclause #AIinPublishing #AuthorsGuild #CharacterAI #interactivebooks
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News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform
We end the week with two AI stories at very different ends of the news spectrum. First up is a statement from Authors Guild on AI in publishing and, as they put it, a "new model contract clause." The statement is an explicit response to the reports I noted previously that publishing professionals are uploading manuscripts to AI models to assist with editing tasks.
The post News Summary: Authors Guild Issues AI Contract Clause; Character.AI Launches Interactive Book Platform appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/authors-guild-issues-ai-contract-clause/#AIcontractclause #AIinPublishing #AuthorsGuild #CharacterAI #interactivebooks
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Judge Rejects Government’s Weak Attempt To Memory-Hole DOGE Deposition Videos
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Judge Rejects Government’s Weak Attempt To Memory-Hole DOGE Deposition Videos
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Judge Rejects Government’s Weak Attempt To Memory-Hole DOGE Deposition Videos
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Judge Rejects Government’s Weak Attempt To Memory-Hole DOGE Deposition Videos
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Judge Rejects Government’s Weak Attempt To Memory-Hole DOGE Deposition Videos
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@masukomi
Good point! Thanks for your response.Searching the book has existed for awhile, on all Kindles and the app. Ask the Book is new and different. Google search even before AI was pretty good at figuring out what I wanted to find, deciphering my query… before they decided to bias toward showing results that were sponsored or could even slightly imply commerce. I still use the non-AI version as it is often provides the most relevant results.
My understanding is that Amazon trains an LLM with the books. I ended up at the Author's Guild to inform and correct my rant (and yes, what I wrote was a rant and I am embarrassed about that). As an author, I am comfortable with any bias they have on the subject. Quote first, then link.
The Guild is concerned that Ask this Book turns books into searchable, interactive products akin to enhanced ebooks or annotated editions—a new format for which rights should be specifically negotiated—and, given Amazon’s stronghold on ebook retail, it could usurp the burgeoning licensing market for interactive AI-enabled ebooks and audiobooks.
Amazon’s Response
We reached out to Amazon with our concerns and they reported to that “The feature only uses content from the book as a prompt which is not retained or used to train the underlying AI model.” An Amazon spokesperson explained that Amazon considers the feature to be “a natural language expansion of the search functionality that already exists in Kindle apps and for which no license is required.” Amazon further reasons that “readers have been asking these questions through internet searches for years and that this feature is more native, spoiler-free, and helps customers keep reading as opposed to coming out of the book, which is the case today with all other ways to answer questions about the book you’re reading.”
The Guild’s Take
We do not entirely agree with this depiction. In creating a chat feature that allows readers to ask questions about a book—including analysis and summaries—Amazon is possibly creating a derivate use, not a mere search function. Amazon has confirmed that it is using a “standalone” instance of an AI model to answer user queries and that its responses are based solely on the text of the book purchased by the user. This may suggest that Ask this Book uses RAG (retrieval augmented generation) technology, though we don’t have confirmation of this. RAG uses, for which there is a growing market, are typically licensed. The most common application of RAG technology is to make the output of LLMs more accurate in AI-based search engines.
#AI #Amazon #Askthisbook #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #authorsguild #author opinion.
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@masukomi
Good point! Thanks for your response.Searching the book has existed for awhile, on all Kindles and the app. Ask the Book is new and different. Google search even before AI was pretty good at figuring out what I wanted to find, deciphering my query… before they decided to bias toward showing results that were sponsored or could even slightly imply commerce. I still use the non-AI version as it is often provides the most relevant results.
My understanding is that Amazon trains an LLM with the books. I ended up at the Author's Guild to inform and correct my rant (and yes, what I wrote was a rant and I am embarrassed about that). As an author, I am comfortable with any bias they have on the subject. Quote first, then link.
The Guild is concerned that Ask this Book turns books into searchable, interactive products akin to enhanced ebooks or annotated editions—a new format for which rights should be specifically negotiated—and, given Amazon’s stronghold on ebook retail, it could usurp the burgeoning licensing market for interactive AI-enabled ebooks and audiobooks.
Amazon’s Response
We reached out to Amazon with our concerns and they reported to that “The feature only uses content from the book as a prompt which is not retained or used to train the underlying AI model.” An Amazon spokesperson explained that Amazon considers the feature to be “a natural language expansion of the search functionality that already exists in Kindle apps and for which no license is required.” Amazon further reasons that “readers have been asking these questions through internet searches for years and that this feature is more native, spoiler-free, and helps customers keep reading as opposed to coming out of the book, which is the case today with all other ways to answer questions about the book you’re reading.”
The Guild’s Take
We do not entirely agree with this depiction. In creating a chat feature that allows readers to ask questions about a book—including analysis and summaries—Amazon is possibly creating a derivate use, not a mere search function. Amazon has confirmed that it is using a “standalone” instance of an AI model to answer user queries and that its responses are based solely on the text of the book purchased by the user. This may suggest that Ask this Book uses RAG (retrieval augmented generation) technology, though we don’t have confirmation of this. RAG uses, for which there is a growing market, are typically licensed. The most common application of RAG technology is to make the output of LLMs more accurate in AI-based search engines.
#AI #Amazon #Askthisbook #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #authorsguild #author opinion.
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@masukomi
Good point! Thanks for your response.Searching the book has existed for awhile, on all Kindles and the app. Ask the Book is new and different. Google search even before AI was pretty good at figuring out what I wanted to find, deciphering my query… before they decided to bias toward showing results that were sponsored or could even slightly imply commerce. I still use the non-AI version as it is often provides the most relevant results.
My understanding is that Amazon trains an LLM with the books. I ended up at the Author's Guild to inform and correct my rant (and yes, what I wrote was a rant and I am embarrassed about that). As an author, I am comfortable with any bias they have on the subject. Quote first, then link.
The Guild is concerned that Ask this Book turns books into searchable, interactive products akin to enhanced ebooks or annotated editions—a new format for which rights should be specifically negotiated—and, given Amazon’s stronghold on ebook retail, it could usurp the burgeoning licensing market for interactive AI-enabled ebooks and audiobooks.
Amazon’s Response
We reached out to Amazon with our concerns and they reported to that “The feature only uses content from the book as a prompt which is not retained or used to train the underlying AI model.” An Amazon spokesperson explained that Amazon considers the feature to be “a natural language expansion of the search functionality that already exists in Kindle apps and for which no license is required.” Amazon further reasons that “readers have been asking these questions through internet searches for years and that this feature is more native, spoiler-free, and helps customers keep reading as opposed to coming out of the book, which is the case today with all other ways to answer questions about the book you’re reading.”
The Guild’s Take
We do not entirely agree with this depiction. In creating a chat feature that allows readers to ask questions about a book—including analysis and summaries—Amazon is possibly creating a derivate use, not a mere search function. Amazon has confirmed that it is using a “standalone” instance of an AI model to answer user queries and that its responses are based solely on the text of the book purchased by the user. This may suggest that Ask this Book uses RAG (retrieval augmented generation) technology, though we don’t have confirmation of this. RAG uses, for which there is a growing market, are typically licensed. The most common application of RAG technology is to make the output of LLMs more accurate in AI-based search engines.
#AI #Amazon #Askthisbook #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #authorsguild #author opinion.
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@masukomi
Good point! Thanks for your response.Searching the book has existed for awhile, on all Kindles and the app. Ask the Book is new and different. Google search even before AI was pretty good at figuring out what I wanted to find, deciphering my query… before they decided to bias toward showing results that were sponsored or could even slightly imply commerce. I still use the non-AI version as it is often provides the most relevant results.
My understanding is that Amazon trains an LLM with the books. I ended up at the Author's Guild to inform and correct my rant (and yes, what I wrote was a rant and I am embarrassed about that). As an author, I am comfortable with any bias they have on the subject. Quote first, then link.
The Guild is concerned that Ask this Book turns books into searchable, interactive products akin to enhanced ebooks or annotated editions—a new format for which rights should be specifically negotiated—and, given Amazon’s stronghold on ebook retail, it could usurp the burgeoning licensing market for interactive AI-enabled ebooks and audiobooks.
Amazon’s Response
We reached out to Amazon with our concerns and they reported to that “The feature only uses content from the book as a prompt which is not retained or used to train the underlying AI model.” An Amazon spokesperson explained that Amazon considers the feature to be “a natural language expansion of the search functionality that already exists in Kindle apps and for which no license is required.” Amazon further reasons that “readers have been asking these questions through internet searches for years and that this feature is more native, spoiler-free, and helps customers keep reading as opposed to coming out of the book, which is the case today with all other ways to answer questions about the book you’re reading.”
The Guild’s Take
We do not entirely agree with this depiction. In creating a chat feature that allows readers to ask questions about a book—including analysis and summaries—Amazon is possibly creating a derivate use, not a mere search function. Amazon has confirmed that it is using a “standalone” instance of an AI model to answer user queries and that its responses are based solely on the text of the book purchased by the user. This may suggest that Ask this Book uses RAG (retrieval augmented generation) technology, though we don’t have confirmation of this. RAG uses, for which there is a growing market, are typically licensed. The most common application of RAG technology is to make the output of LLMs more accurate in AI-based search engines.
#AI #Amazon #Askthisbook #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #authorsguild #author opinion.
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Turns Out The DOGE Bros Who Killed Humanities Grants Are Kinda Sensitive About It
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Turns Out The DOGE Bros Who Killed Humanities Grants Are Kinda Sensitive About It
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Turns Out The DOGE Bros Who Killed Humanities Grants Are Kinda Sensitive About It
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Turns Out The DOGE Bros Who Killed Humanities Grants Are Kinda Sensitive About It
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Turns Out The DOGE Bros Who Killed Humanities Grants Are Kinda Sensitive About It
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News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification
A short while ago, I reported on Audible's new immersion reading initiative. Subsequent to that, Publishing Perspectives had an expansion on the subject that makes it worthy of a revisit. You will recall that Audible now allows people who own e-books and audiobooks of the same title to read and listen at the same time, with features such as highlighting the text of the word currently being narrated.
The post News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/immersion-reading/#AIinPublishing #Audible #AuthorsGuild #HumanAuthoredcertification #ImmersionReading
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News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification
A short while ago, I reported on Audible's new immersion reading initiative. Subsequent to that, Publishing Perspectives had an expansion on the subject that makes it worthy of a revisit. You will recall that Audible now allows people who own e-books and audiobooks of the same title to read and listen at the same time, with features such as highlighting the text of the word currently being narrated.
The post News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/immersion-reading/#AIinPublishing #Audible #AuthorsGuild #HumanAuthoredcertification #ImmersionReading
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News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification
A short while ago, I reported on Audible's new immersion reading initiative. Subsequent to that, Publishing Perspectives had an expansion on the subject that makes it worthy of a revisit. You will recall that Audible now allows people who own e-books and audiobooks of the same title to read and listen at the same time, with features such as highlighting the text of the word currently being narrated.
The post News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/immersion-reading/#AIinPublishing #Audible #AuthorsGuild #HumanAuthoredcertification #ImmersionReading
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News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification
A short while ago, I reported on Audible's new immersion reading initiative. Subsequent to that, Publishing Perspectives had an expansion on the subject that makes it worthy of a revisit. You will recall that Audible now allows people who own e-books and audiobooks of the same title to read and listen at the same time, with features such as highlighting the text of the word currently being narrated.
The post News Summary: Audible Reports Strong Retention with Immersion Reading; Authors Guild Expands Human Authored Certification appeared first on The Self-Publishing Advice Center.
https://selfpublishingadvice.org/immersion-reading/#AIinPublishing #Audible #AuthorsGuild #HumanAuthoredcertification #ImmersionReading
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DOGE Bro’s Grant Review Process Was Literally Just Asking ChatGPT ‘Is This DEI?’
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DOGE Bro’s Grant Review Process Was Literally Just Asking ChatGPT ‘Is This DEI?’