Newsletter Week 14: The problem with rampant technology; AI “assists” in the creation of journal articles; authors join musicians as Spotify serfs; plus three people to follow and three books to read. Marc Andreessen says “trust technology.” Here’s why that’s dangerous Mark Andreessen of the venture firm Andreessen-Horowitz published “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto.” I have to…
Special note: All of us are in a very raw state because of the devastating events taking place abroad. Business as usual is anything but usual right now. If reading about business books takes your mind off of things for a moment, I offer these insights for you. If not, I’ll catch you later. Newsletter…
Newsletter Week 12: Delving into the “content” debate, the record spread of book banning, plus 3 people to follow, 3 books to read, and plugging yourself in. The difference between creative work and “content” There is none. OK. Put down the pitchforks, people. You and I work in the content industry, whether we admit it…
Week 11: publishers vs. authors on marketing; book advance gender differences; Scribe rises from the dead; plus 3 people to follow, 3 books to read, and the bullplug. Your publisher focuses on bookstore marketing. That’s not what you need. I’ve worked with dozens of traditionally published authors. Nearly all were disappointed in the work of…
Week 10: writers, authors, and credit; top AI tool tips; poorly written book ban undone, plus 3 people to follow, 3 books to read, and plugcasting. Let’s stop pretending that writing books is a solitary activity The actress Millie Bobby Brown has written a book, Nineteen Steps, based on her family’s experience during World War II. She…
Week 9: George Colony nails it: reading stuff for us is AI’s job. Also: leveraged burnout at Simon & Schuster, KDP spies on your toolbox, plus 3 people to follow, 3 books to read, and pluggerating. Why A.I. upends everything, according to George Colony There are two common perspectives on the rise of generative A.I.,…
Week 8: Food shouldn’t lie and neither should you. Also: blurbing out of context, media’s redux, plus 3 people to follow, 3 books to read, and a plug just for women authors. Lies on food labels are deplorable. So are lies on people’s labels. Food shouldn’t lie. Understanding the food you eat is essential to…
Week 7: Prepare to quit, blurb ethically, op-ed opportunity, three people to follow, three books to read, and plugging away. Change your job? Maybe. Change your mind? Definitely. The US unemployment rate is 3.5%. And it’s been that low for months. So it’s time for you to start looking. If you love everything about your…
Week 6: Railing against automation, purloined corpus, everybody’s -ificiationizing, plus 3 people to follow, 3 great reads, and plugliness. Automation: how to eliminate employees and annoy customers There’s a massive technology industry — both big old tech companies and startups alike — dedicated to the idea that all humans must be eliminated. This is automation,…