Writer beware: don’t fall for the scams filling your inbox.
“Dear author…your book, [title] was amazing. The character [name] stood out as someone emotionally available but who had lots of work to do. I particularly loved…”
How amazing would it be if even one of the fifteen of these emails I received last week was real? It would be incredible to have someone write to me that way and for it to be an authentic way to reach out to talk about my books. But alas…
AI is preying on your desire for validation.
Well, not AI specifically, because AI is a tool, not an entity of its own (at this point). But it’s people who are using AI to delve into a writer’s need for validation, their desire to reach more readers, and their difficulty in marketing. They give you enough information to make you think it’s real, and then they offer to work with you so your book can get “the readership it deserves.” They type in your book title, your name, and ask AI to tell them about it a way that is interesting. They haven’t read your book. They probably don’t even know who you are.
Who are these people?
This is the thing. You don’t know. You don’t know who they are, what their credentials are (if they have any) and what they’ll actually give you if you do hand over money. If you’re going to work with someone, it’s imperative you know who they are. What are their values? What is their reach? What kind of success rate have they had? Are they a real person?
In this era of AI generated books, emails, videos, etc. we must be on guard more than ever. Use your writing groups to ask if you’re thinking of taking up one of these offers. The best way to get readers is still the same as it has always been: write a good book. Engage with real readers at events, on social media networks using bookstagram and booktok, and then write another great book. But please, please, writer beware:
Your story matters. Don’t hand it over to just anyone.
If you want to hear my raspy voice talking about this scam on writers, you can find it here.
