Adventures in Publishing-land

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeAfter a slightly longer than expected break between episodes, we are back to discuss - you guessed it - AI! First up, we are looking to France, where a prize for AI-written novels has been announced (), then we talk about bestselling authors teaming up with AI to make films and TV series…! Not great. Finally, we chat about Romantasy’s new entrant - a small writer named James Patterson…00:00 Intro01:21 From the Slush Pile - Listener Comments08:56 Oh là là - French Fiction AI Prize21:38 Production Prompts - Big Authors, Bad Tech35:01 Chasing the Maas Market - Patterson’s Romantasy Debut45:51 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory49:58 The Final Chapter - RIP Patrick Stewart & Entertainment Catch-up Links:New prize launches for books co-written by AIAuthors First - the new AI book-to-film studioJames Patterson is writing a romantasy with this Scottish authorAustralian woman charged with lacing colleague's curry with snail poisonAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeOn this episode of AIPL, there isn't even a mention of AI! Instead, we talk about how a recent change to Agent ethics guidelines in the US are questionable at best, discuss how publisher's PR promises are often empty (and whether anything could be done to stop that), and dive into a debate about whether memoirs should be fact-checked or should be left to be almost fictional in some cases...00:00 Intro01:06 From the Slush Pile - Listener Comments11:03 Pay to Play? US Agents Ethics Row18:35 Marketing Myths - Publishing's Empty Promises27:33 Memoir or Myth - Does Truth Matter?43:32 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory50:20 The Final Chapter - Entertainment Catch-upLinks:DGB resign from the Association of American Literary AgentsWho holds publishers to their promises?Earl Spencer apologises to Piers Morgan for error in memoirFact checking doesn't apply to memoirs, says ex-Bloomsbury bossWhat happened in the failed execution of Christa Pike?Adventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeOn this week’s episode, we are talking about MrBeast & James Patterson’s apparent book flop, and wondering if publishers will learn that social media following doesn’t translate into book sales. Plus, we talk about the Self-Publishing Partnership’s collapse, and discuss how NOT to behave at conventions after stories of a very pushy author came out of WorldCon.00:00 Intro01:02 From the Slush Pile - Listener Comments17:43 Self-Publishing Panic - Another Unbound?26:09 WorldCon Drama - When the Hustle Goes Wrong34:02 MrBeast Book Bomb - Is Publishing The Most Dangerous Game?42:45 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory45:19 The Final Chapter - Entertainment Catch-upLinks:Almost 100 authors affected by Self-Publishing Partnership collapseIs There a Wrong Way to Chase Your Dreams?Is MrBeast and James Patterson’s Novel Collaboration Headed for a Disastrous Debut?South Korean police officer admits to closing missing person cases to avoid workAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeWe're back after a short break, but it appears nothing has changed in publishing as we are still talking about our (least) favourite subject: AI! We go through some listener mail and comments on the subject before diving into Jerry Falade's collapsed $2.4m book deal, wonder if AI detectors are reliable, and have a talk about different methods of book marketing, wondering what works and what doesn't.00:00 Intro02:11 From the Slush Pile - Listener Comments17:25 AI Hid the Body - $2.4m Book Deal Collapses24:07 Claude & Pangram - Watermark My Words39:54 Marketing Your Book - Book Tok or Book Flop?51:12 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory55:57 The Final Chapter - Entertainment Catch-upLinks:$2m crime novel deal collapses amid questions over AI useAgents react to major book deal that collapsed over suspected AI useClaude's new scarlet letter watermark is invisible—for nowI tested a popular AI slop detector. It felt empowering.I spent $44,000 launching my book. Three of those dollars worked.Adventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeMarco is in a bad mood this week, and doesn’t hold back when discussing the march of AI into audiobooks…! Plus, we chat about the depressing reaction to a book piracy site being taken down, and wonder if Canongate’s new approach to paying authors more regularly will catch on (we aren’t optimistic…)00:00 Intro00:54 Here Come The Robots - AI voices taking over?20:21 A Pirate’s Life For You? How Piracy Hurts Authors29:38 Opening the (Canon)Gates - Will The Big 5 Follow?35:50 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea FactoryLinks:Bolinda creates AI cloned voice of Barbara Cartland[Not linking to the Piracy story as it names the site]Canongate moves to quarterly royalty paymentsAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeOn this week's episode, we ask if the publishing industry is "blowing the bloody doors off" author rights. From Michael Caine's voice getting cloned for an epic audiobook to Hachette and Studiocanal's book to film deal, plus 250 UK publishers signing a massive AI licensing deal, we ask if any of this is good for authors.00:00 Intro01:04 Hachette/Studiocanal Deal - Good or Bad for Authors?10:40 Blow Your Bloody Ears Off - Caine's Digital Odyssey27:49 Collective AI Licenses - Selling Out Authors?34:16 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory39.40 The Final Chapter - Level Up WritingLinks:Hachette Livre and Studiocanal strike book to screen dealMichael Caine licenses voice to narrate AI adaptation of The Odyssey audiobookOver 250 UK publishers opt-in to collective AI-licensing schemeBungling career burglar caught after leaving passport photo at crime sceneAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeThis week, we discuss why the publishing industry is pointing fingers at libraries for declining author incomes, but we wonder about the reasons they aren't talking about. Plus, have you heard of Elias Thorne? We talk about AI's repetition problem and why that may be good news for authors. And we revisit the thorny issue of book lists - after we criticised the Guardian's first 'Best 100 books', is their Readers' list any better?00:00 Intro01:14 Declining Author Income - Libraries to Blame?14:13 Thorne in the Machine - AI Running Out of Ideas?23:38 Guardian Top 100 - Readers vs Critics30:40 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory38.23 The Final Chapter - Horrifyingly GoodLinks:Authors Guild Looks at Why Author Incomes are in DeclineChatbots Keep Telling Stories about Lighthouse Keeper 'Elias Thorne'. We Might Know WhyWikipedia may have built the best AI writing detection guideThe Guardian Readers top 100 novels of all timePokémon Go data trained AI that could assist military drones in war zonesAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeThis week, we're expanding on our discussion from the last episode about the depressing HarperCollins report on children's reading habits. Author and teacher Cailean Steed joins us to break down the underlying data and explain exactly how hyper-fixating on rigid literacy metrics is actively destroying the sheer joy of reading for kids. Plus, we talk about - of course - AI, as we talk about the Commonwealth Short Story Prize winner scandal, and discuss Nobel Laureate Olga Tokarczuk response to the talk of AI involvement in her work. And we find time to talk about the Guardian's "Best books of all time" list - and make Tariq talk about football again.00:00 Intro01:08 Literacy vs Joy: Let Kids Enjoy Reading: Cailean Steed Interview22:15 Snake Oil Award - Prize-winning Pile On37:50 Tokarczuk Prize - An Ignoble Use of AI?44:02 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory52.26 The Final Chapter - Who are books lists for?Links:Literacy focus ‘actively undermining’ reading for pleasure, HarperCollins finds‘Obvious markers of AI’: doubts raised over winner of short story prizeRead The Serpent in the Grove and decide for yourselfOlga Tokarczuk has responded to the controversy over her reputed use of AIThe Guardian 100 Best Books of All TimeAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeOn today's episode of Adventures in Publishing-land, we congratulate Tariq on not one but two new Longlistings, and struggle to understand a story about new research that suggests a heavy focus on literacy skills in schools is actively undermining the motivation to read for fun.Plus, the TikTok books charts have launched! What effect will they have on the industry? And as copies of Shy Girl sell for more than £100 on ebay, Tariq wonders if he should buy up as many copies as he can to fund his retirement (spoiler: he shouldn't!)00:00 Intro05:00 The Reading Paradox - Literacy Skills v Joy16:52 Top of the Toks - TikTok Book Charts Launch31:31 From Shy Girl to Prom Queen? Cancelled Book Sales Soar41:49 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea FactoryLinks:Literacy focus 'actively undermining' reading for pleasure, HarperCollins findsTikTok releases first monthly BookTok Bestseller ListCopies of Mia Ballard's Shy Girl listed online for over £100Adventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeThis week, we’re diving into the unmasking of one of the world’s most successful authors. Freida McFadden, the bestselling author behind The Housemaid, has officially revealed her true identity as Dr. Sara Cohen. We wonder 'why now', talk about imposter syndrome, and discuss why authors use pseudonyms. Plus, we of course chat about some AI-related stories: we go over some of your comments about our last episode on the Shy Girl scandal, talk about the allegation that editors are using LLMs to help them decide which books to pick up, and talk about scam emails again - this people pretending to be editors.00:00 Intro00:46 Shy Girl Fallout - Audience Comments14:17 Chat G-P-Cheat? - Are Editors Using LLMs?25:05 Something Phishy - Fake Editor Emails Spike33:58 Not Just The Housemaid - McFadden's Secret Revealed45:10 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory50:57 Final Chapter - Stellar AdaptationsLinks:Some editors 'uploading confidential manuscripts to Chat GPT'Scam emails impersonating editors on the riseThe Housemaid author Freida McFadden reveals real identityAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.