Tag: reading

AI is Watering Down Your Voice

It’s been a minute since I’ve talked about publishing on this blog. Mostly, I was just tired of giving advice. Still am.

Most of the work is doing the thing. Failing at it. Succeeding at it, and failing again until you find your groove.

Buttttt… our latest viral sensations have brought me out of hiding.

Enter AI and Dr. Cheyenne Bryant

These seem like unrelated, separate topics, but stay with me.

Lately, I’ve been noticing tons of creators with social media captions that use the same “It’s not x, it’s y” ChatGPT cadence, including authors.

Why are people who write books using AI to write their social captions? Isn’t being creative like, our literal job?

The “it’s not x, it’s y” cadence sounds like: “It’s not just a meal, it’s an experience.”

The words are also structured a certain way, and it is noticeable for those who know what to look for.

For me, it’s mostly noticeable when someone drastically changes how they write. Since I’m a poet, I compare it to suddenly sounding like a poetic professor. You’ve once been an emperor of typos, and now the words flow neatly on top of one another.

The phrases are very well-written, too well-written for a person who has never written in such a way.

It seems to mimic how professional writers write, except now everyone is doing it.

Suddenly, everyone’s Insta captions and Facebook posts are grammatically correct, inspirational, and profoundly poetic.

It is also profoundly fake.

While it might read pretty, it waters down the writer’s authentic voice.

I’d be remiss not to mention that this is not everyone. There are some fantastic, extraordinary writers out there, and for the record, AI is mimicking the genius of the real brain.

The most tell-tale sign is whether I can sense your personality in your writing, or if instead you just sound like an English teacher when you are not one.

The twist in all of this is that typos will become the new normal. They will signal that the person who wrote the piece is a human who makes mistakes and uses their own mind.

You Sound Just Like Everybody Else

What should be most disturbing is that using chat to write will have you sounding like everyone else in the same way that all those AI flyers look the same.

These flyers are always way too cluttered. There is too much information on them, and they end up drawing attention away from the core message, which is drowned out by so many colors and images.

This leads me to question if people are even trying to make changes to the prompts, templates, or whatever they are using.

As a reminder, Canva still exists and has some great free and paid templates from real graphic artists. For my poetry contest, I hired someone on Fiverr to handle the initial design, then paid for the source file. The source file allows me to go in and edit it into as many versions as I want without paying for them. So far, I have turned two graphics into seven to promote my sponsors and judges. It was the best $20 I’d ever spent.

Ya’ll are watering down your voice and image.

I’ve also been seeing a ton of new self-published books with AI/ChatGPT-generated book covers. I cannot emphasize how strongly I recommend not doing this.

You are likely damaging your author brand and marketing strategy before they even begin.

And this isn’t just my opinion. It’s what readers are saying.

An arts digital marketer and historical fiction/romance author conducted a survey asking readers whether they were interested in reading books with AI-generated art.

84% of the people who took her survey said NO.

Additionally, I have been monitoring the bookish community on Threads, and many readers say they don’t trust books with AI-generated covers.

If your book cover is AI-generated, it’s hard not to wonder if your book was written by ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other artificial intelligence software.

It’s hard not to wonder if you’ve put the hard work in to write or if the computer has done the writing for you.

Consequently, even if you did write the book, it’s challenging for readers to see you as an authentic voice.

The book cover is your first impression. Lose readers there, and they are not reading your book.

Speaking of authenticity, enter Dr. Cheyenne Bryant, the woman currently under fire for the legitimacy of her doctorate and the location of her dissertation.

Dr. Bryant also just published a book that people are saying sounds like it was written by AI.

With twelve 1-2-star Amazon reviews, it is littered with claims of fraud stemming from her latest allegations that she is not a real therapist or psychologist.

More of this in part 2…

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – Sick by Christa Wojciechowski

Title: Sick

Author: Christa Wojciechowski

Publisher: Blood Bound Books

Genre: Medical Thriller, Psychological Fiction

Published: October 14, 2025

Pages: 282 pages

Susan Branch is in a different kind of prison. She is a prisoner of her husband’s illnesses. From broken bones, surgeries, rashes, and medications she sometimes steals from her job as a medical clerk of a podiatrist, Susan is forced to take care of her ailing husband. John is diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, a complicated blood disorder, and for Susan, “In sickness and in health” takes on a literal meaning.

“Medications to give, wounds to clean, bed pans to empty, and food to serve.” (pg. 20) Taking care of John has become Susan’s life, going to work her only reprieve before returning to a home where she is locked inside the unsanitary cell of her and John’s bedroom. 

As the story unfolds, John begins to feel less like a husband and more like a helpless child trapped in a man’s body. Susan reads to him until her voice cracks, feeds him baby food, hums lullabies meant to soothe infants, and speaks to him like a mother coaxing a toddler to behave, calling him a ‘good boy.’

John pouts, sulks, and whines when things don’t go his way, and Susan seems to shrink a little more each day, her life orbiting entirely around John’s frailty. She is no longer a wife, not even quite a woman anymore, but a nurse, a mother, a prisoner in her own home.

My version of John and Susan using Chatgpt Sora, lol.

As the story progresses, we learn more about John Branch’s history, his upbringing, and his perspective on life. Readers gain insight into how John Branche’s response to the trauma of his childhood has influenced his adult decisions. When I read this story years ago, I said he was retarded. However, this progeny of old money is not retarded at all. John is quite the mastermind and narcissist with a sophisticated way of manipulating those around him. John does not believe his actions are wrong. He thinks we are all guided by our natural instincts. Speaking of nature, the author plays well with irony and karma. 

This story is well-written and fleshed out. The more you read, the more is revealed. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, there are more layers of the onion to peel off. The author keeps you on your toes, and the more I read, the more I found myself imagining watching an episode of American Horror Story.

Psychological fiction might just be my new favorite genre. I love twists and things that make me go “Whaatt??”

There are parts of the story where I felt sorry for Susan, and parts when I didn’t. Is she a prisoner, or is she also sick? Or, as John would say, are we all just a little sick?

 

“Most of us hide it so deep within that we can convince ourselves it doesn’t exist, while it gestates like a mutant embryo. But you can detect it in everyone. You can sniff it out. You can see it in people’s eyes when they think no one is watching them. There are tells—religion, porn addiction, smoking, or something as innocent as nail biting. Anything to distract themselves from the beast slumbering inside.”

– John Branch

89707

Ratings

  • Plot Movement / Strength: 5/5
  • Entertainment Factor: 4/5
  • Characterization: 5/5
  • Authenticity / Believable: 5/5
  • Thought Provoking: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

Sick is Available Now on Amazon

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*Books are read in the order they are received.

New: Book Review Directory

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I have created a page on the blog listing all the books reviewed so far to make it easier for you to access them.

Browse the directory and meet your next favorite author!

These are the authors whose books received a score of 3* or more. Support the author by purchasing the book if it resonates with you.

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Reading is the Easiest Way to Study Writing

Photo by Christina Morillo

I can tell right away when a book is self-published by a writer who does not read (or does not do it often enough).

No shade to audiobooks, but when I say reading is how we study how to write, I mean reading physical books.

And when I say study, I mean don’t just read the book, but also:

  • Take notes as you read.
  • Highlight important facts or things that catch your attention.
  • Look up the definitions of words you don’t know.
  • Notice the structure of the paragraph, line breaks, and dialogue.

Consider picking up a copy of a physical book at least once a month and reading it through till the end. It will help you to become a better writer.

And if you don’t have time to read at least one book a month, you have no business writing books in the first place.

And don’t try and fake it because your writing will give you away!

If reading is how we study how to write, our writing also displays how much or little we read.

The Power of Reading

Photo by Rahul Sha

I believe reading to be so powerful that it has the capacity to make one wise regardless of whose institution of higher learning the person has or has not attended. In the world of books, it makes no difference whether they completed grade school, high school, or learned to read later in life. That is the capability of the human mind. It is reprogrammable for excellence. The person who spends more time reading than engaging in frivolous activities can become a person of intellect of the highest degree despite their circumstances. Of this, I am sure.

My experience with reading is that it has an unparalleled ability to jolt the mind into action, turning readers into superheroes capable of phonemic awareness, visual and auditory processes, comprehension, and fluency. Nothing would make me happier for this generation than for them to sit down with a book and taste the deliciousness of its knowledge on their tongues. Magic exists in the world of expanded vocabularies, the ability to think critically, analyze, and solve problems. With just one flavorful novel, they, too, can be hooked on the limitless potential of being a well-read person.

5 Things I Do to Stay Productive

Many people ask me how I manage doing so many things. First, you should know I don’t have a 9-5 and no small children to look out for, so this gives me more flexibility with my day. Here are some things I do daily to increase productivity.

I Walk Daily

One of the first things I do in the morning after prayer and coffee is walk a mile. Georgia is a hilly place and there’s this big hill around my house that will have you dying chile, but is a great way to get the blood pumping. If I don’t walk around the house, me and hubs go to the park and do two rounds around the area.

If I feel like doing more, I come back and hit the treadmill or the AB machine. You might wonder what this has to do with anything.

Physical activity helps to reduce anxiety, depression, and negative moods by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.The way I feel after a good workout and all the creativity flowing through me is thrilling. I feel energetic and happier than sluggish and irritated. It doesn’t have to be over the top. Thirty minutes a few times a week consistently can work wonders. You’ll find you have more mental clarity and creativity after working out.

I Don’t Watch Much TV

As much as I love my black movies and go around quoting them, the truth is I don’t actually watch a lot of TV during the day. Most of my TV watching is in the evenings and on the weekends. During the day, I’m working. If I finish early, I read or listen to a podcast or I’ll have an inspirational YouTube video playing in the background. I can listen to Maya Angelou interviews all day.

I Set Deadlines

This is important for me because I forget a lot. I set dates for important stuff I need to get done. I mark these dates on a calendar and it has to be a literal, physical calendar and not my phone because again, I’ll forget. Setting deadlines also helps me to be more accountable for what I said I would do.

Sleep

I sleep more now than I did before and it has made a tremendous difference. I don’t necessarily go to bed super early, but I take naps if I am feeling tired during the day. Yesterday, I got a lot of good rest because I went to bed earlier than usual. Slept for a few hours, woke up to eat and went back to bed. It was great. When we sleep, our brain reorganizes and recharges itself, and removes toxic waste byproducts which have accumulated throughout the day. This shows that sleeping can clear the brain and help maintain its normal functioning. If you are not getting enough sleep, it’s like a computer whose battery is low, it will eventually shut down. This means this “No days off, no sleep” grind culture is actually not very healthy.

Schedule Blog Posts

Far as keeping this blog updated is concerned, a lot of the posts ya’ll read I’ve scheduled to go live days in advance. First, I write a draft. When I come back to finish it I set a time I want it to publish. I also have the WordPress app on my phone so I can share the post on Twitter and respond to comments on the go.

Other things that help me is that I drink a lot of water and I don’t smoke or drink hard liquor. (I do drink wine.)

That’s it!

Building Your Reader Community

People don’t tell new Indie Authors that publishing a book does not mean people will buy it. That is why the moment you decide you are writing your book must be the moment you also start building your community.

Building a reader community is important because it is the first step toward getting your book noticed by the people who want to read it.

Put plainly: when you focus on connecting with people, you attract a tribe of people ready and excited to buy your book when it drops.

This is critical for Indie Authors, in particular, who do not always have access to the same kind of exposure as authors who publish with publishing houses or small presses with bigger budgets.

No, people will not buy your book just because you posted the link. 

No, people will not buy your book just because you’re their favorite cousin. 

And no, people will not buy your book because you tell them to. 

Please also consider that even if your favorite cousin does buy your book, it doesn’t guarantee that they will:

  • Actually read the book
  • Review the book
  • Join your email list
  • Subscribe to your blog
  • Engage with your social media
  • Be repeat customers

Your real tribe, primarily strangers interested in what your book is about turned avid readers you have built a relationship with, will move differently than the family members you are begging to buy from you. 

Here are some things you can do to help find your tribe :

  • Share your writing process. 
  • Give updates on where you are in that process (draft, revisions, editing)
  • Talk about your inspirations and motivations
  • Talk about your challenges
  • Post excerpts from the book to social media
  • Start a blog
  • Start building your email list
  • Educate people about the book you are writing
  • Share the book cover when it’s ready
  • Talk about life outside of books and writing. What are your other interests?
  • Talk about your favorite books and authors

I agree. Building community is not about working tirelessly trying to convince people to read your book who would rather spend that $5 at Starbucks. That’s exhausting and is the frustration of many Indie Authors. That’s that pulling teeth part of the game everyone hates. Suppose building your community feels like you are pulling teeth. In that case, it is probably because you are begging people to support you who are not interested. Do them and yourself a favor and let them go in peace.

What it is about, as Jenn stated, is letting the people already interested in your book know it exists.

I am not trying to get people who are not poetry readers to read my poetry book to put this into perspective. That is not to say I won’t convert some people (tee hee). Still, I am looking for people who are already into poetry, black poetry by black women to be precise.

By sharing our likes, dislikes, challenges, and experiences and connecting with people of like mind, we find people with similar interests as our own. Then, we make the added effort to show up in the places where these people may hang out so we can connect with them on or offline. Maybe your tribe is on Facebook a lot. Maybe they are on YouTube, Instagram, Clubhouse, Twitter, and so on.

It’s 2022, and Indie Publishing has come a long way. Gone are the days of posting links to social media hoping someone will bite. This is known as “Hope Marketing,” or the hope for a sale. This doesn’t help us build community, sell books, or establish meaningful relationships. 

Focusing on people who are already into what you are writing will have a tribe of people waiting to buy your next book and save you a lot of time and heartache.

Remember, it is much easier to market to an already interested audience than an audience who you have to convince.

And most important of all, have fun!

Connecting with people is not supposed to be tedious. Building a reader community doesn’t have to feel like work. That takes the fun out of it. Just be yourself and share your journey. The people who are meant to be part of that journey will notice.

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