Tag: Amazon

Would You Like Some AI With That?

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As a Coke drinker (please, no hating from the Pepsi drinkers!), I noticed new flavors in the store. Apparently, they’re being inventive with a new “Creations” platform. In 2023 alone, they’ve created at least seven new varieties of Coke. Instead of your usual Cherry or Lime, they’ve released limited editions of the following. I’ve pulled most of these interesting descriptions straight from their website.

*Starlight: inspired by space. Consumers say it has a raspberry flavor (after a study came out stating that space tastes like raspberries)   https://next.voxcreative.com/ad/20726659/space-taste-like-raspberry-titos-cocktail

*Dreamworld: “tastes like dreams”

*Byte: has a “pixel flavor”

*Ultimate: no description here, but consumers say it tastes like Coke + fruit punch

*Move: co-created with Grammy-award winner Rosalita, it “brings to life the transformational power of music”

*A no-name version co-created with the entertainer Marshmello: it tastes not like marshmallow, which would make sense, but like strawberry and watermelon

*And lastly, the new Y3000: “co-created with AI.” After trying it, I can say it tastes like Coke and Dr. Pepper had a baby.

This last creation, Y3000, made me suspicious because it was co-created with AI. Anything created with AI is like no-calorie sweetener—unhealthy and synthetic.

Artificial intelligence is ubiquitous. It crept into the artistic world creating images “scraped” from the internet and cobbled together—with no recognition given to the original artists. Then the literary world was invaded. A surplus of books written entirely by AI showed up on Amazon. Jane Friedman, a columnist, professor, and writer with twenty-five years in the literary industry, had several books show up on Amazon with her name on them—again, written by AI trained on blog articles she’d written. Amazon eventually pulled them down and is now requiring authors to declare which of their books were written with AI, and if so, by how much. (How many people will be honest about that?) And just yesterday, I read Kindle will be beta testing audiobooks with AI narrators.

Last month, I played around with ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence bot. I asked for poorly written paragraphs for an editing exercise I was planning. On a whim, I asked for a Christian fiction example. What I got didn’t look anything at all like Christian fiction. There was no mention of faith, grace, or mercy, no life-changing events. It mentioned the sun rising and feeling positive as a new day began. I would categorize the paragraph inspirational, although I didn’t find any of the vague drivel truly inspiring.

There has been some worry circulating in the literary world about what this infiltration of AI means for authors. Will we be replaced? How do we “compete” with AI? AI is soulless. It can’t have an existential crises or think about eternity or explain what love feels or looks like. It has no emotion, thought, or sentient properties and only puts out what was put in. It can’t explain the miraculous, the divine, a priceless gift given that isn’t deserved.

This is why we need real authors creating real stories, not some bot spewing words. Original, creative stories don’t have to include perfect characters in a beautiful utopia. But each story can shed a light in a dark place and offer hope to those who might not even know they need it. Original, imaginative stories (speculative, romance, and other genres) include not just beautiful words strung together, but believable characters and strong emotions to hook the reader. No random AI program can do that.

If you’re a writer, go forth and write the best story you can—include imaginative plots, flawed characters, and vivid worlds with hope shining through at the end. And if you’re a reader, buy those books written by real authors that speak to you, the ones you can’t put down until the wee hours of the morning. Share them with others and tell your next-door neighbor about the newest gem you’re reading. Write reviews to share your thoughts and to direct others to books that deserve to be read. Let’s do our best to bury AI by focusing on the real and the enduring, instead of the unhealthy and fake.

What Is a Blurb?

You’ve probably heard of a blurb, but I’d bet my wobbling TBR pile you’ve read one–every time you pick up a book in a bookstore or click on the link on Amazon to learn more. But writing one for your own work isn’t easy.

Also called a BCC or back cover copy, it’s like a dating profile. What can you tell the reader that will make him/her purchase this book? The tagline on the front of the eye-catching cover compelled them to pick the book up or click on the link. You hooked them. Great! Now you have to make the reader buy it, and an engaging blurb will seal the deal.

Not sure how to start? Check Amazon for some ideas. Every book there has a blurb, but I would check the bestsellers in your genre. You’ll see how the big dogs do it. Once you’ve got a few ideas from checking Amazon, try writing a summary. Remember the synopsis you worked on? Use that to make sure you include the high points of your story. Unlike the synopsis, use more interesting language, exciting action verbs and hyperbole. List and name the main characters, what they want, and the obstacle in their way. Use short sentences with words that create a certain feeling and will draw in the Ideal Reader of your genre– for example the sinister monk, a mysterious secret, or the adorkable boy next door. Oh, and DON’T tell the reader how it ends. Include the stakes. Will they find their way out of the labyrinthine rain forest? Will they be eaten by starved zombies? Will they kill the evil mastermind? What do they have to lose if they don’t?

You’ll probably have a pretty clunky piece of writing, so hone it down. Play with the wording, making sure it’s written in your voice. And definitely do it more than a few times. But trust me, after writing several versions of the same blurb, it all begins to blur. That’s when you call in your writing friends to get new eyes on it. One of my writing buddies is the Queen of Blurbs—it’s like her superpower.

While some contests call for a blurb under 200 words, ideally it should be 100-150 words. Amazon doesn’t give you a lot of room and you’ll want it to be nicely spaced on the back cover. It can be tricky, but don’t give up on this crucial item. With some work, your blurb will sparkle and shine!