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The Struggle is Real

Pagan books sales have gone down radically in the last year and a half, despite the increasing number of books being made available. It seems to reflect what many of us authors have been worried about for several years now. The sales aren’t even made up with e-books, as those have dropped significantly as well. Audiobooks for non-fiction still aren’t that popular either, and the revenue from them has always been minimal. So why is there this sudden and sharp decline in books sales?

When I first started learning about and practicing various forms of Paganism in the early 1990’s, books and events were the go-to places to gather the information that I sought out. The choice of books available in the bookstores was only a handful stuffed somewhere in the “New Age” section. The internet didn’t exist, but you could order books from glossy catalogues that companies such as Llewellyn provided, which wasn’t too bad if you lived in the US but if you lived anywhere else, the shipping fees were astronomical. And so you just had to make do with what your local bookstore provided. If you were lucky to have a witchy type shop near you, the selection was a little better, but shelf space was always at a premium. And we didn’t even bother much with libraries back then, because they would never stock those sorts of books in the first place. Finding books to read was a real struggle, but such a joy when you did find one that resonated with you.

The coming of the internet was a huge blessing for the Pagan community who wanted to connect with others, talk about authors and books and find solace with others when the community was so small and so widespread. Books began to be marketed online, which was a real boon to the publishing industry. And yet, with more people online than ever before, what has happened to book sales lately? Surely they should still be increasing?

Nope. I’ve talked to my publishers, I’ve talked to other authors and everyone is seeing a real downturn in books sales. We’ve been scratching our heads, trying to figure out why. As book lovers ourselves, it’s difficult to fathom how this downturn has come about so suddenly. So here is my take on what’s going on, and how it could very well spell the end of non-fiction books in the coming future.

  1. People can get information for free online. As people are online more and more and there are so many different channels to get information from, why buy a book? You could watch a video, read a blog and receive a ton of information anywhere for free. I know that if I was a youngster just starting out, the majority of my information would be garnered from this form of transmission simply because it is free.
  • People don’t have spare cash to buy books right now. Everyone I know is hurting more and more financially, and if it comes down to buying your groceries for the week or buying a book, you will buy the food. I hope.
  • You can find pirated copies of pretty much anything online. Need I say more?
  • Attention spans are waning. It’s a fact. “In the early 2000s, she and her team tracked people while they used an electronic device and noted each time their focus shifted to something new—roughly every 2.5 minutes, on average. In recent repeats of that experiment, she says, the average has gone down to about 47 seconds.” https://time.com/6302294/why-you-cant-focus-anymore-and-what-to-do-about-it/ (I actually had trouble reading this article, not because of attention span but because four different pop-ups kept interrupting my reading. Oh, the irony.)
  • When a book is released, it is competing will millions of other books these days. With so much choice, it’s wonderful for the reader out there. But for the author? It seriously dilutes the sales. Unless you have a slick marketing team that works for you.
  • Authors can’t afford slick marketing teams. The shift in lots of publishing has been to place the onus of marketing up on the author, as the publishers have to make cuts somewhere just to stay competitive. Most authors aren’t marketers. I spent nearly a decade in marketing for a world-famous music venue here in England. That has seen me in good stead for the last ten years, but even now I’m struggling against a tide of everything that I’ve mentioned above.

The struggle is real, folks. I hope one day that books will have a resurgence, that cosying up with a book on a rainy day will replace hiding under your duvet with your smartphone. There is just something about a book, something that feels like an old friend you can turn to, something that you can hold in your hands, that ages even as you age, the feel of something material rather than something immaterial.

 Go analogue for a while. Slow down. Smell the books along the way. Because who knows how long they’ll be here?

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AI in WordPress

So, WordPress now have an “AI Assistant” to help you write better blogs. Or, write entire blogs for you. You all probably know of my deep dislike for AI in the world of books, having had entire books stolen and rewritten by AI programmes under various pseudonyms, including Mari Silva. The sheer volume of books now available on the market that have not been written by a human, or even a team of humans, is astonishing and seriously undercutting real authors just trying to make a living from what they love and what they are skilled in, having put years of effort into their craft.

I thought I would use a blog post, this blog post, as an opporutnity to share with you what it is that the AI assistant on WordPress can do. Which is, in fact, everything for you. And it’s getting harder to tell the difference between what is written by a human being, and what is being written by an AI program. The paragraph below was “written” using the AI assistant. I asked it to write about how AI is working to write essays, blogs and books. Here is the result. I have italicised the AI writing to make it clearer throughout this blog post what was written by me, and what was written by the machine.

The use of AI in writing blogs, essays, and books has revolutionized the way content is generated and has significantly impacted the writing process. AI-powered tools can assist writers in various ways, from suggesting ideas and generating outlines to providing grammar and style suggestions. These tools can also help with research by quickly analyzing vast amounts of data to provide relevant information. Additionally, AI can be used to automatically generate content based on specific parameters, saving time and effort for writers. While some may have concerns about the impact of AI on authenticity and creativity, when used thoughtfully, AI can be a powerful ally for writers, enabling them to streamline their workflow and enhance the quality of their work.

I then asked the WordPress AI Assistant to write about the downsides of AI in blogs, essays and books. Here is what it came up with:

AI in writing for blogs, essays, and books has certain downsides that are important to consider. One significant concern is the potential lack of originality and authenticity in content created with the assistance of AI. There is a risk that the writing may lack the human touch and personal voice that is valued in literary and scholarly works. Additionally, over-reliance on AI tools could lead to a reduction in critical thinking and creativity among writers. Furthermore, there are ethical implications related to the potential misuse of AI-generated content, such as plagiarism and intellectual property infringement. It’s essential to carefully balance the benefits of AI in writing with these potential drawbacks to maintain the integrity and originality of written works.

I decided to choose a more specialist subject for the next experiment. Here, I chose the subject of Druidry. This is what the programme wrote for me:

Druidry has a long and rich history in the British Isles, with roots dating back to ancient times. The term “Druid” is derived from the Celtic word for oak, and Druids were members of the learned class in ancient Celtic societies, serving as priests, teachers, judges, and advisors. They were deeply connected to the natural world and held the oak tree, among other elements of nature, in great reverence. Today, modern Druidry encompasses a variety of spiritual practices, including a strong focus on nature, environmentalism, and the celebration of the changing seasons. Many modern Druids seek to honor the traditions of the past while also adapting them to contemporary life, creating a vibrant and evolving spiritual path. The British Isles, with their ancient landscapes and rich folklore, continue to be an inspiring and significant setting for the practice of Druidry.

Next, I chose an even more specialist subject: that of the awen in Druidry. The AI Assistant wrote:

In Druidry, the concept of “Awen” holds immense importance as it represents divine inspiration and creative energy. The term originates from Welsh and Cornish languages, embodying the idea of flowing spirit and the connection to the divine. Awen inspires Druids to tap into their creativity, wisdom, and spiritual insight, fostering a deep connection to nature and the universe. It is often symbolized as three rays of light, signifying the balance between the triple aspects of nature and the harmony within oneself. This divine inspiration is believed to guide individuals in their spiritual journey, enriching their connection to the natural world and guiding their actions as stewards of the earth.

As you can see, it’s pretty hard to tell the difference between what was written by WordPress’ AI Assistant, and something that I might possibly write. In fact, my books could very well have been some of those “mined” without permission in order to feed the programme to provide the above two examples. Where did the WordPress AI get the information to feed it’s programme to produce the content? It doesn’t just come out of thin air. Has my blog, as well as many others been mined for content so that a machine can write about Druidry? With regards to writing books, this AI process saves someone the hassle of actually reading a book and then writing about it, and undergoing the arduous process of actually learning something. It also saves them from any effort in the process of their theft.

It is extremely alarming how easy it is now for someone to set up a website, blog, or even to write a book these days without have done a lick of work, research, or having the barest knowledge of a subject. In both fiction and non-fiction. And then sell that work at a price that undercuts all who have actually gone before, using their work without permission. Just because we authors have blogs and put stuff out there for free, doesn’t mean that it isn’t copyrighted. However, there is a huge problem in that material is being used without our permission in order to generate content. To catch, prosecute and convict someone of this crime is nigh on impossible, especially for us small-time authors who don’t make it to the New York Times bestselling lists.

So, thank you, WordPress, for killing one of the last bastions of creative writing that makes content available to the wonderful world wide web. From now on, if you want to ensure that material is written by an actual human being, you will have to do your own research. Find out if they have a website. Look at the publication dates of their posts, or the publishing dates of their books. If too much content is being written in too short a space, that’s a big red flag. If the content is too diverse, say for example they write a book about book about Hinduism, followed by a book on divination, followed by a book on Witchcraft, follwed by a book on angels, all books being around 200 – 300 pages long and released within a month of each other, it’s either a team of ghost writers or more likely now an AI programme. It takes time and effort now to find out who the bots are, and who the real writers are. And that shouldn’t be a burden on the readers, but rather should be weeded out by the companies such as WordPress and Amazon, who have allowed such content onto their platforms.

As you can probably tell, I worry about the state of writing, both in fiction and non-fiction. I can only hope that governments and legislators will wake up to the problem before all creative, human-made writing ceases to be. The only way I can see that happening is if we stop feeding the machine, stop putting our work out there for them to steal and therefore creating a repetitive loop of material that all sounds the same because of the lack of new input. But we also have to express ourselves, and do what we do best (as well as pay the bills).

In today’s rapidly evolving world, navigating the landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) can indeed be challenging when distinguishing between AI-generated content and human-created work. As individuals strive to make a living in this environment, it’s crucial to stay informed about AI advancements and their potential impact on various industries. By familiarizing oneself with the characteristics of AI-generated content and employing critical thinking skills, individuals can better discern between AI-generated and human-created material. Furthermore, seeking out reputable sources and staying attuned to technological advancements can help individuals adapt to this changing landscape and make informed decisions about their professional endeavors.

If anyone can be bothered.