Sorry for the cheesy pun in the title, and that there's not much of a post from me today. I'll be back home next week, and things will be back to what passes for normal round here.
Please chat amongst yourselves – especially if you have good news to share, or cheese based jokes, puns, and general remarks.
Last minute update! I've been alerted to the fact Press Gazette have published an article on TABFF's use of AI. It appears this blog, and those who comment here, are the top source of information on the subject!
26 comments:
I did not give the press gazette permission to use and publish my comments. I know it's a public arena and they are entitled to take anyone's comments here and use them as they wish , but it's professional and courteous to be asked first.
I hope you are having a brie..lliant time, Patsy!
TABFF - Goodness, all of our comments appearing in the Press Gazette! That must count as writing good news :) You can see them if you click on ‘shared the email in a blog post’.
Sharon - Press Gazette must have especially liked your comments for them to be included in their main article…
Dee
Yes I suppose so, Dee, but it was an instant shock comment as I reacted to the AI assisted news. I hadn't time to calm down and re - assess the situation.
I think I would take umbriege at being called a 'user' more than anything. 😉 It's good that this debate has blown wide open. Just hope readers take note. Brie and cranberry: you'd never think they'd go together, would you?
@ Sharon – I'm not surprised it was a shock to see your words quoted. It was for me too. I was asked if I'd chat to the person who produced that piece. Being away meant that wasn't convenient, so I just said that everything I knew was in my blog post. I had no idea that almost everything I'd said, plus comments from you and others, would form the basis of an article.
I suppose it's a compliment that I'm considered a trusted source of information, and that the comments quoted were thought to make valid points, expressed clearly enough to be worth repeating to a wider audience.
@ Dee – We are, despite feeling rather like toasted cheese!
I'm trying to see us being quoted as good news. As Marguerite says, it is a good thing that this is becoming publicly known about - I'd rather it hadn't happened though.
@ Marguerite – Yeah, that was a strange choice of word.
You're right about the fruity cheese combo not sounding like a winner. It is nice though, especially if the brie is melted a bit (don't toast the cranberry sauce though, or you'll burn your mouth!) Watercress makes a nice addition.
We have no idea if FF is going to continue at all after the August issue. Personally, I think it's the end of it but I could be wrong.
It's good that this issue is being highlighted. There may be a negative reader response to FF.
HB
Which is a shame, as that negative response will affect the writers who have stories in, such as Patsy.
@ HB - I think readers deserve to know if something wasn't written by a human. I'm hoping that if readers do respond negatively, the publishers of all magazines will decided against using AI to generate content. In the case of TABFF, I hope that happens before they lose so many readers the magazine can't continue.
@ Sharon – If readers do respond negatively to AI stories, that indicates they prefer those written by people. That's good news for writers.
Its good that this issue has reached a wider audience, via the Press Gazette, who can make up their own minds whether they want to read such stories. Only recently a book was being removed from the libraries here once it was established that it was predominantly AI generated. How it ever got to publication without it being detected is a mystery. But I for one was glad that the libraries were removing it.
Well, we'll find out soon is FF is going to continue (or not).
Sue Mcverry- you have a story in the Woman's own summer special. Well done! There's also a free online download in the mag for BOWW.
Not sure if this link will work, but there's been chat on Instagram about TABFF using AI too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Daib5jeNHHl/?igsh=cThsaTU1amY2ZHY0
Hopefully, Patsy, the use of AI in TABFF is definitely not a ‘fetaccompli’ (sorry everyone, I know this is a serious issue, but I couldn’t resist that one… 😊).
Dee
For anybody who has missed it as it's in another thread- Margaret Nicholls said...
Hi Patsy, Thank you for highlighting this. You may remember that I launched Fiction Feast in 1998 and edited it until 2016, working with the lovely Norah Harding. I'm appalled by this decision and the lack of integrity on so many levels. The best part of the job was reading the submissions, encouraging new writers and making suggestions for the 'nearly there' stories, alongside Norah. You all taught me so much about good writing - and I do wonder what the consequences will be for the craft. Hopefully, humanity and creativity will find a way through. I hope that you're well and I wish you and the other writers the best.
I see in the updated article that Bauer say it's a trial. I did mention this, but for some reason, people wouldn't seem to accept what I'd said
Thanks, Sharon – fingers crossed they make the right decision, for writers and readers, after their trialling.
Dee
Full quote from Bauer - Bauer: AI writes ‘first drafts’ of some stories
A Bauer Media spokesperson told Press Gazette: “Take a Break Fiction Feast has been running a trial exploring how AI can support the creation of our in-house fiction stories. AI has been used to write first drafts of some – not all – of these stories, but the ideas, editing and every decision about what makes it into the magazine are still made by our editorial team. AI doesn’t have a final say on anything that gets published.
“This trial is specific to Take a Break Fiction Feast. AI is not used for journalism across our brands – that relies on judgement, verification and accountability that only people can provide.”
So, it is a trail!
Maybe I'm very sensitive, but I can't help feeling that the latest statement from Bauer just rubs salt in the wounds of us Fiction Feast writers.
It seems to suggest that it's fine to use AI for fiction because anybody or any machine can come up with a short story whereas real proper writers are needed for journalism across their brands.
I see your point but what can we do? Most womag writers aren't in an official union and not members of N UJ or the Society of authors. The SO A aren't bothered about womag fiction, anyway.
There's been a huge hooh- hah created over it (with comments taken and published elsewhere without asking for people's permission) and that ought to have an effect, but we don't know if the mag is going to continue.
We just have to wait and see what happens, or what doesn't happen.
They always said it was a trial, but so what? If readers don’t notice or care, then they’ll see the trial as successful. Then it won’t be 10 out of 30 stories written by AI, it’ll be more - possibly the lot. They won’t care about anything other than their profits. And if it’s a successful trial, other publishers will go down that road. We all need this trial to be a disaster.
Well done Patsy for writing to Bauer and all those who commented. I think this bit must have been written by AI too. "Take a Break Fiction Feast contains short stories aimed at women, written by external writers and members of an in-house editorial team, as well as puzzles." I think it's tremendously sad that they consider AI can do the job.
There is something you can do during this so-called 'trial' period other than wait & see; vote with your wallet & don't support it &/or write to.complain & oppose the use of AI. This has no inegative mpact whatsoever on those few writers who still have actual stories included & might actually protect them in the future.
I done see how boycotting the mag will have an effect.
The writers who have stories in the July and August issues would like people to buy the mag and read them, so yes, it will have a negative effect.
It's not just a few writers left!
I should imagine that most FF writers have already complained about it with email messages to the FF admin team.
I wouldn't automatically jump to conclusions that the trial has been successful. There no evidence of that yet.
Sorry, auto correct again- I don't see how boycotting the mag...
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