Here's an email I received today. As I told Rebecca I wished to share any information received from her on this blog, and I've not been asked to keep this to myself, I'm sharing it here.
Hi Patsy
I hope you’re keeping well.
We were in touch recently to let you know about the pause in commissioning on Fiction Feast, and I wanted to share a further note with you as several writers have asked me about what will happen to the magazine.
We have been reviewing how best to support its long-term future and exploring opportunities in our current editorial and operational approach.
So, the July issue of Fiction Feast has been created using a combination of stories – some writer commissions and some in-house creations from the Fiction Feast team.
We have also introduced the use of AI tools exclusively for our in-house stories, so our editorial team has more time to do what they do best and focus on quality and creativity. And we will be exploring this further in the coming weeks.
Again, I wanted to tell you how much we all value the enormous contribution you have made to Fiction Feast, and your kind words to the team.
Wishing you all the best for the future.
Rebecca
Update - This blog post has now been linked to in an article on the subject of AI in TABFF. As that might mean new readers finding the blog, I'd like to point out that it regularly contains information on writing fiction for magazines, usually has links to free entry writing competitions, and even stuff about me and my writing. If you're new here, welcome! I generally post on Saturdays. If you have questions or would like to add to the conversations, please do so in the comments.
I have no words.
ReplyDeleteIf the publishers of a magazine devoted to original fiction think AI equals creativity and quality, there's no hope for real writers, is there?
ReplyDeleteI'm really sad about this development. AI doesn't create fiction, and what it does produce is sourced from real writers work, used without their consent.
ReplyDelete(I'm so annoyed, I've forgotten how to punctuate!)
ReplyDeleteI have received a similar letter, and while I'm grateful that Rebecca is keeping us informed, this was very much not the news I was hoping for. Like Patsy, I primarily feel sad, but also worried that this could mark the beginning of the end for womagwriters - I really do hope not as I love what we do and think we've got something special to offer.
ReplyDeleteVery sad to see this. Can but hope that AI proves not popular with readers. She doesn’t mention later issues so I wonder if this is a bit of a trial.
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder that if they receive no detrimental comments about those stories, then it gives a green light for them to do more. They ought to have to tag them as aided by AI, as agents and publishers would “cancel” writers who admit to this kind of AI “aid” and it is often something we have to “tick” in competitions as well to confirm we haven’t used AI. It’s very sad to see them go down this route. I’d like to think the readers will be savvy but somehow I’m not banking on it. 😢
DeleteI received a similar email.
ReplyDeleteI've been writing for FF since 1998 and I'm so sad that it's come to this.
The writing was on the wall for quite a while, though!
Meanwhile, I've got well over fifty rejections which I can apparently sell to other markets.
But most of those stories were written specifically for FF and there's no similar market at all.
Because FF was quite unique.
So, I'm very sad, but I'll be very interested to read these new in-house stories.
As everyone says, this is very sad.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't believe that stories written by A I will be anywhere near as good as those written by humans with a heart and real emotions.
I don't think readers will enjoy them.
As they are going down this route, I hope they do surveys with their readers to see what they think of the AI written stories.
Unfortunately, it all comes down to money these days and this saves paying writers.
I wonder how many stories written by real writers as opposed to AI ones they'll include in each issue.
Although I'm not on their list, I really feel for all the brilliant writers who are.
It's such a pity as I thought Fiction Feast wasa fabulous magazine with a great mix of stories. I doubt that will be the case going forward. Sharon H
Dreadful news. Really hope readers who appreciate human writing vote with their feet.
ReplyDeleteReally? Meanwhile, everyone answering today's IWSG question about changes in the industry talk about limiting AI in writing.
ReplyDeleteYes, this!!
DeleteOMG I'm not on the TAB FF list, but this spells disaster. AI generated stories are currently really rather rubbish. Horrendous news. And not a great way to end a relationship with authors who have been regularly supplying the magazine with great fiction over the years.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I think I'm done with FF. I'd already got my head around the mag being phased out, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI certainly didn't give them permission to use my work to train AI at all, and if they are expecting readers to stump up £3 or more every month for absolute drivel, they are not only disrespecting the reader, they are also disrespecting the writer.
The situation is sad and absurd. I've asked if they can clarify matters but I don't expect I'll receive an individual, personal, human reply, as I feel that this message was created by AI.
Such a horrible, horrendous situation. I can only hope that they will realise using AI created fiction content will lead to a huge drop in sales. I wonder if this is their intention all along, so they can use this exact to phase out the mag.
Sorry, auto correct - so they can use this as an excuse to phase the mag out.
ReplyDeleteSharon B's post has got me wondering: I agreed to an all-rights contract at TABFF for a time, on the basis that sometimes I was happy to work as an artisan, create the work and let it go for an agreed payment. But do those rights include the right to use my stories to train AI? This was something I couldn't have conceived of at the time of signing, but if all rights really does mean all rights, then I suppose I can't really complain.
ReplyDeleteWe signed a contract last time that gave us our rights back but with it came a drop in fee. As far as I'm concerned, they don't have the right to take our work and use it to train AI. Did we give them permission to do this? I think I'll be withdrawing my stories from FF. I've reached the end.
ReplyDeleteI’m just speechless. It’s a dreadful diservice to writers and readers thinking that AI generated stories for future issues are both acceptable AND a progressive way forward? And being so honest about it like it’s ok! I have got that right in that this is TAB FF’s plan?
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely dreadful. They’ve rejected dozens of quality stories submitted by their regular writers just so that they can publish AI rubbish? I wonder if FF will state in future issues which stories are AI generated? And which are not? Or advertise the fact that it is now an AI produced magazine? I’lI assume no.
ReplyDeleteI feel that AI stories will stand out like a sore thumb. No feeling, no empathy and certainly no imagination. They’ll probably come across as positively flat.
It’s the FF magazine that got me into writing womag fiction in the first place because of their down to earth and identifiable approach. I fear that AI will fail to capture this feeling which I believe is the underlying component of all womag fiction.
Michael
I sincerely hope they will have to tag them as stories created with AI. In other markets (novels and competitions) writers are explicitly asked to do so. Readers should be made aware as it reeks of one rule for us writers and another for the (womag) publishers. I feel sorry for any of the writers on their list.
DeleteThat's appallingly shoddy treatment of both authors and readers. Though not on their list or ever having submitted to them I have often read the magazine, however I would never willing pay to read AI generated fiction so I will not be purchasing said magazine again. Sad race to the bottom.
ReplyDeleteFor those who do submit to FF you could check with ALCS Resources for writers - contracts & rights, who may be able to help you navigate this minefield.
ReplyDeleteI believe TABFF/ Yours/ That’s Life are part of the Bauer Media Group, (as was Yours Fiction). So upsetting to their writers that all of those magazines have now gone down the same ‘not accepting submissions’ path…
ReplyDeleteDee
Giving up all rights has nothing to do with allowing stories to be used to train AI. Those who've sold tall heir rights, gave permission to the publisher to use the stories - not to ChatGPT or other AI systems.
ReplyDeleteThis is really depressing news. I fear it will spread to other magazines too. Like everybody here I mourn the displacement of human creativity by AI.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if they will play 'clever' - get AI to write the stories and go through them making edits to make them seem like they've been written by a human?! They are going to have to think of scenarios for all those stories, to get AI to write something, I presume? Let's hope they run out of ideas!!! They are so many of us with a mass of life experience and different styles of writing. AI can't replicate that.
ReplyDeleteI can do little more than echo all the above. There is a wider question here: why are "we" (I use that word advisedly) so obsessed with "celebrity", gossip and all things trite? What I think we (as in, us) are doing is so much more real and creative. AI can create plastic, but not the real creative mind. A real worry. And yes, the diminishing market for all of us. To me, a sad indictment on society.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lack of integrity and respect for both writers and readers. I hope the decision to use AI by Bauer will come back and bite them.
ReplyDeleteAnon, I don' think that TABFF have gone down the road of 'not accepting submissions from writer's' path.
ReplyDeleteThere are 10 AI stories in the current summer special ( July) issue and it has 30 stories in it, so that's 20 by human writers.
They claim that 'the FF team' have written these 10, but they are AI generated.
They've said, going forward, that they are considering using a mix of AI and human writers and they will be in touch if they want a human writer story. Last month, they halted submissions, but they haven't made an announcement that they are cutting off future submissions.
We don't know if there is is going to be a September issue yet.
To add: I don't know if there will be any AI stories in the August issue.
ReplyDeleteTo those who have vowed to boycott the August issue - I can say for certain that there are several human writer's stories in this issue.
Looking on the bright side, maybe this is just a trial and they are seeing how it goes before they make a decision on using more AI generated content. We'll just have to wait and see.
Re: : My post above - it is still a closed list at TABFF.
I am appalled and saddened, in equal measure by FF. They have not been upfront in the magazine about using AI to generate stories, which is misleading and disrespectful to readers, who will be unaware of this. Accordingly, as a reader, I have raised this question on their Take a Break Official fb page on which they are currently advertising the July FF issue. Will be interesting to see if/how they respond. Readers need to know this is happening and why human writers are being replaced and discarded. Just shocking.
ReplyDeleteGood on you! This is the only way readers will become aware of the issue. I’ve been surprised by the lack of writer comments about this on TABFF’s socials.
DeleteGreat job! If I’m honest, I don’t read it because I don’t like all the celebrity stuff.
DeleteHas anyone read the July issue and seen a difference? I’m intrigued. I imagine they will.
ReplyDeleteThere's isn't that much celeb content in the weekly TAB. It's all about real life - cheating love rats, recovering from operations and medical conditions, wedding hiccups, holiday disasters and being scammed!
ReplyDeleteVery depressing news. How long before other magazines jump on this bandwagon? How long before they all close...?
ReplyDeleteHi 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.
ReplyDelete