shewriter.

I’ll be sharing writing resources that I’ve collected over the years and found helpful for my own writing. I might also talk about writing, editing, and publishing (self-publishing + traditional publishing). I might even share updates on my own works in progress.

♡ Regarding Requests

♡ Writing Resources Master List

♡ The Different Types of Editing

♡ AI: Writing, Editing, & Publishing

A list of resources to help you with grammar and punctuation.

Note: These resources are for American/U.S. English grammar and punctuation.

A Writing Refresher: Basic Grammatical Terms A list of grammatical terms with definitions and examples.

Writing Basics A list of resources to help you get started with some basics regarding grammar and punctuation.

Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation: Writing 101 A guide to various elements of grammar and punctuation, along with definitions and examples.

Grammar Rules: The Ultimate Guide Grammarly’s free online guide on grammar and punctuation. Note: You have to scroll down the page to the headline “Sharpen your grammar.” The resources are listed in the following columns.

Punctuation: The Ultimate Guide Grammarly’s free online guide on specific punctuation rules. Note: You have to scroll down the page to the headline “Understand the Basics of Punctuation.” The resources are listed in the following columns.

The Blue Book of Grammar The free online version of the Blue Book of Grammar. Provides guidelines on grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Includes free quizzes and video lessons.

Purdue Online Writing Lab [Purdue OWL] Purdue University’s online writing lab, with several free resources for both students and the public. Includes resources on general writing, such as grammar and punctuation, and resources on research and citation, including specific style guides.

For more help with grammar and punctuation, check out some other resources I’ve shared: Dictionary & Thesaurus How to Punctuate Dialogue Commonly Misspelled Words

+

A list of resources to help you with the pacing of your story.

Pacing vs. Show, Don’t Tell A detailed, lengthy Tumblr thread that explains the differences between pacing and showing or telling. Provides detailed examples of correct and incorrect ways to do each.

How to Balance Pacing Provides advice for how to slow down the pace and how to quicken the pace of your story.

Quick Editing Tip: Passing Time Explains how to show the passage of short amounts of time in a scene, with examples.

Pacing Feels Too Slow Briefly explains why the pacing in your story might feel too slow.

For more resources on writing a story, check out some others I’ve shared: How to Write a Scene Writing Your Story’s Plot How to Create Conflict

+

A list of resources with miscellaneous writing tips and advice that don’t really fit into any single category.

What Typical Writing Advice Is Actually Trying to Tell You Your English Teachers Lied to You My 10 Holy Grail Pieces of Writing Advice for Beginners 5 Tiny Writing Tips That Aren’t Talked About Enough Practical Writing Advice Part 1 Practical Writing Advice Part 2 Words to Limit in Your Final Draft Writing Mistakes That Editors Will Call You Out For Put What Happens in Brackets Make Your Margins Wider in Your Writing How I Finished Three Chapters Do a Logline for Your Story Varying Sentence Structure [Link 1] [Link 2] Use Sentence Structure to Control People’s Heart Rates When to Use Character Descriptors in Your Writing Write from the Point of View of Different Characters Tips to Increase Tension Maintaining a Consistent Tone Analyze Your Favorite Writers’ Techniques How to Go from Daydream to Draft A Few Tips All Writers Should Remember

+

A retelling is when a writer takes a well-known story and writes a new version of it. There have been many different types of retellings: classic novels that are in the public domain (meaning the original copyright has expired) like Pride and Prejudice or Alice in Wonderland, fairy tales like Cinderella or Little Red Riding Hood, legends like Robin Hood, or characters and stories from folklore and myth such as Korean folklore or Greek mythology.

Here is a list of resources for how to write a retelling for anyone interested in writing their own version of a classic story, fairy tale, folktale, or myth.

Retellings: Why Do It? Helpful suggestions and tips for how to start writing a retelling.

Criteria for a Good Retelling Helpful suggestions and advice for how to write a retelling.

What Keeps a Retelling True? Explains the importance of having respect for and knowledge of the original source material when writing a retelling.

How to Steal a Plot for Your Book (And Get Away with It) Provides suggestions and tips for how to take plots and characters from other stories and rewrite them into something new (like a retelling). Note: This article does not mention the important issue of copyright.

How Do I Make This Different? Offers advice and suggestions for how to take inspiration from well-known stories and use that to make your own original story. This post is geared towards taking inspiration from copyrighted works and turning those ideas into a new original story, but it can be applied to retellings as well. Note: Uses the Harry Potter series as an example.

Taking Inspiration from Another Story’s Premise Provides advice for what to do when you want to write a story with a similar plot of a copyrighted work, but without actually copying or plagiarizing the original work. However, the advice given can also apply to writing retellings.

Beta Reader Sees Similarity with Existing Character Provides advice for what to do when the characters or plot in your original story appear similar to those in a copyrighted work, but it can apply to writing retellings as well. Note: Uses the Harry Potter series as an example.

Story Diversifier Chart by WQA A blog post that contains a link to a free downloadable chart that can be used to keep track of and compare the differences and similarities between your story and the original work that you’re taking inspiration from.

Note: It is important to remember that a published retelling can only be rewritten from a story that is not under copyright. This is why retellings are generally rewritten from works that are in the public domain (i.e., the original book’s copyright is expired, or there is no copyright, such as with a legend or myth that has been passed down over generations).

If someone takes the exact characters or fictional world from a novel that is protected by copyright and tries to publish their version of it, then that is considered plagiarism and could result in a lawsuit. So if you’re thinking about writing a retelling, it’s very important to check whether the original work (or source material) is currently under copyright or if it’s in the public domain (i.e., no longer under copyright).

The rules for copyright and public domain use can be complicated, so when trying to figure out if a novel or other work is in the public domain or not, it’s important to do your own research.

For example: The Wicked series by Gregory Maguire is based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. While The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is in the public domain, Wicked is copyrighted (not only the films, but the books as well). So while you can write a retelling based on Dorothy, or the Wicked Witch, or the Scarecrow from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, you cannot legally publish your own story about Maguire’s characters Elphaba or Fiyero or his particular version of Glinda, or anything specific from his book’s world, like Shiz University.

(If you want to write a story using the characters or worlds from a copyrighted work, then that’s fanfiction, which is an entirely different category. Fanfiction can be freely shared and published online, as long as you don’t profit from it. But that’s another issue that can get complicated.)

I’m including some other resources that go beyond writing retellings, in case anyone is interested. These resources focus on copyright, plagiarism, and what to do if you’re taking inspiration from copyrighted works when writing your own original stories.

For more information:

Copyright and Intellectual Property Toolkit An online guide with resources and information on issues regarding copyright, including things like fair use and the public domain. The link will take you to the “General Copyright FAQ” section, but the page’s sidebar has tabs linking to other topics as well. This section explains what is and what is not protected by copyright, and it provides information on fair use.

Copyright and Intellectual Property Toolkit (2) Same online guide as above, only this link will take you to the section with information on the public domain. Provides a list of links for finding works in the public domain.

Fair Use in Novels Provides a basic explanation for what can and cannot be used regarding copyrighted material (such as titles, names of characters, quotes, and song lyrics). Explains what “public domain” means.

Can I Use Someone Else’s Characters in My New Original Story? Explains the difference of using characters from public domain works and characters from copyrighted works.

The Difference Between Taking Inspiration and Plagiarizing A short post that explains the difference between taking inspiration and plagiarizing. Note: Uses the Harry Potter series as an example.

Copyright, Similarities, and Plagiarism A post that briefly explains copyright and trademark. Includes a list of other resources on copyright, writing stories with similarities to copyrighted works, and how to write your own original work.

+

I haven’t been posting lately due to some real-life issues, but there’s been another update in the lawsuit involving Anthropic’s AI technology and authors.

I’ve been posting about the results of lawsuits that have been coming out recently against AI companies illegally using books to train their technology. I’ve also been compiling a master list of articles and resources on how AI is affecting books and authors (which you can read here.)

THE NEWS. The company Anthropic used stolen books from pirated book databases in order to use those books to train its AI technology. The company was being sued by authors whose books were used. Anthropic asked an appeals court to dismiss the case because it could cost them billions of dollars, and therefore possibly put them out of business. (You can read about that here and here.)

THE UPDATE. Anthropic recently agreed to a settlement. This means there won’t be a trial. If there had been a trial, and if Anthropic had lost the trial, it could have cost them billions of dollars in settlement to the authors and maybe even put them out of business. Instead, Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to the authors covered by the lawsuit (link here.) This means that Anthropic has agreed to pay each publisher or author $3,000 per book out of about 500,000 books.

This settlement still has to be approved and finalized in another hearing. There are also various factors that have to be worked out first (which you can read about here.)

In one way, this is a win for authors because it will set a legal precedent for other lawsuits against AI companies, and it sends the message that illegally using books to train AI comes with a cost.

But not everyone sees this as a win for authors because Anthropic is worth a lot more than the settlement they’ve agreed to pay, and so it comes across as a “costly slap on the wrist” (link here). In other words, other tech companies could see it as a minor fee to pay in order to train their AI machines.

I still think it’s something of a win because of the precedent it sets for other lawsuits against AI companies. But it’s still an ongoing process, and it’s only one such lawsuit among several right now.

The sources that I linked, for easy reference:

Anthropic to Pay Authors $1.5 Billion to Settle Lawsuit over Pirated Books Used to Train AI Chatbots $1.5 Billion Bartz v. Anthropic Settlement Terms Emerge Screw the Money — Anthropic’s $1.5B Copyright Settlement Sucks for Writers

My master post of articles and resources on how AI is affecting books and authors: AI: Writing, Editing, & Publishing

+

I haven’t been posting lately due to some real-life issues, but while I was taking a break from this blog, there have been some updates on a lawsuit involving an AI company and authors.

If you’ve been following my blog, then you might know that I’ve been posting about the results of lawsuits that have been coming out recently against AI companies using books to train their technology. (I’ve been regularly updating that post, which you can read here, and it also includes other information about how AI is affecting books and authors.)

THE NEWS. I recently posted about how the company Anthropic used stolen books from pirated book databases, and even created its own database of books, in order to use those books to train its AI technology. The company is currently being sued by three authors. (You can about that here.)

THE UPDATE. There have been some recent updates on the Anthropic case. Although the company is currently being sued by only three authors, the judge in the case ruled that all the other authors whose books were used to train Anthropic’s AI (potentially millions of people) can join the lawsuit. The copyright infringement lawsuit is being called the “largest copyright class action ever certified” (link here).

Anthropic is asking an appeals court to dismiss the case because it could “financially ruin” the company by forcing them to settle, possibly costing them billions of dollars, which would likely put them out of business” (link). If they had to pay such a settlement, this could set a legal precedent for other authors to sue other AI companies, which could then potentially “financially ruin” the “entire AI industry,” as well (read here, here and here).

However, there are a few caveats to this case—that is, other legal issues that would possibly need to be resolved first. For example, in the issue of copyright, each individual author would have to prove ownership of their work. It’s not simply enough that an author’s name is placed on a book (read here and here). Another issue is the complicated process of trying to notify every author (or rightsholder) whose work was used to train Anthropic’s AI.

In trying to get the case dismissed, Anthropic’s argument is that the judge made an erroneous decision because he based his ruling “‘only’ on his fifty years of experience” (both here and here). Which, in my opinion, is quite the statement to make when trying to throw out a judge’s decision.

This case is currently ongoing, but I wanted to summarize the latest updates on it, in case anyone has missed this!

The sources that I linked, for easy reference:

AI Industry Horrified to Face Largest Copyright Class Action Ever Certified Tumblr Post

AI Industry Warns That New Lawsuit Could Destroy It Entirely Tumblr Post

For more resources and news on AI and how it’s affecting authors and their books, check out some others that I’ve shared: AI vs. Authors How To Combat AI AI: Writing, Editing, & Publishing

+

A list of resources on how to create conflict—for your characters and for your story’s plot.

External Plot vs. Internal Plot Explains two different ways for creating a story’s plot. Can also help with adding conflict to the plot.

External Conflict vs. Internal Conflict Explains two different types of conflict, and how to create conflict for a story’s main character and plot.

Agency vs. Lack of Agency in Fiction Explains what agency in fiction is, and what lack of agency is. Explains how to add agency to a story, which will contribute to the conflict for the characters and/or plot.

A Lack of Real Problems Explains what a story looks like when it lacks real conflict. Explains why conflict is important, and how to add it to a story.

Raise the Stakes Explains why raising the stakes in a story is important, and how to do so.

For more resources on characters and plot, check out some others I’ve shared: Character Arc & Character Development Writing Your Story’s Plot Plot Twists & Foreshadowing

+ Check out my master list of resources: Writing Resources Master List

+

I use my blog to share writing resources that I’ve collected over the years. I decided to make a master list of (almost) all of the resources that I’ve shared (so far), listed here for easy reference. I’ve posted a shorter version of this master list before. This version is updated and expanded with additional links.

Being a writer:

Encouragement for Writers Writer’s Block & Procrastination Dealing With Criticism & the Bad Faith Reader

Writing Basics:

Dictionary & Thesaurus Commonly Misspelled Words Tropes, Clichés, Themes, Archetypes Age Categories in Fiction: Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult, Adult Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing Helpful Websites & Apps for Writers

Writing a Story:

How to Start Writing Writing Your Novel: The Opening, Middle, and End How to Choose a Title Writing Your Story’s Plot How to Write a Scene The Pacing of Your Story How to Create Conflict Choosing a Setting for Your Story Plot Twists & Foreshadowing Show, Don’t Tell: Showing vs. Telling Writing Descriptions & Info Dumps Random Writing Tips How to Write a Retelling (+Copyright & Public Domain)

Characters:

Names for Your Characters Character Traits Detailed Character Profiles Character Arc & Character Development Character Description, Body Language, & Emotion Describing Clothes & Fashion Writing Romance & Relationships

Types of Characters:

How to Write Heroes & Villains How to Write Children Writing Mermaids Writing Superheroes

P.O.V. and Dialogue:

The Different Types of P.O.V. Using Dialogue Tags How to Punctuate Dialogue

Fantasy:

Elemental Magic & Superpowers Writing Magic Systems Fantasy Writing & World-Building Writing Fight Scenes Swords and Bows

Misc:

Random Stuff for Your Story Writing with Colors Water-Related Words & Nautical Terms

Revising and Editing:

Revising and Self-Editing The Different Types of Editing

I hope you find something in these resources helpful! Happy writing.

+

I decided to update and combine two of my older posts into one big list of resources. The goal is to make it easier for you guys to find everything that I’ve shared on writing relationships and romance. I also included some additional resources that I’ve come across since then.

Tips & Advice:

Writing Realistic Love Relationships How to Build a Romance Thread in Your Story, Tangled Style Romance Novel Tropes & Subgenres Is This How You Write Romance? Reasons Why 80% of Romantic Plots Fall Through Subplot Romance Some Vital Scenes to Include in a Romantic Subplot Plotting Tips for Romantasy Romantasy Book Tropes Ranked by How Easy They Are to Make Interesting Again Quick Tips to Add Instant Chemistry to the Relationships of Your Characters Legit Tip: A Good Love Story Things That Make Me Feel like I’m Accidentally Falling in Love (Help) and You Can Use for Your OC Writing Characters Who Don’t Know They’re in Love When a Character Has a Crush and Is Absolutely, Pathetically, Hilariously in Denial Tender Actions for Characters Who Are Yearning (But Not Together… Yet) 10 “I’m Trying Not to Fall in Love with You” Behaviors “I Want to Kiss You but Also Maybe Punch a Wall About It.” OC Behaviors Alternatives to Romantically Racing Hearts Let’s Talk About Grumpy x Sunshine Tropes Tips on Writing Breakup Scenes Advice for Writing Relationships Master List Master List: Relationships – Romance

Writing Prompts:

Why Would Childhood Friends Fall In Love – Writing Prompts Friends to Lovers, Heart-Fluttering Moments Soft Gestures Between Friends Turning Lovers “I’m in Love with You?” – Prompts “Idiots in Love” Prompts Asking for Permission, Romantic and Platonic “Food as a Love Language” Prompts Reasons to Cup a Face – A Prompt List Anguished Declaration of Love - Starters New Relationship Prompts Fictional Kiss Prompts Kiss Me with Your Eyes Closed - Kiss Prompts Intimate Moments My Fave Romance Prompts OTP Prompts: Protectiveness Betrayal Prompts The Fluffiest Master Post

+

AI Awareness Part 2

I have decided to share resources on generative AI (e.g., OpenAI, ChatGPT, etc.). I try to keep my lists of resources as neutral as possible, without pushing my own personal opinions on others, so that you guys can make your own choices based on your preferences. But full disclosure: I am against AI. So the resources in this list lean toward being anti-AI.

Whatever your opinion on AI may be, I still think awareness is important. Knowledge is power. When you are armed with proper information, then you are able to make informed choices. And once you have that information, you can choose to do with it what you want.

The world of AI is constantly changing, so this is not a complete list by any means. This list is part two of my AI awareness resources. It focuses on the uses and effects of AI, and includes ways to deal with it in everyday life.

The Uses and Effects of AI:

Explained: Generative AI’s Environmental Impact An article by MIT that explains how AI technology affects the environment, particularly in its use of electricity and water.

How C.AI Works and Why It’s Unethical A Tumblr thread that explains how the website Character AI works and why it’s problematic. Includes a link to a video on how AI chatbots learn. Also includes a discussion on the subject of relying on AI chatbots for emotional support.

Critical Thinking Skills vs. Using AI A post that discusses the importance of using critical thinking skills versus using AI. Includes a link to a study on skill atrophy, and a link to an article that discusses the different ways using AI affects critical thinking skills.

MIT recently conducted a brain scan study on the effects of using ChatGPT. The results showed that overusing ChatGPT caused cognitive atrophy, or a reduction in critical thinking skills. For more information on the study: ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study An article that discusses a brain scan study on the effects of using ChatGPT that was recently conducted by MIT. MIT Study: Your Brain on ChatGPT A summary of the MIT study on the brain and ChatGPT, originally posted on Twitter/X. Tumblr Post on MIT Study A Tumblr thread about the MIT study on the brain and ChatGPT. Includes a link to the thread on Twitter/X and a link to the study.

AI Assistants Keep Joining Meetings A Tumblr thread that discusses an article on how AI bots (“AI note-taking tools”) have automatically joined in on video conferences, usually company meetings. Includes a link to the original article.

How To Combat AI:

How to Tell If That Post of Advice Is AI Provides some tips and advice for how to tell if a blog post or online article was written with AI.

Microsoft recently launched its own AI technology called Copilot. It was included in Microsoft Word under an option called “connected experiences.” It was widely assumed that this meant the AI was scraping Word documents. For more information on this: Word ‘AI Free’ Cure Is Worse than the Disease An article that explains how the advice posted online for turning off the “connected experiences” option can disable other features. Also explains that Microsoft is likely not scraping your documents. No, Microsoft Isn’t Using Your Office Docs to Train Its AI An article that explains Microsoft isn’t using costumers’ data to train its AI technology. Includes links to other sources. Copilot in Microsoft 365 Apps for Home: Your Data and Privacy Microsoft’s statement on how Copilot interacts with users’ data.

Microsoft launched another AI feature called Recall for Windows 11. It records users’ activity by periodically taking screenshots of their PC screen. It’s an option you can opt out of. For more information on this: Microsoft’s New ‘Recall’ AI in Windows 11 Tracks Every Action on Your PC An article that explains how Recall works. Tumblr Thread A Tumblr thread that briefly explains how Recall works. Explains the steps for how to turn it off. Includes images.

Google & Gemini AI Google recently launched its own AI technology called Gemini AI. It tracks users’ activity and works as an AI assistant in Google Docs. It’s an option you can opt out of. This Tumblr thread explains the steps for how to turn off Gemini in the privacy settings of your Google account. Includes images.

The Google search engine is now filled with AI-generated results, including images and even websites. There are browser extensions that can block out certain results. For more information: Tumblr Thread: Ublock A Tumblr thread on the browser extension Ublock. Includes a link to a list of AI websites to block. Includes mainly images/infographics. Tumblr Thread: uBlacklist A Tumblr thread on uBlacklist, a browser extension for Firefox. Includes a link to a list of AI websites to block.

Google & “before:2023” A Tumblr thread that explains if you type the phrase “before:2023” before your search string, you will get less AI-generated results. Includes images.

Google & Verbatim A Tumblr thread that explains how to better filter your Google search results by using an option called “verbatim.” Also includes a link to an additional browser extension for “verbatim” for Firefox.

Google Alternative: &udm=14 A Tumblr thread that links to a search engine called “&udm=14” that can filter out AI-generated results. Also includes a link to an additional browser extension for “&udm=14” for Firefox.

Search Engines That Don’t Use AI A list of search engines that do not incorporate AI.

AI vs. Templates Explains that people who use AI could use templates for their writing needs instead, which can be found online.

I hope you find these resources helpful and informative. Part one of my AI awareness resources focused on how AI is affecting writing, editing, and publishing. It includes information on lawsuits involving AI and authors and their books. I’m going to try to keep that list updated as more information becomes available. You can read it here: AI: Writing, Editing, & Publishing (AI Awareness Part 1)

If you’d rather not use Google Docs or Microsoft Word for your writing, you can check out the list of alternatives that I shared: Helpful Websites & Apps for Writers

+

GUYS. If you’ve been following my blog, then you might know that I’ve been posting about the results of lawsuits that have been coming out recently against AI companies using books to train their technology. (I’ve been constantly updating that post, which you can read here, and it also includes other information about how AI is affecting books and authors.)

THE NEWS. I recently posted about how the company Anthropic used stolen books from pirated book databases, and even created its own database of books, in order to use those books to train its AI technology. The judge in the case ruled that although creating a database of pirated books violates copyright law, it’s legal to train AI technology by using books without authors’ permission because it “constitutes transformative fair use under copyright law.” (You can read about that here and here).

BUT THERE’S AN UPDATE. The Authors Guild posted a very detailed article explaining that previous lawsuits have set a precedent in favor of authors’ rights. Apparently, this ruling might have been rushed and it could very possibly be appealed. (You can read all about that here.)

MORE NEWS. There was another lawsuit against Meta using pirated books to train its AI technology. Unfortunately, Meta won the case—on a mere technicality. The judge made it clear that he doesn’t agree using copyrighted books is lawful, but only that the authors suing didn’t provide sufficient evidence to win their case. So he dismissed it, and Meta is taking it as a victory. (You can read all about that here and here.)

There are several other lawsuits involving AI and books in development. So I’m going to try to keep updating my post as more information and news comes out. Please check it out for your own information! You can read it here: AI: Writing, Editing, & Publishing (AI Awareness Part 1)

You can also follow my blog for more updates. I just think it’s important to stay aware of what’s happening with AI and how it affects authors and their books.

I’m tagging other writing blogs to try to spread the news of these rulings.

@fixyourwritinghabits @heywriters @yeahwrite @literaryvein-reblogs

+

A federal judge just ruled that although creating a database of pirated books violates copyright law, it’s legal to train AI technology by using books without authors’ permission because it “constitutes transformative fair use under copyright law.” (You can read the article here.)

This is only one of several ongoing lawsuits involving AI technology and books. It’s a complicated ruling, and it’s the first one of its kind. But it sets a very bad precedent for authors and other creators.

It basically tells AI companies that it’s okay to use copyrighted books to train their AI programs without the authors’ permission or consent. Meta has already used a huge amount of stolen books from an illegal database to train their AI technology because they didn’t want to pay for the rights to use the books, and Meta’s lawyers even argued that the individual books themselves were worthless. (You can read about that here.)

As a writer who plans to self-publish, I am against generative AI. And this ruling makes me wary. The world of AI technology (and how it relates to writing and publishing) is constantly changing, so all we can do is try to stay aware about what’s happening.

I just posted a big list of resources and news about how AI is affecting the world of writing and publishing, as awareness for others, and I plan to post more AI awareness resources soon. It’s important to stay informed. Knowledge is power.

You can check out my list of resources here: AI: Writing, Editing, & Publishing (AI Awareness Part 1)

+

AI Awareness Part 1

I have decided to share resources on generative AI (e.g., Open AI, Chat GPT, etc.). I think it’s important to be aware of recent, ongoing developments with AI, especially in the writing, editing, and publishing world. Knowledge is power. When you are armed with information from reliable, reputable sources, then you are able to make informed choices.

I try to keep my lists of resources as neutral as possible, without pushing my own personal opinions on others, so that you guys can make your own choices based on your preferences. But full disclosure: I am against AI. So the articles in this list will mostly lean toward being anti-AI.

Still, awareness is important, and once you have that knowledge, you can choose to do with it what you want. The world of AI is constantly changing, so this is not a complete list by any means.

This list is part one, and focuses on AI in relation to writing, editing, and publishing. There will be a part two with resources on other uses and effects of AI that I will post later.

UPDATE: Current as of September 9, 2025.

Using Random Generators for Inspiration Explains the difference between random generators and generative AI.

Is It Ethical to Use Chat GPT or Grammarly for Editing? A literary agent explains the differences between using Chat GTP and a spell check tool (like Grammarly) for writing and editing.

Scammy AI-Generated Book Rewrites Are Flooding Amazon An article that discusses what happened when authors found AI-generated copies and summaries of their books being sold on Amazon.This article might be paywalled. If so, you can read it by using this link.

I Would Rather See My Books Get Pirated than This A publishing expert and writer, Jane Friedman, explains what happened when someone began selling AI-generated books under her name on Amazon.

The publishing company HarperCollins recently asked their authors to sell their books to be used by AI technology. There are several articles on this: The HarperCollins AI Licensing Deal The Authors Guild explains the details of the licensing deal that HarperCollins offered its authors. HarperCollins Wants Authors to Sign Away AI Training Rights HarperCollins Is Selling Their Authors’ Work to AI Tech HarperCollins Is Asking Authors to Sell Their Books to the A.I. Woodchipper Tumblr Post

The company Meta recently used a large, illegal database (called Library Genesis, or “LibGen”) of pirated books and research papers to train its AI technology, and a lawsuit ensued. There are several articles on this: The Unbelievable Scale of AI’s Pirated-Books Problem An article by The Atlantic that explains how Meta decided to use pirated books to train its AI program because paying authors to lawfully acquire their books was too expensive. This article might be paywalled. If so, you can read it by using this link. Meta’s Massive AI Training Book Heist: What Authors Need to Know The Authors Guild (in the US) explains how the lawsuit against Meta affects authors whose books were stolen, and actionable steps that authors can take. The LibGen Data Set – What Authors Can Do The Society of Authors (in the UK) explains how it’s standing up for their writers in the aftermath of Meta using pirated books to train its AI program. This Is How Meta AI Staffers Deemed More than 7 Million Books to Have No “Economic Value” An article that discusses the lawsuit against Meta using pirated books to train its AI technology. Meta’s defense was based on the argument on that “the individual books themselves are, essentially, worthless.” Article references other lawsuits involving AI and books.

UPDATE: Meta Wins Blockbuster AI Copyright Case—but There’s a Catch An article that explains why and how the judge ruled in the case against Meta. Also discusses another lawsuit involving AI and books. This article might be paywalled. If so, you can read it by using this link. Judge Tosses Authors’ AI Training Copyright Lawsuit Against Meta An article that explains the judge didn’t agree that using copyrighted books is lawful, but only that the authors suing didn’t provide sufficient evidence to win their case. AG on Meta AI Ruling: Meta Gets a Technical Win, but the Law Favors Authors Discusses the Meta ruling in-depth. The Authors Guild explains that Meta won on a technicality.

A judge ruled that the company Anthropic violated copyright law when it used stolen books from pirated book databases (including creating its own pirated database), but that using the books without the authors’ permission to train its AI technology “constitutes transformative fair use under copyright law.” There are several articles on this: Judge Rules Training AI on Authors’ Books Is Legal but Pirating Them Is Not An article that summarizes the judge’s ruling. This article might be paywalled. You can read it by signing up for a free account, or by using this link. Key Fair Use Ruling Clarifies When Books Can Be Used for AI Training An article that explains why and how the judge ruled in the case against Anthropic. Mixed Decision in Anthropic AI Case: Authors Guild Responds to Summary Judgment in Bartz v. Anthropic Discusses the Anthropic ruling in-depth. The Authors Guild explains that previous lawsuits have set a precedent in favor of authors’ rights.

UPDATE #1: Anthropic is asking an appeals court to dismiss the lawsuit against them because if they have to settle, it could cost them billions of dollars, and it would set a legal precedent that could potentially lead to the “financial ruin of the entire AI industry.” The articles on this: AI Industry Horrified to Face Largest Copyright Class Action Ever Certified Tumblr Post AI Industry Warns That New Lawsuit Could Destroy It Entirely Tumblr Post

UPDATE #2: Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to the authors covered by the lawsuit, which amounts to paying each publisher or author $3,000 per book out of about 500,000 books. The articles on this: Anthropic to Pay Authors $1.5 Billion to Settle Lawsuit over Pirated Books Used to Train AI Chatbots $1.5 Billion Bartz v. Anthropic Settlement Terms Emerge Screw the Money — Anthropic’s $1.5B Copyright Settlement Sucks for Writers

Penguin Random House Books Now Explicitly Say ‘No’ to AI Training An article that explains the publishing company will start including a “no AI training” notice on the copyright page of its books, stating that their books cannot be used to train AI technology.

Protecting Your Work from AI Training This is Entwined Publishing’s “Author AI Protection Resource.” It provides free resources for authors to protect their books from AI. It includes downloadable, printable templates and forms.

Practical Tips for Authors to Protect Their Works from AI Use The Authors Guild explains how self-published authors can protect their books from AI use. Includes a template for a “no AI training” notice to put on your book’s copyright page.

How Authors Are Thinking About AI BookBub conducted a survey of over 1,200 authors to ask them for their opinions on AI, whether or not they use it, and the different ways they use it.

Do Publishers Require Authors to Disclose If They Used AI to Write Their Books? A literary agent explains when the topic of AI might come up in a publishing contract.

Readers Annoyed When Fantasy Novel Accidentally Leaves AI Prompt in Published Version The AI prompt left in a published book appeared to be responding to a request by the author to copy another writer’s style.

The U.S. Copyright Office recently released a report that explains what is and what is not covered by copyright in regards to generative AI. There are several articles on this: Copyright Office Releases Part 2 of Artificial Intelligence Report The summary of the report by the U.S. Copyright Office. Copyright and Artificial Intelligence The report on AI by the U.S. Copyright Office. Generative AI and Copyrightability: Report from the US Copyright Office Writer Beware briefly explains what is covered by copyright in regards to generative AI (“GAI”). U.S. Copyright Office Issues Highly Anticipated Report on Copyrightability of AI-Generated Works A detailed, in-depth explanation of the report. Copyright Office Solidifies Stance on the Copyrightability of AI-Generated Works A detailed, in-depth explanation of the report. Includes images and AI prompts as examples.

I hope you find these resources helpful and informative. I’ll keep updating this list as more information comes out. In the meantime, I’ll post part two of my AI awareness resources next, so look out for that soon.

+

A list of helpful websites, apps, and other resources for writers and writing.

Websites for Writers A list of different writing resources, such as online writing communities, research help, free online writing courses, and free writing worksheets.

NaNoWriMo Alternatives A list of different online writing communities and word tracking tools.

Online Writing Communities A tumblr thread with a short list of online writing communities. Includes a writing website for fantasy and science fiction writers, and a website for offering and receiving critique on writing.

Helpful Sites for Writers A short list of helpful resources for writers. Includes websites for character names, an online age calculator, an online height comparison tool, a slang dictionary, and a website to check the weather anywhere in the world.

53 Best Tools for Writers A detailed list of online tools, websites, and apps for writers. Includes both free and paid apps and programs. Note: Please do your research, as a few of the listed websites/apps appear to use generative AI.

Creative Writing Tools A lengthy, detailed list of several resources for writers, including writing apps and programs, online dictionaries, online writing courses, ambient noise websites, image websites, and online PDF tools. Note: Please do your research. There is an entire section of generative AI websites/apps.

The 23 Best Writing Tools of 2025: A Guide for Writers A lengthy, detailed list of different writing programs and apps, online organization and productivity tools, and online editing tools. Includes both free and paid apps and programs. Note: Please do your research, as a few of the listed websites/apps appear to use generative AI.

The Best Book Writing Software A list of different writing programs and apps. Includes both free and paid apps and programs. Each review includes the software’s pros and cons.

For more helpful websites for writers, check out some others I’ve shared: Dictionary & Thesaurus Names for Your Characters Detailed Character Profiles

+

A list of resources to help you with confusing words that are often misspelled.

Commonly Confused Words A long list of words that are often misspelled, along with their definitions.

More Commonly Confused Words Another list of words that are often misspelled, along with examples of how to properly use them.

Tricky Words I Always See Misspelled in Fics: A Guide A tumblr thread with lists of words that are often misspelled, along with their definitions and examples for how to properly use them.

A List of “Troublesome” Words A list of confusing or often misspelled words, along with their definitions and examples for how to properly use them.

Words That Sound the Same with Different Meanings A tumblr thread of words that sound the same, but have different meanings. Includes their definitions and examples for how to properly use them.

Definitions and examples of specific words and phrases:

lay vs. lie was vs. were that vs. which then vs. than they're, there, or their accept vs. except drink, drank, or drunk swam vs. swum sank vs. sunk affect vs. effect take effect vs. take affect anyway, anyways, or any way anymore vs. any more anytime vs. any time sometime, sometimes, and some time someday vs. some day everyday vs. every day faraway vs. far away farther vs. further altogether vs. all together bear vs. bare faring vs. fairing gray vs. grey

For more resources on words, check out some others I’ve shared: Dictionary & Thesaurus Water-Related Words & Nautical Terms

+

A list of resources to help you get started with creative writing.

How to Start Creative Writing A post with some tips and suggestions for how to start writing.

Elements of Creative Writing A guide that explains the different elements of creative writing (such as setting, plot, and characters).

Writing Notes: Ways to Generate an Idea Provides some tips, suggestions, and examples for how to come up with ideas to write about.

20 Questions Before Writing Your Novel A list of things to consider in order to help you decide what to write.

Basic Overview: How to Write a Story? A basic guide on what to consider when writing a story, such as theme, plot structure, and characters.

How to Come up with Plot A basic guide on what to consider when creating your story’s plot.

How to Create a Character A guide on how to create a character, along with the different things to consider when creating characters.

How to Start a Story: 30 Opening Scene Examples A list of different writing prompts for starting a story. Includes examples from published books.

For more resources on writing a novel, check out some others I’ve shared:

Detailed Character Profiles Writing Your Story’s Plot How to Write a Scene Writing Your Novel: The Opening, Middle, and End

+