More People Using ChatGPT to Create, Publish Books

A growing number of people are using ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence program, to create books for sale. Although sales have so far been slow, human writers are worried that ChatGPT-created books might hurt the writing and publishing industry.

ChatGPT helps create a children's book

Until recently, Brett Schickler never imagined he could be a published author. But after learning about the ChatGPT artificial intelligence program, Schickler decided¹ that he had a good chance.

"The idea of writing a book finally seemed possible," said Schickler, a salesman in Rochester, New York. "I thought 'I can do this.'"

Using the AI software, Schickler created a 30-page illustrated³ children's e-book in a few hours. He offered it for sale in January through Amazon's self-publishing section.

The e-book, which is named The Wise Little Squirrel: A Tale of Saving and Investing, has made Schickler less than $100, he said. While that may not sound like much, it is enough to make him want to create other books using the software.

"I could see people making a whole career out of this," said Schickler.

There were over 200 e-books in Amazon's Kindle⁴ store as of mid-February that say ChatGPT is a writer or co-writer. And the number is rising daily.

But due to the nature of ChatGPT and many writers' failure to admit that they have used it, it is nearly impossible to get a full count of how many e-books may be written by AI.

Effects

Some professional writers are becoming worried about the effects that ChatGPT could have on the book publishing industry.

Mary Rasenberger is the executive director of the Authors Guild⁵, a writer's group. She said, "This is something we really need to be worried about, these books will flood the market and a lot of authors are going to be out of work."

Rasenberger noted⁶ that the industry has a long tradition of ghostwriting - an accepted practice of paying someone to write books or speeches under another author's name. But she is worried that the ability to create with AI could turn book writing from an art into a commodity – a kind of simple raw material that is bought and sold.

"There needs to be transparency from the authors and the platforms about how these books are created or you're going to end up with a lot of low-quality books," she said.

When asked for comment by Reuters, Amazon did not say whether it has plans to change or look at policies around authors' use of AI or other automated⁷ writing tools. Amazon spokeswoman Lindsay Hamilton said via email that books in the store must meet its guidelines regarding "intellectual property rights" and other laws.

Fast publication

Amazon is by far the largest seller of both physical and e-books. It has well over half of the sales in the United States and, by some estimates, over 80 percent of the e-book market.

In 2007, Amazon created Kindle Direct Publishing to enable anyone to sell and market a book without the expense of seeking out book agents or publishing houses. Generally, Amazon lets authors publish without any oversight⁸. The company then splits whatever money is made with the writer.

This service has drawn⁹ new AI-assisted writers like Kamil Banc to Amazon. He told his wife that he could make a book in less than one day. Using ChatGPT, an AI image creator and instructions like "write a bedtime story about a pink dolphin that teaches children how to be honest," Banc published an illustrated 27-page book in December.

Banc has since published two more AI-generated books, including an adult coloring book, with more in the works. "It actually is really simple," he said. "I was surprised at how fast it went from concept to publishing."

Not everyone is impressed by the software. Mark Dawson, who has reportedly sold millions of copies of books he wrote himself through Kindle Direct Publishing, was quick to call ChatGPT-assisted novels "dull" in an email to Reuters. Dull means not interesting.

Dawson said that merit – a good quality that deserves to be praised - is important in the book business. "Merit plays a part in how books are recommended to other readers. If a book gets bad reviews because the writing is dull then it's quickly going to sink to the bottom."

Words in This Story

illustrate² – v. to explain or decorate a story, book, etc., with pictures

author -- n. a person who has written something

transparency – n. the quality that makes something obvious or easy to understand

platform -- n. something that allows someone to tell a large number of people about an idea, product, etc.

intellectual property -- n. something (such as an idea, invention, or process) that belongs to someone

oversight -- n. the act or job of directing work that is being done

concept -- n. an idea of what something is or how it works

recommend -- v. to say that (someone or something) is good and deserves to be chosen

review -- n. a report that gives someone's opinion about the quality of a book, performance, product, etc.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 illustrate   

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

• The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
• This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

3 illustrated   

adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
• The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。

4 kindle   

v.点燃，着火

参考例句：

• This wood is too wet to kindle.这木柴太湿点不着。
• A small spark was enough to kindle Lily's imagination.一星光花足以点燃莉丽的全部想象力。

5 guild   

n.行会，同业公会，协会

参考例句：

• He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
• You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

8 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

9 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。