IWSG: Is AI everywhere . . . even for writers?

Fall is certainly here. I can see it in the leaves, now brilliant red and yellow against the last green of summer as we wander along our favorite path at Manito Park. Each day we cherish for next week, temperatures will drop into the mid-50s.

October begins with Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) challenge question: 

"Many people are calling for writrs who use AI to disclose it. Most who employ ghostwriters do not admit it - Do you think authors who use ghostwriters should have to disclose that too?"

Oh, I have opinions! Yes, we should disclose any use of AI or ghostwriters. That just seems obvious. 

Just as an aside, Amazon now requires we do disclose any use of AI in generating text, images, or editing when we upload a new book. They say this is for informational purposes, but the writer's submission will not go forward until that question is answered.

Do I have personal experience with AI? 

Yes! I discovered a program that would help me, an indie writer, make covers -- in seconds. The first time I used Stratira to create a cover for my new September 2026 release Honeymoon in Egypt, I fell in love with the cover, and everyone just says "Wow! How did you do that." 

Somehow that cover captured everything I was hoping for. Yes, I did input title, author, and a few words describing the theme, but that cover generated in seconds???

What was next was a makeover for my Standing Stones series, historical fiction set in 1840s Scotland and Australia. Once again, I was awed by the resulting covers, far better than what I'd been able to scrounge together in the past. Here's the result:

In fact, if we use search on Google, we all are using AI if we read that opening blurb, generated by AI. So helpful, but I like to scroll right on down to the original source. At least AI is using footnotes -- for now.

So to return to the original question: Should we disclose our use of AI, my response is simply if we do not -- if we do not use integrity to show the sources of our work, what will AI become as it learns from our actions? Is our own original work safe? I already don't think so and at times, I'm grateful to be OTA (older than average), for these issues will continue to dominate how we research, write, and express our creativity as well as how we make it available to others. 

Persevere in your unique writing and may this Fall 

bring you new insights, more words, and courage to face the future. 

I'm looking forward to reading your post! 

ABOUT IWSG: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day when about 80 IWSG followers can choose to respond to this month's question. Special thanks to Melissa Maygrove for challenging us to think about AI and to Alex Cavanaugh for continuing to lead us. Please visit others in our group CLICK HERE and connect with your fellow writers. Try for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

The awesome co-hosts for the October 7 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Liza at Middle Passages, JH Moncrieff, and Jemima Pett! Why not visit them as well?