Publishers Behaving Badly

Romance Con, put on by Mischief Managed, is under fire for promoting an author whose book is essentially a Harry Potter advertisement. Instead of paying attention to trans voices in particular about how they felt about the situation, they've doubled down. So the trans voices are going to speak here instead. Georginahttps://georginakiersten.com/https://www.instagram.com/ingloriousgigihttps://www.threads.com/ingloriousgigiSiriushttps://www.lmhpub.com/https://www.threads.com/@thelaughingmanhousepubhttps://www.instagram.com/thelaughingmanhousepub/Arkadyhttps://biblioddities.com/https://www.threads.com/@bibliodditiesfragranceNot a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more about our writing and publishing website at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

Ava Wilde went a little viral on TikTok as a new author. The only problem is that we don't actually know who Ava Wilde is: the video of "her" was AI-generated. Is this akin to creating a pen name or is it different?Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

We had all intentions of just talking about Radish Fiction and how it was closing. But... well... you can see what happened. We went down a number of rabbit holes from all over the place. We tried. We really did.Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com.

A lot of companies in the writing and publishing world have really begun to lean into Gen AI. But... why? There are so many authors who are against it, and those who are for it are being subjected to internet cancellation. So, what gives?Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

There's a subsection of the male writer population that doesn't know how to write female characters. Not all of them but there's a pretty good list of them. There's even a subreddit dedicated to it. But why? Why are they so bad about writing female characters and what can be done about it?Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

You're never going to please everyone, that's just not the way reality works. Someone's going to leave you a bad book review at some point. So what do you do? Cry? Ignore it? Fixate on how to compensate? Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

There are so many other books out there besides what you see on social media. There are books and authors that never get a chance just because they don't fit inside the perfect box that the publishing industry is looking for. Who gets left out of the box, and what can you do to support them and their books?Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

Authors and illustrators are constantly having to apologize for being caught using Gen AI. It's harmed careers and companies, but people continue to trust AI and use it when they shouldn't or don't need to. So... why? Why are people so readily using Gen AI? The StoryForge team of authors is here to give their perspectives. Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

The government is out to take our libraries away. They want to defund our libraries for whatever nonsense they can come up with. We say no to that. We say that our libraries are more important than that. Libraries provide more than just books; they provide community. Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

Because Gen AI and the people using it just can't seem to leave the writing community alone, they're now targeting sapphic authors and sapphic books. Check out this wonderful article about the issue and make sure to follow them on socials: https://jae-fiction.com/ai-rip-offs-targeting-sapphic-books/https://www.instagram.com/jaeauthorhttps://www.threads.com/@jaeauthorNot a member of StoryForge yet? You can learn more at https://storyforge.com, and you can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com. Use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills!

LibGen or Library of Genesis is an illegal streaming site that's been around for some time. Why are we talking about them now? Well, because it would've taken too much time and money to legally obtain resources, Meta has illegally downloaded terabytes of books just to train their Gen AI. How is that ok? How is that allowed? Why does training an AI give someone the right to trample on someone else's copyright and creativity? Learn more about StoryForge at https://storyforge.comNot a member of StoryForge yet? You can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com and use referral code PODCAST for an additional 50 free Quills!

Human Voices Only was a movement started by voice actors in response to Amazon's push for Gen AI-narrated audiobooks. Human voice actors took to social media to share clips of themselves narrating books and it was fantastic. More importantly, it was a show of how powerful human voices are and why we just do not need Gen AI narrating our books. Not a member of StoryForge yet? Learn more at https://storyforge.comYou can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com and use referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 Quills for free!

Reedsy, the writing platform, sent out an email encouraging people to use Gen AI for things like data analysis and ad image generation. The problem? They have the Reedsy Marketplace, where the entire purpose is to find people to do that for you. Just... just what are they doing? Reference Links:https://www.threads.net/@thornsnroses.co/post/DHLpO1ou9tThttps://www.threads.net/@dawn.writesstuff/post/DIAnJkwxUazhttps://reedsy.com/faq/common-questions/project-protection/generative-ai-copyrighthttps://blog.reedsy.com/guide/audiobooks/ai-narration/Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.com and use referral code PODCAST for additional platform currency!

Some authors use editors to help with scenes. Some use ghostwriters. And at least one, KC Crowne, used ChatGPT or some other AI. How do we know? Because the response to the prompt was LEFT IN THE BOOK. The use of AI in writing is becoming an epidemic. What kind of can of worms has been opened? What should people do instead of turning to AI?Publishers Behaving Badly is a series where the StoryForge team looks into issues that have come up in the publishing and writing industry. There's an unfortunate number of things to talk about.Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.comUse referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills when you sign up.

On March 31, 2025, the National Novel Writing Month organization, or NaNoWriMo, announced they would be shutting down. There are lots of questions around the timing and messaging of it. Let alone that the announcements didn't even take place on the actual NaNoWriMo channel. The StoryForge team asks questions and tries to find answersPublishers Behaving Badly is a series where the StoryForge team looks into issues that have come up in the publishing and writing industry. There's an unfortunate number of things to talk about.Not a member of StoryForge yet? You can join us for FREE at https://app.storyforge.comUse referral code PODCAST to get an additional 50 free Quills when you sign up.

Beta reading is a lot different than just reading. A beta reader is reading with a purpose. A beta reader is reading to give feedback to the author on their ideas and themes, to ensure that an author's ideas and themes are being conveyed to readers. StoryForge has some people experienced as beta readers so we take a crack at doing some beta of one of the stories on StoryForge, Will Cast Spells For Food: Down and Out in Dystopia, Book 1 by Liam Boyle. Want to read along with us? You can check it out here: https://app.storyforge.com/read/stories/i29ww3vqr5agaouesfo79cznNot a member of StoryForge yet? Sign up today with the referral code PODCAST to get 50 additional Quills.

Generative AI has become an invasive species in the world of art and publishing. What is it bad, who is it hurting, and what can we do about it? StoryForge stands opposed to Gen AI so we have some very strong feelings about it. Do we have all the answers? Maybe not but we'd like to help you draw your own conclusions about Gen AI and what it means. See our AI statement here: https://storyforge.com/ai-statementLearn more about StoryForge:https://storyforge.comInterested in joining StoryForge? Sign up for your free account at: https://app.storyforge.comUse referral code PODCAST to receive an additional 50 Quills!

The StoryForge team is joined by Kathy from Bublish Publishing. Bublish is on a mission to empower self-published authors with the tools, resources, and programs they need to be successful in today’s competitive book marketplace. Interested in some of their services? Use code SF10 to receive 10% off all services at checkout!Website: https://bublish.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bublishme/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bublishme/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bublishme/Interested in trying out StoryForge? Head over to https://app.storyforge.com and use the referral code PODCAST for 50 free Quills!Read the StoryForge stance on Generative AI: https://storyforge.com/blog/about-ai-generated-art

Author of the book Etched In Stone, Sarah Al-Serhaid joins the podcast to talk about the journey of traditional publishing vs independent publishing as well as how she keeps a balance in her life. She's also a scientist which automatically makes her the smartest and coolest person on the podcast.Want to see what the process can look like? View the first draft of the prologue to Etched In Stone as well as the final version here: https://app.storyforge.com/read/stories/mi1n72s1508002ncjnjyil9i/fbw7grzhchedyydtp7qco2f9You can find Sarah at:https://thearchade.co/https://instagram.com/avania6x6https://tiktok.com/aviania6x6Interested in trying out StoryForge? Head over to https://www.storyforge.com and use the referral code PODCAST for 50 free Quills!

Joining the StoryForge team is Glen Weatherhead, founder of Creative Writing Wizard. The Creative Writing Wizard aims to highlight indie authors, provide author resources, and build a community of supportive creatives. Website: https://creativewritingwizard.com/Thread: https://www.threads.net/@glenweatherheadYouTube:  @CreativeWritingWizard  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glenweatherhead/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glenweatherheadInterested in trying out StoryForge? Head over to https://app.storyforge.com and use the referral code PODCAST for 50 free Quills!

StoryForge is about amplifying voices in the writing community that might not have been heard before. The team gets to know Kate from Briarwick Candles. Briarwick Candles creates custom candles that have scents inspired by popular fantasy and romance novels and series. Where to find Briarwick Candles:Website: https://briarwickcandles.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briarwick/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BriarwickCandles/TiktTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briarwick*****Interested in trying out StoryForge? Head over to https://app.storyforge.com and use the referral code PODCAST for 50 free Quills!

StoryForge is about amplifying voices in the writing community that might not have been heard before.In this episode, we talk with Sirius, the founder of Laughing Man Publishing House. They tell us about their journey to open a publishing house that helps give voice to queer and disabled characters. Find Sirius's publishing house here: www.lmhpub.com

Hiring and growth. It's a big deal. COO Derek and CTO Tate join Tim to talk about what it's been like to grow StoryForge from 3 people to 15+. Check us out at https://storyforge.com Use referral code PODCAST during sign-up to get a free 50 Quills.

Despite being based in Minnesota and having a handful of staff there, StoryForge is a completely remote company. Most of us have never met any of our coworkers in person. Since we can't gather around the coffee pot to swap weekend stories, how important is it to build and maintain some kind of company culture?

When you're running a small business, failure is going to happen eventually. It's inevitable. The team talks about how failing as a small business is so different from failing as a large business and what to take away from it. They also have a weirdly good time as they discuss a lot of negative topics. Lofi Cat Pomodoro Timers https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPZZIYUxCh5KqBiDTxM0zMqklFhNFi23u StoryForge TTRP https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPZZIYUxCh5K3eFt-tJ6UtFp5OWH3xIxJ

StoryForge is a writing platform and exists in the same realm as NaNoWriMo. The team talks about what it's like to deal with a crisis that isn't your own but still impacts your business.

The StoryForge team get together to discuss pitching your business and ideas to new people, especially those who wouldn't normally deal with your idea or project.