Welcome to the “AI Free Zone”
While AI gains steam in many areas, we’re steering clear here
Welcome, dear humans! This is a celebration of those humans who are committed to foregoing any involvement of AI technology in our creative efforts.
Almost a year ago I began speaking out about that technology (large language models, i.e., LLMs) commonly called “Artificial Intelligence” or “AI.” The danger was clear then, and it is even more so now. In fact, many of the things I was concerned about then have come to pass. But all is not lost, as this AI free zone will show.
Your published works are being soaked up in these LLMs usually without your knowledge, consent, and compensation. On the contrary, these “sucked up” works are then being used to generate stories, novels, even images, bass riffs, video techniques, etc. to mimic the originals used to “train” them (that is, to modify the programming to spit out things).
To attempt countering this, writer @K.M. Bennett suggests we include an “anti training” line in our published works:
But of course the AI might be trained to include this, too, as a fooler, or platforms such as Amazon may not want to publish anything containing that line.
One great thing you, as a reader and fan of great writing, can do is to support those creatives (writers, designers, photographers, etc.) that are dedicated to keeping their work human.
What Constitutes Human Created
I asked what I thought was a simple question: Do you use any AI in your work? The responses showed things were a lot more slippery than that. Basically, any use of AI is problematic. But the worst is when it creeps into your writing.
The writing process includes:
Researching*
Outlining
Plotting
Character descriptions/development
Text generation (even just a sentence)
*I have recently learned that Google, which I don’t use, has incorporated AI in their search engine. AI is programming and has been set to give you a false response if it can’t find real information (I have seen documentaries on this). That means it makes things up. Best to steer clear if you can. I use Startpage.com for my online searches. It doesn’t track them or have any AI (to my knowledge). Then I take the time to go through the search results (the “hits”) and compare information across several sites. Takes more time but saves putting something false in my work.
Also note that Grammarly now uses some AI. Since AI is set to give false responses if it doesn’t have a real answer, this doesn’t sound useful.
As for AI-generated images, I have spoken out against them quite a lot as an artist. But I also understand that some of you find it necessary. Writers who don’t use AI in their writing process but do find AI images necessary are on the Mostly AI Free Zone list, just as a way of splitting this up.
Sadly, many writers are no longer listed. They either said they use AI some way in the writing process above, or they did not respond to my query. No judgment intended here. I just prefer to promote HUMAN endeavors.
Authors Who Keep It Human
As J. M. Elliott said (I paraphrase), we have to take their word that they do not use any AI technology in their work, either text, images, video, music, or other. The people here have given me their word, and I accept them as true.
I will be spotlighting a selection of their works in separate posts as frequently as time allows.
A Horseman in Shangri-La – The Exhilarated Tribe – Former addict writing about addiction
A Saucer-full – creative non-fiction
A. C. Sanders – Ink & Poesy Publishing
A.P. Ward – A.P. Ward’s Literary Fiction – Short fiction, poetry
Adi – Love Letters from the Divine
Adi Out Here – Turn on the Light – Murder, mystery, sex, romance, sci-fi, horror
Amanda Coreishy – Trouble at Taboo Junction by Amanda Coreishy
Alex Scott – Word Associations
Alexx Hart – Bella & The Beast
Amanda Coreishy – Trouble at Taboo Junction by Amanda Coreishy
An American Writer and Essayist – Westerns, neo-westerns, horror, book/movie reviews, essays
Andrew Heard – TV’s Moral Philosophy (non-fiction), I Am The Bucket (comic book in progress)
Andrew Horan – Centenary: 100-Word Stories from Living Well Towers
Andrew Taylor – The Lyrical High‑Fantasy Library – High fantasy author
Andrew White – The Asheville Hustle
Asteria Geisterblum – Quiet Little Journeys
Aurelian Ashmore – Cicada Cult
Austin Boucher – Blood and Thunder Newsletter – New Pulp sword & sorcery series "Fereya"
Avery Bridge – Meet Me at Xenia
Ben Sherreard – Pen of Ben
Ben Zalkind – A Very Narrow Bridge
Bethany Alcott – Writer Fully Alive
Bill Hiatt – Everywhere and Nowhere: Explore Fantastic Worlds (with help from faerie ancestors)
Blessed Warrior Reina – Reina’s Substack
Bradley Ramsey – The Writer's Journey
Brett A Dill – Keyboard Addict – Fantasy, science fiction, speculative fiction, reality fiction, essays
Bri Heron – Writing on a Whim
Brian B Baker – My Head is Unraveling – Horror writer, book reviewer
Brian Schell – Horror Weekly
BrianAlfred1983 – The World from a Chef’s Perspective
Bryan Beal – Dead Heretic – Cyberpunk, Science fiction
C.P. Night – C.P. Night’s Myriadu – Science fiction/fantasy (seen on @The Library)
C. James Desmond – VILE SELF PORTRAITS, THE BARMAN
C. Lee McKenzie – A Weekly Dose of Fiction
Calder Finch – Blackspire
Carla Burns – Official Trainwrecks – Writing, photographs
Cameron S. Bradley – Lit Smithery
Camila Hamel – Remote Control – Writer, illustrator; essays, reviews, flash fiction, serialized long fiction
Chase Imler – misguidedwriter – IronAge Media contributor
Chelsey Feder – The Eclectic Reader
Chris J. Franklin – Tales of the Zeitgeist – Contemporary fiction, humor, horror, Science fiction (host of the new fun event every Wednesday House of Haiku, and follow him on Notes to see his clever and often amusing responses to Miguel S.’s prompts as well as humor bits)
Chris Lynch – The Amazing Adventures of Tortoise & Gecko – Fantasy
Clifford Stumme – Past the Dragon
Connor McGwire – Ars Corvi – Gothic, noir
D.L. Lee | SISTERLY LOVE – From the Source
Daniel M. Bensen – DAPPER ZMEY
Darrow Woods – reluctant sleuth – Murder mysteries set in small towns in Canada
Dr. Richard Francis Hogan – Richard’s Substack – Writer, poet
Dragon Writer Luc – The Dragon's Den
E.A. Colquitt – Exploring the Eyrie
E.B. Howard – The Story Scrapbook
E. H. Lau – Lotis Heroes Musings
E.M.R – Pinebox Readings
Elliot Kessler – Elliot Kessler | Sci-Fi Author – Science fiction, fantasy
Ema Stonig – Avenue Oh
Emily S Hurricane – The Eye of the Storm – Romance, erotica, horror, gamelit
Eric Pierce – All the Fanfare
EternalArt – The Eternal Art
Ethan Heusser – Crossbite – Poetry
Ethan Sabatella – Senchas Claideb – Pulp fiction, sword & sorcery fantasy, cosmic horror, historical fiction
FranB – Tales at Twilight – Speculative stories with dark edge, humor
Frederick Fullerton – Frederick Fullerton’s Meanderings – Raconteur, translator, amateur photographer
G. K. Sá Earp – Making by the Law in Which We're Made
G. T. A. Ogle – A Symposium of Fire – Poetry, things that shouldn't be forgotten
Gareth Marks – Pen Marks
Gary Coulton – The Positive Echo
Georgina Bruce – The Distractionist; Palette & Pentacles
Grace Anderson-Author – Grace’s Spook Show
Greg Lemon – Games of Awareness, You'll Never Walk Alone
H. Wayne Smith, Ph.D. – New Life for the Past – Historical thriller
Haly, the Moonlight Bard ✒️ – Moonlight Bard’s Rhapsody in Realms
Hanna Delaney – A Work of Fiction
Hannah Rose Williams – Novels, Comics and Webcomics
Harold Ember – Fragments and Pieces
Heather Dickinson – Heather in the Blue Mountains
Helena Romano – The Slanted Shelf – Opinions on books, culture
Holly A Brown – Medieval Musings – Medieval history, historical fiction
Howard Fox – The Joke's on You – Humor (essays, short stories, etc.)
Hyun Woo Kim – Three Hundred Tang Poems
Ian Barr – The Word Dump – Fantasy (and humor)
Ian Patterson – They don’t all have to be good
Iris Shaw – Long Oddities
Iris Weston – Flyover Valley – Science fiction, action, adventure (seen on The Library )
Isha Jain – The Indian Story
James Don BlueWolf – Wolf Tracks Substack – Author, recording artist
James Hart – Penny Wagers
James Kenwood – Grim Acres – Science fiction, military fiction tales
James Maynard – And Now, A Sonnet
Jane Dougherty – Jane Dougherty's Bestiary
Janine Eaby – Fiction & Fables
Jay Logan – Jay's Substack
Jean Zelka – Writing in BloodInk – Reader, writer, reluctant accountant
Jenean McBrearty – Bent Eye – Fiction, poetry, photographs
Jenn Zuko – Zuko’s Musings – Personal essays, non-fiction
Jennifer Morrow – Autumn Lives Here
Jenovia 🕸️ – JENOVIA'S WEB
Jessica Maison – Monster of the Week
Jim Cummings – All Day Long
Jim J Wilsky – Writing Wrongs
Jim McCoy – The Conservative Historian – writer of essays on life, book reviews
Joan Spilman – Harshbarger Mills by Joan Spilman
Jodie Beckford – Jodie Beckford
Joel Wisniewski – Joel’s Creative Garden: CASCADE and Life of Bāo
John Nogowski – John’s Substack
Jon Sparks – The Shattered Moon's Substack – Science fiction romance, etc.
Jonathon – Metrosideros
Joseph L. Wiess – Crann na beatha (ignore the weird header images, they don’t show up when you go to his posts - fab writing)
Joseph W. Knowles – The Tidewater Papers – Science fiction
Joshua T Calkins-Treworgy – The Storyteller’s Corner
Joyce – Joyce's Place
Julie Weigley – The Water Is So Wide – Serialized fiction (posts every other Friday)
K.C. Knouse – Cactus Flowers
Kaci Rigney – A Writing Journey | Kaci Rigney – Writer, singer, poet
Kailani B. – Damsel in the Library
Katelin Cummins – Story Notes – Weekly newsletter about writing
Katelynsam – The Fantastic and Mundane Chronicles of a Fantasy Writer
kathlene kelly – Poetry
Kathy Enriquez-Nguyen – The KATacombs – Poetry, hand-drawn art featuring cats
Ken Barber – The Old Mountain Man
Kenaz Filan – Notes from the End of Time with Kenaz Filan
Kummer Wolfe – Worlds of Kummer Wolfe ("Oh, by Crom is it human written…")
L.L. Ford – The Trials of Astra – Fantasy
L. Jagi Lamplighter Wright – Defending the Wood Perilous, et al.
Larry Carter Jr – SplatterFunk– Experimental artists, short fiction
Larry Hogue – Glass Half Full
Laura R. Hepworth – Laura R. Hepworth - Bookwyrms – Fantasy, a little Science fiction, some non-fiction
Layne Mercer – My Bradbury Year
Leanne Shawler – The Môrdreigiau Chronicles – Historical romantasy
Leeron Heywood – Writing From Weird
Leigh Parrish – Halcyon Horror
Lisa Beth Wright – Artistic Mystic Soul
Lisa Kuznak – Mechanical Pulp – Short stories, poetry, SFF-leaning mostly, other genres; 2 books out, another coming, completed serial
Liza Clarke – Liza’s Substack
Luke Warfield – World of Warfield – Epic fantasy
M.Devereaux – DISTILLIST. – Visual design, poetry, stories
M.P. Fitzgerald – Graphomania with M.P. Fitzgerald – Darkly humorous Science fiction & horror
M. B. Heywood – The Vaporous Realms
Maggie McCombs – Poetry
MaKenna Grace – I'm Not Crazy, I Promise…
Making It Up As I Go Alone – Short, flash, experimental fiction
Marco.D.Blanco – The Magic Lantern
Marisa Billions – Sapphic Pages – Sapphic psychological thrillers
Mark Abel – TOO TALL TALES, gone2plaid – Middle Grade Reading - 8-12+ yrs old
Mark Popovich – Fantasy
Mark Starlin – Mark Starlin Writes!
Martine Proctor – The Roll Top Desk – Mysteries, essays about writing
Mary Catelli – Writings And Reflections – Essays about writing
Maryellen Brady 💗📚 – Magical Musings with MeBrady – World building, life, chat, & a cup of tea
Maximilian P Siddell – A Stream of Consciousness; Mythscape; Myth and Meaning
Memoirs of a Mad Scientist – D. A. Kelly, PhD is author & 2nd gen SF fan
Michael DiBaggio – Attention Span Labs – Science fiction (and some really rocking art by ArtAnon and his wife Shell Presto)
Michelle Toohey – Soft Contacts with the Wonders of the World: Travel Memoirs
Mike Kay – A Shadow of Yew
Minaz Ansari – Spread Love, Only Love
Minnie Mayhem – On Behalf of the Void
Miriam H. Monarres – Poetry
Moldavite Writer – The Syntaxes of Metaphysics
Narina Exelby – Travel: NE Where
Natalie Phillips – Plotted Out – Cornish fantasy & dark humor
Nathan Drescher – Battlegrounds+ – Author, journalist
Nicholas Kircher – The Chemical Mind – Stories of our fascination with the Brain
Nick Buchheit – This Nick Writes
Nick Richards – Living a Principled Life, Tranith Argan Fantasy Series
Nissa Harlow – Stories with a touch of the fantastic
Nocturnal Narrator – Speculative Fiction and Dark Tales | Nocturnal Narrator – Dark speculative fiction, builds interactive worlds to tell strange stories
Orin Might – Stories by Orin
Pamela Leavey – Words and Pictures by Pamela Leavey – Writer, photographer
Perry Chalmers – My Own Little World
Phyllis Carlin, Miami – Attorney, writer, photographer, painter, worried about AI scraping/theft
R.J. Huneke – R.J. Huneke’s Insight Into Writing | Insight Into Writing
Randall Allen Dunn – Fantasy, action thrillers; writes as D.A. Randall
Rea de Miranda – Rea’s Substack
Rebecca Collins – Nerdy QA Girl – Poetry
Redd Oscar – ReddOscarWrites – Fantasy, science fiction, and horror
Ren – In a Room
Rhiannon D'Averc – Crowhill Cove – Author & ghostwriter of 100+ published books, photographer, chief editor
Richard Glover – Fragments from…R.L. Glover
Rob Mortell – Stories Have Power – Fantasy
Robert C. Gilbert – Listening Sessions
Robert Collins – Robert Collins' Author Substack – Science fiction, fantasy (draws own covers)
Robert Garron – Robert Garron's Substack – Science fiction, non-traditional fantasy, speculative fiction, weird fiction (draws own covers)
Robin Motzer – Wildlands – Research-backed writing about health, well-being and connection with nature.
Robin Reardon – Robin Reardon Writes – LGBTQ+ fiction
Rolando Andrade – Outside the therapy room
S M Garratt – The Oort Cloud - Science Fiction Stories – Science fiction, world builder
Saint-Lazare – Saint-Lazare, Writer; Saint-Lazare’s Substack
Sal Randolph – Free Words
Sarah Crowne – A Busy Lady
Scott MacLeod – Son of Ugly
Sergej Klementinovski – Writer's Odyssey
Seth Paul – Not Necessarily Deep Thoughts – Writer, editor, audio, narrator, kid raiser
Sharron Bassano – LEAVES
Shelley Wilburn – The Writer's Walk – Author, writer's coach, editor
Shinjini – Studio Diaries
Spaceman Spiff – Postcards from the Abyss
Stella Maris Designs – Stella Maris Designs
Steve – Steve's Substack
Sue Mell – So Much Stuff – Literary fiction, creative non-fiction
Swing Thoughts and Roundabouts – Swing's Substack
Tayler Marie Brooks – Tayler's Substack, Moondust Productions
Terry A. Fries – Thin Air Fiction
The Black Knight – Shadows and Space
The Brothers Krynn – Bros Krynn’s Newsletter – Fantasy fiction, essays
The Crazy Cat Lady Writes – The Crazy Cat Lady Writes
The Dread Legacies – Reimagining classic monsters
The Man Behind the Screen – Tales of Calamity and Triumph
The Pro Wrestling Exuberant – The Pro Wrestling Exuberant
Theo Priestley – Tales of the Unexpected
Thérèse Judeana – Windflower
Thomas Bubb – Necessary Fiction – Action-packed, heartfelt stories
Thomas J Bevan – Soaring Twenties, The Soaring Twenties Social Club, The Commonplace
Tiffanie Gray – TnTCreationz by Tiffanie – Great cover art and more
TJ Patton – Loves & Lies Lit
TK Eldridge – Letters from Elder Ridge, Graffridge Publishing (serialized novels) – Romantic Suspense, Murder Mysteries, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense
Tracy – Trial & Error
Tracy Mansolillo – The Power of Change – Essays
Travis Knight – The Travisphere – The Bingo Killer series author
V. Walker | Poet – poet | madwoman | wanderer
Vanessa M Chattman – Vanessa’s Substack – Poetry
Victor Jimenez – A Serial Assemblage of Words
Vivian Ireton – Vivian’s Substack
Walt Shuler – Blackspire
Wendy Parciak – Happy Tales – Lessons about writing she’s learned from her dog
Will Boucher – Heavy is the Headset
Wirrowac – The WAC Attack; Wirrowac; Wirrowac After Dark; Wirrowac, Development Hell
Written Tales – Written Tales Magazine – Kevin, editor
YUCK! Travel Magazine – YUCK! Travel Magazine – Science fiction humor
Yvon Castillo – Javy INK
Zivah Avraham – Poetic Licence
Final Note
If we are to preserve creativity, we humans must eschew any and all AI technology. Help that by committing to not using any AI technology in any way and/or supporting those who do.
By the way, spellcheckers are just programs that compare what you type with what’s on their list of words. I mention this because some people have indicated that they have been told spellcheckers are AI.
Please check out my author website. And thanks for reading.
No portion of this work may be used for training artificial intelligence without written permission from the author.
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My five totally human created books (so far) from Wordwooze Publishing:
NEW! From the Files of Fontaine Investigations – paranormal mystery
The Greeting Card Girl’s Christmas – a sweet romance novel for the holiday season (ebook, paperback, and soon on audio).
Wind Down the Chimney and Other Eerie Tales – my first book of eerie short stories (ebook, paperback, audio).
The Stardust Alliance and More – my second book of eerie stories with a touch of Sci-Fi (ebook, paperback, audio).
The Wiccan Tales – a novel and a real Halloween treat (ebook, paperback, audio).
(All human written. I even designed the covers.)
See them all here:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Kobo | Thalia (German) ebook & print | Smashwords | Angus & Robertson: | Mondadori (Italian) | Vivlio (French/English) | Fable
Audio versions:
Wind Down the Chimney | The Stardust Alliance | The Wiccan Tales | The Greeting Card Girl's Christmas
You're providing a great service to authors. Thank-you!
Thanks. Great to know so many AI free writers on Substack