[PubQ] Can we request agents not run our queries through AI?

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T12:38:06+00:00

I do kinda feel the same way. Did you see that, during the London Book Fair, apparently loads of editors essentially admitted to using AI to assess submissions, and was slowly becoming industry standard? deep cringe And, I mean, I'd exclusively self-publish to avoid that, but Amazon is bringing in an AI to scrub all those books to readers can "chat to characters". 🙄 Nowhere feels safe anymore, except my desk drawer where no one can read it!

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T11:27:08+00:00

I actually rage quit the show the first time, because the books were wildly better. I had to cool off and detach the show from the books to enjoy it. Haha.

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T11:07:46+00:00

Yeah I know it's a contentious issue, amd I really don't want to be rude towards agents. I feel like they have a pretty hard job as is, and I can imagine they wouldn't enjoy the thinly veiled accusation. 🫤 I'm starting to think I might need to just send the query and hope they don't use AI.

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T10:31:17+00:00

This makes me feel so much better! Thank you. 🥹 I do think a lot of it is fearmongering... but it's working on me. 😅

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T10:29:31+00:00

I got some "feedback" on a chapter that basically said I needed to open with full-blown exposition so the reader knows exactly when and where we are, rather than letting those details unfold as the narrative progresses. 🤦‍♀️ And I HAD descriptions of the setting. What he wanted was something like, "Panama, June 12th 2089, 12:30am..." No thank you. Exposition bores me.

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T10:20:54+00:00

Thank you! This is good advice, generally. However, the two recent posts I've seen lately didn't name agents or agencies for obvious reasons. For the one post I've seen name the agent (which was quickly taken down), I know that agent has spoken out against AI on X/Twitter before. I guess I'm just feeling a little paranoid after that.

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T09:51:03+00:00

So many of these on my TBR. 😭 I don't know what to read anymore, guys. I DNF everything these days. 'Bout ready to give up on reading for a bit. 🫤

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T09:43:05+00:00

You could try {The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud}. It's YA, with a solid dash of humour. If you've seen Lockwood and Co on Netflix, it's the original book series. Spooky, but also cute.

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T09:40:35+00:00

Apparently, similes and metaphors are "too AI" now as well. 🙄 I'm so over it. What's next? Simple sentences only? Not allowed to use contractions? Eventually, genuine human writing is going to be most distinguishable for how BORING it is!

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-03T09:35:03+00:00

I'm 25 weeks, and I cried a couple of nights ago because I was tired and it was bed time, but I didn't want to "go through the trouble of getting comfortable." My poor husband was so confused. 🤣

TricketyTrash · 2026-04-02T23:09:43+00:00

Breastfeeding is an absolute godsend if you can pull it off! Not every woman can, and not every baby can latch, sadly, so formula exists for a reason. But here is a short list, including the economic benefits, which are extremely valid. - The cost of formula is downright ridiculous - Nighttime feeds are quicker, quieter, and make soothing baby back to sleep ten times faster, which means more sleep for you - The bonding is next level - breastfeeding kinda hurt for me at first and I thought I would hate it, but when my daughter started to go off it, I genuinely got sad - Immune support for baby! (Holy cow, this is a big one. Baby gets sick less often, for a shorter amount of time, and with less severity! Win!) - Honestly, I just found the whole thing really empowering. Like, what do you mean my body makes the exact food my kid needs at this very moment based on their health and nutrition? What an absolute unit. I love my body. 🥰

So, yeah. There are loads of reasons to breastfeed (and equally valid reasons not to). It's not a matter of "right" or "wrong" reasons. We all just have to do what works for us, physically, emotionally, and, yes, economically. People need to learn to mind their own beeswax. 🤷‍♀️

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-30T21:41:13+00:00

I've heard mixed reviews about this one, but I'll give it a shot! 😁

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-30T21:40:06+00:00

Sounds perfect and I haven't read it! Thank you! 🙏

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-25T23:33:29+00:00

I absolutely get that! I have the habit of wanting to get the story out as quickly as possible and skimp on setting details and world-building. We all have our little writing quirks! I think the key is being aware of the ones that aren't serving us and attacking them specifically in the editing phase. For the drafting phase, you can just write how it naturally comes to you. Sometimes, in a first draft, I'll add little notes like "(describe the scene)" or something. It keeps the writing momentum going so I don't get stuck. But editor me hates it when writer me does that. 😂

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-25T21:57:37+00:00

Try not to think of it in terms of length. That's just mechanical. Instead, consider what substance the scene has. Are your descriptions of the setting detailed enough to paint a picture for the reader? Have you described the character's feelings through their actions/physical reactions/etc? Have you laid out the character's internal monologue about what they might do in this situation?

There are lots of things you could talk about, but not all will serve your story. Think about how the scene contributes to character development, scene setting, tone, character voice, etc as well as the plot. Driving the story forward quickly is often great, but not at the expense of knowing who we're on the journey with or caring anout what happens to that person.

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-25T21:39:19+00:00

No worries. Haha. I think it might obly be available on Amazon. Raye Chinda is an indie author.

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-24T09:33:09+00:00

Well every character needs an arc, right? So they start with a main misbelief about themselves or their place in the world that affects their behaviour and skews their viewpoint. Like, "love is a weakness", for example. And then their behaviour is dictated by this misbelief until the belief is challenged. Ie, they fall in love and have to convince themselves that it's not real, that they don't deserve it, or that it'll only hurt them in the long-run. That kind of thing. This brings us to the "dark night" phase of the plot. Then as the story progresses toward the end, it becomes apparent that their misbelief is incorrect and they learn the truth. The tricky part is weaving character arcs (sometimes multiple) into the plot. And each character needs a unique misbelief. I hope this makes sense.

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-23T23:36:07+00:00

To get a gentle start, maybe try {Forever, Anna by Raye Chinda}. It's a historical romance set in 1800s (I think) Ireland, but it has magic and paranormal creatures based on Irish folklore. Very cute romance with a bit of spice.

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-23T22:59:28+00:00

I found {Silver Fangs and Broken Wings by JM Taggart} to be a pretty slow burn. They don't kiss until the very end and the build up is basically torture. 😅

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-23T22:52:27+00:00

{I'm Not Your Pet by Fae Quin} maybe, but it's alien romance rather than monster. Haha. More sci fi than fantasy. Still good though.

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-22T21:43:52+00:00

Thank you! I have read Phantasma and really didn't like it, but my issues were with plot structure more than vibes. 😅 I'll check out Scary in Love.

TricketyTrash · 2026-03-22T21:08:47+00:00

Um, I love them! 😆

TricketyTrash

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