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Mia Ballard, Shy Girl, and AI use accusations …

I’d never heard of Mia Ballard until yesterday when a New York Times headline caught my eye. Apparently, she self-published a feminist horror novel in February 2025 titled Shy Girl about, well, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Hachette, one of the Big 5 publishers, snatched it up for traditional publication. But according to the Times, it canceled its imminent US release amid accusations that it was written with the help of generative artificial intelligence.

I’ve not read the book. Nor will I. I recommend you watch the YouTube video above for a thorough breakdown by Frankie’s Shelf, who I would never want to review one of my books, not because I used AI to create them (I didn’t), but DAMN is he vicious! I recommend Ballard not watch this video.

“This controversy has changed my life in many ways and my mental health is at an all time low and my name is ruined for something I didn’t even personally do,” Ballard told the Times. She took no responsibility, blaming an unnamed person she had hired to edit her manuscript.

I don’t believe her. If you’ve ever hired an editor to review a manuscript you’ve labored over for months, you will re-read the manuscript once it’s returned to you. You don’t simply take the editor’s word for it. If you love your manuscript, you essentially know it inside and out. You’ve read and revised it countless times. You would spot any changes almost immediately. So, sorry, Mia. Your explanation doesn’t wash.

Hachette bears a lot of the blame for the kerfuffle getting this far. I have no idea if Ballard has an agent, but he or she has some ‘splainin’ to do, too. We assume that agents and Big 5 editors are these godlike gatekeepers who wouldn’t dare let substandard writing and incoherent stories hit bookstore shelves. They’re human, like everyone else, and make mistakes. Still, this disheartens those of us in the query trenches and with works out on submission who get passed over, knowing that Shy Girl passed for quality and numerous worthy, original, well-written works didn’t. Hey, that’s publishing for you.

My questions:

If Ballard is agented, did the agent read the entire book (the way an agent is supposed to)? I’d love to know what the agent enjoyed about the writing.

Did Hachette perform any due diligence? If a publishing house is going to extend a contract to a writer and offer an advance, which I’m assuming happened here, at least one editor must have read the manuscript. A copy editor, too. So, this manuscript, which has been picked apart online for months for subpar, repetitive, and at times nonsensical writing, met agent/editor approval at the highest levels and was already published in the United Kingdom, with the US date in April scuttled. Makes you wonder what the professional class didn’t see that the rest of the hoi polloi did.

Will accusations of AI use impugn innocent writers? Most likely. My understanding is that AI-detection software exists, but sometimes flags non-AI writing as suspect. Also, how is an author supposed to prove he or she didn’t use AI to escape the Scarlet Letters? (See what I did there?)

What is considered fair AI use? Spell-check existed long before what we consider AI today. That’s absolutely AI. What about grammar checks? AI again. Is that forbidden? If so, every writer on the planet might as well use a typewriter and have physical dictionaries nearby. And who makes the rules? Publishing houses probably need to specify what cannot be done. If the grammar checker slightly rewrites a sentence for clarity, and not substance, is this cause to pass on a manuscript?

We’re entering a murky period for publishing. (And other artforms, of course.) Most agents ask writers who query them whether AI was used to create the submitted work, and every writer worth his/her salt will mark No. But not everyone’s honest.

I assume someone writes a book to express creativity and knowledge, both in fiction and nonfiction. Relying on a program that generates what you want it to, and passing it off as your own, no more makes you a writer than heating up a Digiorno pizza makes you a chef. It’s easy to spot a Digiorno pizza by taste. As AI technology advances, it will become more difficult to spot its use and prove it.

Maybe publishers can include in their contracts that AI use (as they define it) is verboten, and that discovery of its use after publication would give the publisher specified legal options to pursue against the writer.

Whatever the case, Mia Ballard’s career likely ended as a trad-pubbed writer. Going fully independent appears to be her only route for the foreseeable future. If she’s truly creative and works on her craft, there’s nothing saying she can’t put out a quality product. And I hope she does.

But her claim that she didn’t know AI was used to perfect Shy Girl doesn’t pass any logical test, as every true writer will confirm.

Why bash literary agents?

An X user (who I’m not convinced is real) recently posted a screed against literary agents for having the temerity not to represent her. It came off as pathetic.

I’ve had ups and downs in publishing, but I never entertained the idea of attacking agents. Is it frustrating to get rejected? Of course! But if you’re serious about publishing, you understand rejection is part of it. It’s part of any artistic field. It’s a part of life!

During my time querying (and even at one point getting an agent), never did one treat me unprofessionally.

What good would it do me to attack an agent because he or she passed? Who does it benefit?

If you post it on X, you’re broadcasting to the world “please, don’t ever consider working with me!”

Yes, you blew off some steam and feel self-righteous. And? You’re still unagented, and likely never will be.

Good luck out there to everyone stuck in the query trenches. Be strong. Above all else, be a pro.

Getting an agent rejection, and feeling relief?

An agent rejected me this morning. I saw the QueryTracker address in my inbox, felt the sense of doom that usually rears its head whenever I open a QT verdict from an agent, and then noticed something.

It was personalized! There was even a typo in it! Nothing major, and I don’t call it out to cast any aspersions on the agent–it was an open ( without a close. Any writer has had typos slip into his or her work; it’s a fact! Get over it. It doesn’t make them bad!

Simply put, the agent took the time to write some thoughts, specific ones!

Here’s what stood out: the agent said that I was a good writer based on my opening pages.

NEVER have I gotten a rejection that commented specifically on my writing. Speaking for myself, that’s the one thing I worry about above all else when an agent renders judgment: Is my writing any good? Is it up to snuff? I’d like to think I can string coherent sentences together without dreaded to-be verbs and go easy on adverbs/adjectives.

But until someone tells you, you don’t know.

The agent explained why the book might not be the best fit for the market, and that’s what gave pause.

Fine. I’m a big boy. I get how this business works. But I felt relief, in a sense. Not that I’m suddenly Faulkner or anything silly like that, but that I might have a puncher’s chance. Or not. It’s a brutal business, but I’ll navigate it with a little more confidence now.

And, no, I’m not naming the agent. So don’t ask!

11,000 words into the next book!

I’m a pantser. I’ve never outlined anything. I wouldn’t know where to begin. But there’s nothing I enjoy more than sitting in front of the monitor and going to town. Seeing where things take me, not knowing how I’m getting there. I start a book with a vague notion of how I want it to end, and then it’s a matter of filling in the important details. Creating characters as I go. Simply put, it’s fun.

And I think that’s what writing should be. Fun! In the end, we’re entertainers, and if we’re not enjoying it, then we shouldn’t be doing it.

When can you call yourself a bestselling author?

While scrolling X today, I happened upon an author who hit number one in one of Amazon’s many sub-genre categories. Good for the writer! I asked whether “Amazon Bestselling Author” can be used on the book cover and marketing materials.

I say, Yes. Technically, it topped a bestseller list, narrow though it may be, but I don’t think that’s disqualifying. If an author can back it up (screen shot/grab?), use it with pride.

But I could be wrong. Am I?

A

Did you create your own author website? Asking for a friend …

Every author needs a website. I’ve had one since 2014, and based on what people I contacted on Reedsy said, it apparently dates back to the Stone Age.

So, new book or not, I need to update my site. The lady I hired more than 13 years ago was nice as can be. She built the website from scratch and it’s currently hosted on HostGator. And when I go to review the code, I see things like this:

HTML <<44 smfjoeodm xxxxx fdsoirms.fne>>

<tm> PL ^##skjed <crush> uuz # TML.

And there are HUNDREDS of those rows! I have no idea what any of that is, as I’ve never learned to code. And I hope I never have to. I could go back to the designer, but that would cost more. That’s fine. Or, I could hire someone to build a new website. I’ve gotten quotes on Reedsy ranging from $750 to $800, which I find reasonable. And I’ve gotten ones for thousands of dollars.

If you get to Squarespace, it’s quite intuitive. Meaning, in theory, I could build my own website without knowing any code.

I’ll have to renew HostGator in March, which will cost money. Or I could sign up with Squarespace and take the plunge (and still spend money, but it’s far less than $800).

I don’t need anything fancy. I just want something functional that looks nice and professional. I don’t need animations with dragons swooping across the screen. And if you’ve ever thought about going indie, you’ll need not just a good book cover, but a great one. That will cost over $1,000, likely more. (I got a quote for $10,000!) I won’t spend that much, but I will certainly invest in a great book cover because, let’s face it, some indie book covers look unprofessional. And this isn’t a knock on any author or artist. People choose what they can reasonably afford and what they think looks good on them. Heck, I had small presses (that are no longer in business) make excellent covers and, frankly, cringy ones. It’s the way it is.

But if you’re going indie, you want the most professional-looking product possible, both inside and out. That will cost thousands of dollars. Can it be cheaper? Sure. But it won’t look good. You and I both know it.

So, if creating my own website can save me money that can go toward a cover (I’ve already had it professionally edited, and that was pricey but worth it), I figure, why not try it? If I screw up, I can always go back to the professionals I originally contacted and see if they’ll take me on.

So, I’m curious. Did you build your own site?

Query Tracker: Hating rejection, but admiring Agents who ask questions …

If you’re a querying author, you must know about Query Tracker or else you have no idea what you’re doing. It’s a helpful author resource for writers to query agents representing their genres and easily keeps track of to whom you’ve submitted, and also archives who’s rejected you, and who’s requested material, and whether you’ve received an offer of representation or publication. Publishers (mostly smaller, independent ones) also use it.

That’s the love part. Not long ago, writers either emailed their material (and some agents still require this; it’s made clear on their profiles) or snail-mailed their queries with a SASE. One of QT’s popular features is a form many agents use, allowing authors to enter all pertinent information and requested materials (synopsis, first chapter, query letter).

Then there’s the hate part. The rejections. If you’re an author who’s been through the query trenches, you understand rejection comes with the territory. Those agents who use the QT form tend to reply, and mostly use form rejections that are emailed to you with QueryTracker in the subject line. And whenever I see that in my inbox, I get this sense of doom. Why? Because I know it’s a rejection. I’m going by experience here. And I’m not complaining. This is the business I have chosen. You simply delete and move on because the agent’s already done that with you. That’s the harsh reality because most reputable (and disreputable) agents receive hundreds if not thousands of queries a month.

But you must do it. I received a material request from an agent I found on QT, but it didn’t work out. So, there can be a positive outcome, if not the desired one

Some agents ask for the bare basics: Name, email, Book Info, Query, and sample material.

Other agents pose several questions for the author to answer (some are optional). That was my experience with an agent I queried recently. I was asked: How long have I been a writer? What’s my biggest strength as a writer? What’s my biggest weakness as a writer? What genres do I plan to write in the future? What inspired me to write my manuscript? What is my favorite part of the story? Why do I feel this agent is the right fit for me?

Personally, I love the agents who ask these questions (not many do, and this agent asked by far the most). Some authors might be put off by this, like, why does the agent need all this info? What’s the point?

Those authors are idiots. Does answering them require more thought and time? Yes! But I found that answering them made me think about why I started doing this in the first place and got me to reflect on my good and bad experiences in the publishing industry. Never has an agent asked me about my favorite part of the story, and it got me thinking. I answered honestly and enjoyed it because I remembered writing the dialogue and laughing along the way! And most importantly, putting in the time and effort to answer all the questions made me believe in my work even more. Corny as that sounds, it’s true.

I hope the agents who ask these questions read all the answers before rendering judgment because writers personalize themselves more if they take the questions seriously, and give an agent a clearer picture of the querying writer.

In the end, do I think the agent will ask for more material? My gut tells me no simply because it’s been my experience. I’m a grim realist, and I attribute this to living in New Jersey.

But whatever the case, I’m glad I was asked, and if answering those questions can help tip the scales, by all means answer them!

Be professional, take the time, think about what you’re typing, and don’t cut and paste generic answers you might have concocted for simplicity’s sake!

In the end, you can and will get your book published. Be it traditionally, indie-trad, or full indie yourself. The journey might have bumps along the way. Learn from them. And keep moving.

Asking for the first time in eons (well, not really)

For the first time in at least a decade, I’ve reached out to a New York Times bestselling author to hopefully endorse a book I wrote.

It’s a new form of the querying process. You don’t like doing it, but you must. And it’s not that you dislike asking a particular author for this favor. You look up to these writers. They inspired you.

The prospect of rejection weighs on you. But as Hyman Roth of Godfather II fame once said, “This is the business we have chosen!”

So, it’s out there. Others will join it at some point, but you must start somewhere.

Here’s to hope.

At What Point Did You Go Full Independent?

I’ve never self-published before. I’m old enough (50) to remember when readers at large frowned upon self-publishing. You’re not good enough for the Big Leagues. Why should I bother reading your crap?

Fortunately, that stigma, while not entirely gone, has been taken down a few pegs. Some of the most popular books (Legends & Lattes, Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Martian, We Are Legion [We Are Bob]) were all first self-published and are now massively successful. There are several other examples I could name.

So, it’s not that they’re not ready for the Big Leagues. They had to prove they were. And boy did they.

Many other authors got followers through independence, built a fan base, and were later picked up by the Big Five. It’s possible.

But when do you pull the trigger? At what point do you convince yourself that it’s you and nobody else?

I’m not there yet, but I am open to it. And I’d love to hear about when people reached their breaking points and hit publish on their own.

Is there anybody out there? (Say it like Roger Waters did from Pink Floyd’s The Wall.)