{"id":6424,"date":"2026-08-04T09:20:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T13:20:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/04\/write-of-passage-receipts-please\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T09:20:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T13:20:31","slug":"write-of-passage-receipts-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/04\/write-of-passage-receipts-please\/","title":{"rendered":"Write of Passage: Receipts Please"},"content":{"rendered":"<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6424-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/209710673\/4957b3e27ccf13253c233ef9fd150f66.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/209710673\/4957b3e27ccf13253c233ef9fd150f66.mp3\">https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/209710673\/4957b3e27ccf13253c233ef9fd150f66.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>You wrote the book. You poured months, maybe years, into every page. But in today\u2019s publishing landscape, that\u2019s no longer enough. Can you prove you wrote it?<\/p><div id=\"vanes-808207621\" class=\"vanes-content vanes-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 2px;margin-right: 2px;margin-bottom: 2px;margin-left: 2px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/fireswordandsea.htm\" aria-label=\"Fire Sword &amp; Sea\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?fit=1706%2C2560&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Fire Sword &amp; Sea\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?w=1706&ssl=1 1706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=1365%2C2048&ssl=1 1365w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?w=1280&ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" width=\"569\" height=\"853\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Every author\u2014and everyone who loves one\u2014needs to know how to protect themselves.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Receipts Please<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The AI Witch Hunt And You\u2019re Already Guilty<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The headlines are rough right now.<\/p>\n<p>Books are still being banned. Independent bookstores are struggling. Publishers are grappling with higher paper, printing, and shipping costs.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re living in a political climate where books that tell fuller histories\u2014or simply allow readers to imagine beyond rigid stereotypes\u2014are increasingly treated as the problem.<\/p>\n<p>Now we\u2019re all a part of the new witch hunt. We are watching as everyone from TikTok to the New York Times digs deeply into authorship and asks questions. The cross we now bear: <em>\u201cThe author must have used AI.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>As a writer who loves words and her job, I don\u2019t fall into crab-in-a-barrel cynicism. I celebrate every book deal. I don\u2019t care whether it\u2019s a debut novelist who lands a six-figure contract or a veteran writer signing another multi-book deal. I want everyone\u2019s story out there in the venue of their choosing, be it Indie or traditional, podcast, TV, film, or stage.<\/p>\n<p>The creative industry is hard enough without anyone rooting against another.<\/p>\n<p>Every contract or act of publishing represents years of sacrifice, rejection, revisions, and hope.<\/p>\n<p>And what I refuse to accept is the growing assumption that when certain authors succeed, they must have cheated.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The New AI Witch Hunt<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Over the past year, we\u2019ve seen a troubling pattern emerge.<\/p>\n<p>Debut authors have found themselves publicly accused of using AI. Publishers have withdrawn books. Agents have pulled manuscripts and representation. Yet on what basis are these devastating actions being taken? AI detectors. Isn\u2019t that sort of like the fox watching the hen house?<\/p>\n<p>Some of the most widely used AI detectors are:<\/p>\n<p>There are many more, each with opaque rules and algorithms and methodologies that are used to determine what is human and what is AI. Their judgement is being held up as a holy Grail. But it\u2019s still just the fox guarding the henhouse.<\/p>\n<p>Influencers and bloggers have accused works of being AI-generated for having tropes, similar fantasy settings, etc. Newsflash: genre fiction like romance, thrillers, romantasy, is supposed to use tropes to meet reader expectations.<\/p>\n<p>The evidence- some screenshots and attitude is being treated as definitive.<\/p>\n<p>The result?<\/p>\n<p>Authors are increasingly expected to prove they wrote their own books. That should concern everyone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Latest Targeted Authors: Is there a pattern?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Following online accusations that BiPOC author <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/19\/books\/shy-girl-book-ai.html\">Mia Ballard<\/a>\u2019s novel <em>Shy Girl<\/em> contained AI-generated text, Hachette investigated, didn\u2019t stand by the author or the series of editors involved in acquisition, and canceled publication.<\/p>\n<p>BiPOC author Ballard has maintained that she did not use AI to write the novel, though she has acknowledged that an early edited version may have included AI-assisted edits introduced by someone else. But the buzz isn\u2019t about editing; it\u2019s about cheating to write the book.<\/p>\n<p>Black debut author <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books\/2026\/jul\/31\/crime-novel-deal-collapses-questions-ai-jerry-falade-call-me-ill-hide-the-body\"><strong>Jerry Falade<\/strong><\/a>, whose thriller reportedly sparked a 14-publisher auction and a proposed $2 million deal, had his manuscript withdrawn after questions arose about its creation. Black author Falade has denied using AI to write the novel, while his agent, Marc Gerald of Europa Content, stated they could no longer authenticate the manuscript\u2019s development.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Nobel Prize-winning Polish Woman author <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lithub.com\/nobel-laureate-olga-tokarczuk-apparently-used-ai-to-write-her-latest-novel\/\"><strong>Olga Tokarczuk<\/strong><\/a> openly discussed using AI as part of her creative process\u2014not to write her prose, but to explore character development, ask questions about fictional people, even what music they might listen to. The backlash was swift. She had to issue an apology and clarification, stating that her use was strictly for research.<\/p>\n<p>The latest banshee torches were raised to celebrated Black novelist <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/2026\/07\/daggermouth-novel-bestseller-ai\/688067\/\"><strong>H. M. Wolfe<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>for her dark dystopian romance, <em>Daggermouth<\/em>. An Atlantic investigation questioned whether portions of the novel appeared AI-generated. Black author Wolfe denies using AI, and her publisher, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/Daggermouth\/H-M-Wolfe\/The-Heart-Duology\/9798347122363\">Scarlett Press<\/a> (an imprint of Simon &amp; Schuster), stood behind the book.<\/p>\n<p>As an engineer with plenty of data training and modeling, there\u2019s not enough here to say there is a trend, but if you are a Black author, a BiPOC author, or a woman author, be aware. We seem to be entering an environment where, if accused of AI Generation, we will be presumed guilty until proven innocent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Who Gets the Benefit of the Doubt?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>According to <em>The Independent<\/em>, Male Caucasian author <strong>Anthony Horowitz<\/strong>, a New York Times bestselling author, says ChatGPT has become part of his research process. He says, \u201cI have absolutely no shame about using it at all. It would be crazy to give up an incredible resource.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He has also made clear that he does not use AI-generated prose in his novels and the Atlantic has not accused him of AI Generated text in any novel.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prominent white male nonfiction author and former TED curator, <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gpb.org\/news\/2024\/04\/30\/ai-contentious-among-authors-so-why-are-some-feeding-it-their-own-writing\"><strong>Chris Anderson<\/strong><\/a> has discussed experimenting with AI as part of his writing process. The Atlantic has not run an accusatory article about his books.<\/p>\n<p>White male author, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2026\/apr\/02\/artificial-intelligence-writers-powerful-language\">Stephen Marche <\/a>is not shy about his use of AI. He claims to The Guardian that , <strong>he published \u201cthe first AI-generated novel reviewed in the New York Times.\u201d He continues to write articles for <\/strong>The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Esquire.<\/p>\n<p><strong>His latest novel, The Last Election (2023), a political thriller co-written with Andrew Yang, received a starred review from <\/strong><strong><em>Publishers Weekly. The Atlantic has written no major articles complaining about Marche\u2019s use of AI.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>None of these authors are being scrutinized despite their admission and attitudes concerning AI. None have lost publishing contracts. And none were publicly required to produce years of drafts, notebooks, and revision histories to prove they wrote their books.<\/p>\n<p>I do have an example of what I call \u201cWhite Male\u201d controversy with consequences.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.centrepompidou.fr\/en\/pompidou-plus\/magazine\/article\/james-frey-i-use-artificial-intelligence-because-i-want-to-write-the-best-book-possible\">James Frey<\/a> starts out as a screenplay writer who then moves to memoirs. By 2003, A Million Little Pieces (Doubleday) is a bestseller followed up in 2005 by <em>My Friend Leonard<\/em> (Riverhead Books) another bestseller. <strong>Million Little Pieces becomes an Oprah\u2019s Book Club selection in September 2005. This memoir became the fastest-selling Oprah Book Club selection up to that point, millions of copies moved.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>By 2006, Frey\u2019s embroiled in controversy that many parts of both memoirs are made up. He apologized to Oprah on live TV, got dropped by his literary agent, and his publisher agreed to refund readers who felt cheated. Several high profile media veterans weighed reported on it including David Carr and Maureen Dowd of the <em>New York Times<\/em>, Larry King on Larry King Live and Richard Cohen of the <em>Washington Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, Frey\u2019s career wasn\u2019t over. In 2007, (the very next year) he signs with HarperCollins to a new seven-figure, three-book deal. His next book, Bright Shiny Morning (2008) is a best seller. Today\u2019s he\u2019s still publishing and getting movie option deals.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, <strong>James Frey<\/strong> has spoken openly about using AI creatively. <strong>For the Centre Pompidou, he says, he uses \u201cAI for help in creating a work of art and I have no problem with it. Who cares whether I (James Frey) found this information in a book, on Google or using AI!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s actively listing AI usage in all forth coming books. I guess when a lack of disclosure or making up stuff, has been a problem, you make sure to disclose everything. There\u2019s no slowing James Frey down, as I don\u2019t think there should be. But I must point out that there are no articles by the Atlantic accusing Frey of cheating by using AI.<\/p>\n<p>As I said before, I\u2019m clapping for everyone who gets the publishing deals that they want. But I cannot ignore that several of the most visible public controversies involve writers who have the least institutional power to defend themselves. That pattern should make all of us uncomfortable.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, I hope the Black, BiPOC, and women who\u2019ve taken a beating because of AI allegations become as brazen about their publishing careers as James Frey. Come back stronger. Come back fighting.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Back to Business &#8211; The Wrong Question<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The publishing gatekeepers, zealous fans who saw that em dash usage, and unfortunately jealous writers will keep asking:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cDid you use AI?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As a writer who has had 28 of her 31 books stolen for AI training, I\u2019m telling you that you\u2019re asking the wrong question.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m dictating portions of this essay on my iPhone. Apple uses AI to convert my speech into text.<\/p>\n<p>When I open Microsoft Word, many of its writing tools now live inside the Copilot ecosystem. I can\u2019t use dictation without letting Copilot stalk me in the background.<\/p>\n<p>Google Search increasingly serves AI-generated summaries before I even reach traditional search results.<\/p>\n<p>Grammarly sits on my browsers. It uses AI to recommend grammar and spelling corrections to make sure I don\u2019t sound illiterate.<\/p>\n<p>All of this is AI usage. AI isn\u2019t outside. Someone let the vampire in, and he\u2019s not going away until his fangs are in each one of our necks. AI touches every workflow. On my latest contract, I had to agree to allow my publisher to use AI:<\/p>\n<p><em>The Author acknowledges and agrees that Publisher may use the Works in connection with AI-powered tools and technologies utilized in the normal course of Publisher\u2019s operations, provided that Publisher will not use any Work in AI-powered tools to generate new published works in the style of that Work.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a lot of words, but I have essentially given this publisher the ability to do their work that involves AI.<\/p>\n<p>So instead of asking whether AI was used, we should ask what role AI actually played in the creation of your work, whether fiction or nonfiction.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thinking Like a Robot, Act Like a Human<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While researching this episode, I bit the bullet and spent time questioning ChatGPT. I must say, He\u2019s quite social.<\/p>\n<p>ChatGPT, when asked what <em>he<\/em> thinks about AI in writing, said to compare it with human job replacements. I said\u2014that\u2019s cold. He clarified by identifying the two ends of the spectrum: the proofreader vs. the ghostwriter.<\/p>\n<p>If AI is acting like a proofreader, that\u2019s a level 0 involvement. If it\u2019s acting like a ghostwriter, that\u2019s at the top of the scale; basically, AI wrote the content.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the framework that my research and interviews have developed.<\/p>\n<p>This framework is far more meaningful than simply asking, \u201cDid you use AI?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In our daily lives, we\u2019re all living somewhere between Levels 0 and 1, whether we realize it or not. Difficult ethical questions arise around Levels 3, 4, and 5, between Editing, Collaboration, and Generation. That\u2019s where publishers, authors, and readers need to have much more honest conversations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Authors Protect Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We are in a situation where you are presumed guilty rather than innocent. We can\u2019t all have James Frey\u2019s luck either. Whether you use AI at Level 0 or refuse to use it entirely, authors should begin documenting their creative process now.<\/p>\n<p>* Keep physical and digital research folders.<\/p>\n<p>* Save multiple drafts throughout the writing process.<\/p>\n<p>I am very conscious of saving my Scrivener project files before I make major structural changes, or even before I delete my trash folder or my Not Using for the Manuscript folder.<\/p>\n<p>* Scrivener users: Preserve snapshots and project backups.<\/p>\n<p>* Maintain version histories in Word, Google Docs, or Pages.<\/p>\n<p>I used to do this for technical reports, particularly in software development. Welcome to the wild side.<\/p>\n<p>* Keep notebooks, outlines, timelines, and character sketches.<\/p>\n<p>* Save editorial letters, and you must use Track Changes in your files.<\/p>\n<p>If your editor doesn\u2019t, insist that they do. It will protect you when recollections may vary.<\/p>\n<p>* Archive emails with beta readers, editors, and agents.<\/p>\n<p>* Retain metadata showing when files were created and revised.<\/p>\n<p>* Don\u2019t automatically empty deleted scenes or writing \u201ctrash\u201d folders.<\/p>\n<p>* Keep a simple writing journal documenting research, discoveries, and milestones.<\/p>\n<p>None of this guarantees you\u2019ll never face questions, but it creates proof of your blood, sweat, and tears. This is additional uncompensated labor, but it may help in quelling doubts about your success. They never come for average and ordinary work. Remember that.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I refuse to stop using dictation as much as I refuse to give up em dashes. If I had to handwrite every novel, I\u2019d never finish half the stories living in my head.<\/p>\n<p>Technology has always changed how writers work, but it doesn\u2019t dim your light or creativity. And if we are brutally honest, that is the central question: how dare you be outstanding and creative beyond measure? How dare you make something better than the norm? How dare publishing and readers throw money at you? The critics dare to ask because they dare you to be great.<\/p>\n<p>So build your proof and don\u2019t stop writing your next novel.<\/p>\n<p>And may we all be gifted to fail upward and perform better than mediocrity.<\/p>\n<p>This week\u2019s book list is filled with writer friends with books coming out or just released:<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/eagleeyebooks.com\/book\/9781400351107\"><strong>The Ladies Hall<\/strong><\/a> by Vanessa Miller \u2014 <em>Inspired by the real lives of Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, and Ida Gibbs Hunt, this novel follows the three at Oberlin College as they forge an enduring sisterhood while confronting racism, sexism, and the fight for equality.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/eagleeyebooks.com\/book\/9781400354399\"><strong>Writer in Residence<\/strong><\/a> by Rhonda McKnight \u2014 <em>A burned-out novelist escapes to a Lowcountry writers\u2019 retreat, where family secrets, Gullah Geechee history, and unexpected romance, help her reclaim her voice and her writing life.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/eagleeyebooks.com\/book\/9781496753427\"><strong>Murder at First Slice<\/strong><\/a><strong> (A Baker Street Mystery #5)<\/strong> by Valerie Burns \u2014 <em>As bakery owner Maddy Montgomery prepares for her wedding, a murder at her rehearsal dinner turns celebration into sleuthing as she races to clear an innocent family member before saying \u201cI do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Check out my latest \u201cdone\u201d release: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/eagleeyebooks.com\/book\/9781420154870\">A Deal at Dawn<\/a> \u2013 Katherine\u2019s lies have been exposed, but the duke has a plan.<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s still Pirate Season. Check out the women pirates in <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/1521\/9780063271043\">Fire Sword and Sea<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Get these books from <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/eagleeyebooks.com\/\"><strong>Eagle Eye Book Shop<\/strong><\/a><strong>. They have a few signed copies of Fire Sword and Sea and A Deal at Dawn.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>You can also try one of my partners in the fight<\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/fireswordandsea.htm\"><strong>, bookstores<\/strong><\/a><strong> large and small, who are in the trenches with me.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vanessariley.com\/\"><strong>VanessaRiley.com<\/strong><\/a><strong>, under the podcast link in the About tab.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hey. Let\u2019s keep rising and creating together. I need you. That is the truth. Like, share, subscribe, and stay connected to <\/strong><strong><em>Write of Passage<\/em><\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Thank you for being here.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I want you to come again. This is Vanessa Riley.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is a public episode. If you&#8217;d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.substack.com\/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_2\">vanessariley.substack.com\/subscribe<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"vanes-3255707707\" class=\"vanes-after-content vanes-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 3px;margin-right: 3px;margin-bottom: 3px;margin-left: 3px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?fit=1080%2C1350&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Listen to the Write of Passage Weekly Podcast\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=240%2C300&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=819%2C1024&ssl=1 819w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=768%2C960&ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" width=\"540\" height=\"675\"   \/><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You wrote the book. You poured months, maybe years, into every page. But in today\u2019s publishing landscape, that\u2019s no longer enough. Can you prove you wrote it? Every author\u2014and everyone who loves one\u2014needs to know how to protect themselves. Receipts Please The AI Witch Hunt And You\u2019re Already Guilty The headlines are rough right now. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[81,793,9,620,756,694],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-stories","category-politics","category-recommended-reading","category-syndication","category-technology","category-tv-and-film"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.0.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You wrote the book. You poured months, maybe years, into every page. 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