When asked what I write, I would sometimes respond that I write creative non-fiction articles that I publish on the internet and that no one reads. That is no longer true. My work, and that of other writers, is now being read by AI engines and then used to train large language generating tools such as ChatGPT.
ChatGPT was launched November 30, 2022 by OpenAI. By January 2023 it reportedly had 100 million users. In that same time frame, by February 2023 the number of daily page views of my articles that appear on my “blog” (Old Ones Dream) had tripled. So…after 9 years of striving, my writing had been “discovered.”
Some famous writers are suing Open AI, the developer of ChatGPT, for using their work without their permission and without payment. Some writers are utilizing ChatGPT to produce written copy, usually first draft. Some are using ChatGPT to perform research, thus making them more productive writers. It is a temptation, certainly, to play with the engine just to see what the two of us could accomplish together. But I believe—for a writer—it is a classic “Tar Baby.” You touch and it will stick to you, entrap you, and it will be destructive to your creativity—by making you more productive and less authentic…original. So, I have not touched ChatGPT or any other large language generating tool, and I will not.
But then my livelihood is not dependent upon my writing, and so it is easier for me to be principled in the matter. If ever I find myself committed to a large writing project and needing a research assistant, then I would be forced to reconsider my position, and my readers here would be the first to know.
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If you would like to see my collection of Carolina Lowcountry memories—"Magnolia Elegy: Place In the Edisto Fork," you can view the book trailer here, and see the book page here on the publisher's website. The book is also available from Amazon, B&N, and your independent local bookseller.
