New Levels of GenAI Hell Unlocked + My 7 September Reads

I'm taking an asynchronous writing course on honing the art of writing description. In weekly assignments, we occasionally use our own work to implement the instructor's prompt. Each week, we submit said assignment for teacher and student feedback.

In early October, I submitted the first 400 words of a newish short story. I think it's the best piece of fiction I've written to date (this includes my novel). The feedback I've received on said story indicates the same, so–as it relates to this story, anyway–I'll admit: I'm 'feelin' myself'. When I work on it, I go straight into the flow state. Like I've captured lightning in a bottle.

Welp.

Turns out a classmate fed my short story opening into AI, asked it to 'analyze' based on the teacher's feedback prompt, and then C&P'ed the AI analysis back to me. She did not attribute this to AI. But it was so obvious lol omg.

My favorite part about the AI analysis is how fecking STUPID and lame it was. So thin, pedestrian, and bad; a freshman STEM major forced to take a mandatory English Comp course would have done a better job.

The Slop Machine said: "[t]here are two possible directions (tragic realism versus biting satire) for the story to develop from this opening."

Context: The Slop Machine received a 400-word opening about a middle-aged female alcoholic who walks into a grocery store and steals cheap wine. She starts drinking it immediately to fend off withdrawal symptoms. Then she runs into a frenemy.

OK, AND THERE ARE TWO POSSIBLE DIRECTIONS LOL EXCUSE ME?

Dear Sam Altman's Sycophantic Computer B!tch: the story goes in neither of your lame purported "POSSIBLE" directions, because it's FICTION. Literally the entire g-d point of fiction is that any opening can go ANYWHERE.

Actually, it devolves into a Lynchian/They Live mashup kind of situation. So, sooooo far from either of the proposed possible options.

OMG.

PHEW.

I need a REST.

I was so mad (has a more obvious statement ever been uttered?)

So, I tattled (because of course I did; if you and I have met, you know this). Zero shame. The workshop addressed the issue, and this person appears to have stopped.

But I still feel like someone threw me onto a sacrificial virgin's pyre. I've never fed my own words to AI. 🥺 And yet they were fed to The Slop Machine without my consent.

So yeah: apparently this is a NEW thing to worry about.

For the love of all that is holy, this makes me seriously question if I can engage with a larger online writing community–who else will feed my words into The Slop Machine? By the way: we're talking about unaccredited, voluntary classes. You literally take them because you just love writing and want to learn more. Why in the actual hell would you sign up for an adult education course and use AI to do all the work? AND PAY FOR IT? And get nothing out of it, other than the experience?

What is life anymore even?

Book Reviews!

I read some incredible books in September, but was hella busy, and so I'm sending this edition in a 'better late than never' kind of fashion. Sorry about that.

So now let me tell you all about them.

Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games # 0.5), by Suzanne Collins
Rating: 4.5/5
Genre & Vibes: Hunger Games/Rip-my-heart-out-why-dontcha?
Super Short Synopsis: It's Hunger Games, but you know the ending is going to be absolutely frigging terrible; because it's Haymitch's story from the arena. DEVASTATION.

Review: I mean we all know the ending of the Hunger Games trilogy (and if you don't, this is kind of like a Sopranos thing, and nobody owes you silence anymore). As such, we know the end of # 0.5 will go badly for Haymitch. So bad he'll become an alcoholic who has to suffer mentoring two kids that will die like every year for twenty-plus years until Katniss rolls around (and, I guess, Peeta technically lol).

So why did I read Sunrise on the Reaping? Am I just some kind of masochist?!

The answer is a hearty "YES". And I loved every painful, tear-wrenching moment of it. Collins is a master at pulling you into the character's emotional state. I felt every sad moment with sweet teenaged Haymitch. I hated Snow all over again. UGH!

The Bewitching, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Rating: 4/5
Genre & Vibes: Witchy & creepy/FAFO feminism
Super Short Synopsis: Three stories converge into an interesting finale. Some occultish menace is disappearing women and vulnerable people over three periods of time. What is it? Who is it? Who is conjuring what? Shenanigans ensue.

Review: If you're looking to max out on vibes this October, look no further than The Bewitching. Mexican Gothic established Moreno-Garcia as a master of Girl v Spooky Places, and her reign continues here.

We watch friends, family, people with money, and greater society as a whole try very hard to gaslight three women living in different timelines. They are all tough, formidable, but they go through it. I mean they REALLY go through it. Ultimately, trusting themselves and their feminine power is the only way out. The Bewitching is a total blast.

Katabasis, by R.F. Kuang
Rating: 5/5
Genre & Vibes: Dark academia (but in Hell)
See the Super Short Synopsis and review here!

Long Time Gone, by Charlie Donlea
Rating: 3/5
Genre & Vibes: Detective chick lit + true crime
Super Short Synopsis: A super buff pathologist is tasked with studying forensic genealogy during her first intern year as a physician. She finds out she was kidnapped as a baby about 25ish years ago. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: This was well-plotted and fine ☺️. If you are into the true crime thing and/or into tough chicks solving mysteries in small towns, Long Time Gone is a good pick.

Ring Shout, P. Djeli Clark
Rating: 4.5/5
Genre & Vibes: Cosmic Horrorrrr/F*cking up the KKK
Squick Factor: 3.75/5
Super Short Synopsis: Three women kill monsters who hide among the KKK. They are only slightly worse than the humans in the KKK. But there is a new monster coming. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: Woooo-wee. This is a masterclass in the novella. Especially the horror novella. If you are curious about horror in the Lovecraft vein--but long to read actual writing that is, you know, actually good and stuff--look no further.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Clark a few times during the Aspen Summer Words festival, and he is so lovely. His other writing is also stupendous. But Ring Shout stuck with me like no other.

It's pretty gross, guys, fyi (in a way that I love 🤭). Some real body horror--it's up there with the squickier things I've read. This is a horror novella, but if you can hang, you'll have a great time watching some bad-a$$ chicks and non-binary baes mess up KKK monsters (the human kind and the supernatural kind). Doesn't that just sound fun?

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, by Brigitte Knightley
Rating: 4/5
Genre & Vibes: Enemies-to-Lovers/HP Fanfic
Super Short Synopsis: Two hot adults who had passing knowledge of one another as children are forced together for a particular reason that totally works for the plot. They are both hot and smart and talented and funny. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: I have only enjoyed reading two Dramione fan fictions: Manacled and Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love. The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is the traditionally published version of the latter--with new IP, new names, new magic system. It is BETTER than the fanfiction (which I don't think is the case for Manacled --> Alchemised). I do so recommend this duology if you like a snarky Romantasy.

FTR: After Manacled, I reached for other Dramione fanfics with the desperation of a drowning man . All others made me cringe and quit. Except this one. The original fanfic is good, it's just Knightley's updated version new one cuts down on the nonsense that comes with posting fanfics in series on AO3. All while the FMC and the MMC are still so 🥵.

Immaculate Conception, by Ling Ling Huang
Rating: 3.5/5
Genre & Vibes: Literary Speculative Fiction/Girl-on-girl frenemy violence
Super Short Synopsis: Two very codependent women undergo an experiment that screams THIS IS A BAD IDEA. The art world + ultrawealty people behave badly. Shenanigans ensue.

Review: The concept of this book drew me in immediately. Marketed as literary speculative fiction, Immaculate Conception made its way into the New Yorker for a review. A few things threw me off, though--like, for example, we get to know the main character's every thought and feeling, but the friend feels so distant, almost like an object in the story rather than her own character. Although, that character just gets brutalized by many (including the POV character who is supposed to be her best friend). So maybe that's the point.

There were some undeveloped plot branches and I think the story should have focused more narrowly on the womens' relationship and the technology that brings them together. Instead there are other sort of "warning, warning, man trying to play god" kind of sci-fi through-lines that didn't need to be there and bogged the narrative down.

The commentary on the art world is great, though. The idea of patronage in this age is one worthy of review. If you like stories about messed up besties and why you should avoid using garbage AI technology, this one is for you.

Remember: please ask your fellow writers and artists if they're OK with you inserting their blood, sweat, and tears into The Slop Machine before you do it. Willing to bet that 99% of them say no. If you can't sit down and read, think about, then provide feedback on someone's creative project, maybe just don't offer in the first place.

And apologies in advance if you're ever in class with me and I make a big stink + include a ranting disclaimer for the rest of my life to prevent this from happening again.

But I still LYSM, I promise (don't do this, though).

Have a great week, and read banned books,

-Charlotte