Reviews are one of the most important factors in enhancing the visibility and appeal of our books. And while one side of the coin is acquiring the numbers of Amazon reviews necessary for whatever the algorithm has decided to do that morning, or meeting the requirements of the likes of BookBub, the other side is securing a few high-profile, highly respected reviews. And for that, writers turn to one source more than any other: Kirkus.

In this episode of Self-Publishing News, Dan Holloway examines the Nebula Awards’ abrupt reversal on AI eligibility rules, moving from disclosure to a blanket ban and sparking debate across the science fiction and fantasy community. He also looks at growing concerns over Amazon’s “Ask This Book” feature, including a rare public response from Amazon and renewed questions about licensing, derivative use, and author consent in AI-powered reading tools.

The use of AI in competitions and beloved public literary events has become its own subgenre in a crowded news field. The two highest-profile instances have been the announcement by the Grammys that they would allow the use of AI in eligible tracks and albums and NaNoWriMo's statement that it would allow AI and criticizing those who would oppose such an approach.