Dan Holloway, Author at Self-Publishing Advice Center from the Alliance of Independent Authors

Self-Publishing News: A Week on From OpenAI’s Meltdown and Courts Push Back on AI Copyright Case

Today I reflect on a challenging AI week. What case law is rapidly showing is that in the long term what we need is less to bring tech firms to heel and more to have new laws.

Self-Publishing News: Audiobooks Continue to Increase Market Share

Audiobooks have been growing in popularity for a decade, without much sign of that growth slowing. And, even if Generation Z loves paper books, they are also used to audio-first as the way to get information. But, while the market for audiobooks has been growing, their share of the overall book market has remained low in absolute terms - an inevitable consequence of starting from a very low base.

Self-Publishing News: 2024 Selfies Awards Open With New General Non-Fiction Category

It is fantastic to end the week with what is, essentially, two great stories in one. First of all, I am delighted to welcome Bookbrunch as a partner member to ALLi. Bookbrunch offers frequent snack-sized news items relating to the book world. Perfect for reading alongside (not, of course, instead of) this column!

Self-Publishing News: AI Cracks Deepen as ChatGPT Fires (then rehires) Boss

This week, OpenAI briefly went into what has felt like meltdown as it sacked its longstanding CEO, Sam Altman. There is no official word as to the reason for the firing, with cryptic messages about candid communication. But there are several theories around the real reason for the breakdown.

Self-Publishing News: Change to the Way TikTok Pays Creators

On today's ALLi Self-Publishing News we ask, how do we get paid for the items we create when the people who enjoy them don’t purchase things item by item? And specifically, how does TikTok pay creators?

Self-Publishing News: Lawsuits – Amazon Takes on Scammers and Mixed Success in Artist Lawsuit Against Stability AI

Amazon is taking on a group of people and companies exploiting Amazon’s name. And artists against Stability AI lawsuit has hit the rocks. After reporting several times about Amazon’s experience on the receiving end of legal proceedings, it’s good to be able to report on an action that Amazon is bringing.

Self-Publishing News: KDP Launches Artificial Audiobook Narration in Invitation-Only Beta

Last week Amazon announced the launch of virtual voice narration. The tool will enable authors to turn ebooks into audiobooks using a variety of artificially generated voices.

Self-Publishing News: UK Publishers and Writers Groups Call for AI Protection as a new Tool Enables “Data Poisoning”

You will remember that European writers’ groups used the AI Safety Summit as a chance to ask for greater AI protection for creative artists in law. This week it is the turn of UK groups, including the Society of Authors, Publishers’ Association, and Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Agency.

Self-Publishing News: How Governments Oversee the Technology We Rely On

The governance of technology affects all of us who use technology - whether we use it to create or to consume. And increasingly we do both.

Self-Publishing News: X to Introduce Two New Payment Tiers as Engagement Declines

Twitter was once home to a thriving writing and reading community but now with declining engagement, they're launching two new payment tiers. It’s almost a year since Elon Musk took over what was then Twitter. In that time it feels, looking on, as though the platform that was once home to a thriving writing and reading community has lurched from one crisis to another. ALLi's News Editor Dan Holloway reports.

Self-Publishing News: StreetLib, the Fediverse, and Chaucer – the Latest Digital Tools

It’s time for a round-up item here at ALLi's Self-publishing News column, bringing together three fascinating and useful things that have come my way in the past week or so: Streetlib, Fediverse & Chaucer Catalogues. Collectively, I hope they provide variety and more than a little practical help.

Self-publishing News: European Writers Use Frankfurt Book Fair to Demand AI Transparency

Publishers have used Frankfurt Book Fair to launch a statement calling for a big push from Europe’s legislators on AI. It comes also against the backdrop of the EU’s AI Act, which was proposed earlier in the summer.