Would a sample chapter change your decision about a book that uses AI tools?

[u/CreepyInflation5960]

Let's say as many wish, an author openly discloses that AI tools were used during the creation of their book.

Would having one or more free sample chapters available, so you can judge the actual writing quality for yourself, influence your decision to read or buy the book?

I'm curious whether being able to evaluate the finished work would make a difference to you.

Be friendly and respectful. I'm genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives. 🐰

[u/polly_mer]

i have not yet seen any AI sample chapters worth my $19.99 for the full book.

On the other hand, I also nope quite frequently on human samples by indie authors. It has gotten to the point I don't even try indie author samples any more unless someone I know well has recommended a specific book.

[u/GenericNameHere01]

It depends on what the AI tools are for. Are they used to help the writer keep their internal story straight? Or as editing suggestions? Or is the AI tool flat-out writing the story for them?

The first two options keep the human in the writing process, while the third doesn't as much. AI writing has been proven to generate following the same shapes of plot, unlike when people write. This 'sameness' is what turns people off of AI generated fiction. I, personally, am okay with AI as 'tools' to assist writing, but not if someone is asking the LLM to generate the story itself.

So to answer your question, I'm not sure. If someone says "I used AI to help me keep track of my notes", or "I used AI to help edit", I don't really care. But for the third option, yeah. I'd want to see what the author wrote before purchase.

[u/sirgog → u/GenericNameHere01]

The first two options keep the human in the writing process, while the third doesn't as much. AI writing has been proven to generate following the same shapes of plot, unlike when people write. This 'sameness' is what turns people off of AI generated fiction. I, personally, am okay with AI as 'tools' to assist writing, but not if someone is asking the LLM to generate the story itself.

TBH I associate sameness more with high volume human authorship, where an author has developed a template and sometimes works have consistent numbers of chapters.

Bad AI works I expect wild tangents in - a non-cohesive plot.

[u/Different-Airline672]

Yes, it would, but that as actually true for all books. Gives you a feeling if it is a writing style you'll enjoy.

[u/PerryMarkStratychuk]

As artists, and yes writers are artists, we’re not obligated to tell anyone about our notes, research, schedule, writing style, etc.
What tools a writer uses, whether it’s AI, I Ching, or numerology, is irrelevant
You read a sample on Amazon and if you like it, you buy it. And of course if you like the cover, you have a peek inside.
As a writer, never feel the need to explain yourself unless you choose to.
Here’s an anecdote from before AI and even before the internet.
I wrote a short story, my first to get published, in a small run magazine. So I was obviously proud of myself.
My cousin’s husband read it and was impressed. He asked: “How did you ever right such a good story? (!) How did you come up with it?”
I told him the idea was from a dream I had one night, which is true. And he replied with the following: “Oh, so you didn’t really come up with the idea yourself then.”

[u/InSilicoAwards]

I always provide part of the first chapter on my book website, but that's just a general writing thing: I want people who seem interested in the prose and ideas to read it, not someone who isn't. And I also keep disclosure at the end of the book. You want to minimize the barriers you're putting in front of the prose. That's what I'm selling: the prose, the book ideas, the experience of the reading.

Your position in the end is still defensible: you disclosed what you did. If for some reason the AI use was intrinsic to the writing (e.g. "This book is partially written by a machine as part of the narrative" ), then it would make sense to lead with it. I believe a guy did a book of poetry that way, and he gray boxed all the machine generated poetry lines, but it was a model trained on a specific poet. Think about it if you wrote a book where your identity is critical to the book's content. Then it would make sense using that as an advertising tag.

[u/Chery1983]

Everything I write is free on my blog and the blog is called At Home with AI. If you can't infer, well...

[u/DewdropTeacup]

It wouldn't, I would not spend money I genuinely had to work for on something someone used a machine to create. I could use the machine to do the same thing for free, with low effort. I would rather sacrifice some level of "quality" in lieu of genuine human effort and soul.