Charlie Hicks – Author

So I have tried and tried to not use AI, but here is the thing, It is just getting so good, and so cheap to use, that I have found myself questioning why I pay an exorbitant amount of money to editors and cover designers for stuff which cost pennies using AI.

Now I know this is a very sensitive subject at the moment, AI this AI that, but after I received a quote for the editing and cover design of my latest book ‘Ralph and the 4 Unicorns of the Apocalypse’ it became very apparent that as an indie writer and publisher that it was no longer feasible for me to use these services any longer, especially when I found out that my cover designer was going to use AI anyway and charge me an arm and leg, my first born for the privilege.

No don’t get me wrong but I would love to keep the human in the loop, I believe that the human is the creative means in which we create our art; be it paintings, literature, music and dance etc. But here’s the thing as an Indie writer with a total marketing budget of the square root of nothing or for those a bit mathematically challenged $0.00, and for those still confused ‘Fuck All’

I needed to be a little bit smarter.

What does this actually mean!

Let me put this into context, the Cover and first pass editing of my next book have been done by AI. This is a fact, an to be honest the AI did as good a job if not better job than the Humans I used the last 2 times. But here is the real show stopper, AI gave me direct control in the look feel and character of the finished work which I spent months typing into this very computer I’m using to write this very blog.

Am I upset?

Yes I am, but I have to admit this simply fact of life, AI editing and cover design has enabled me to concentrate on creating a book which I am truly proud of, the literature inside, is me, not a computer. I have had the final say in the look and feel all the way through the process.

Am I happy with the outcome?

If had to answer this question honestly as a writer, yes I am, AI has enabled me to concentrate on the story, not worry about how the cover looks or how my grammar and spelling is. (And to be honest I’m sh1te for all of those.

So I will ultimately let you my audience decide, did the AI produce a good cover design for my book or Not? Let me know your honest thoughts.

This is the original image produced by AI

And this is the image with some piss poor titles added to it

I will be publishing the first couple of chapters of this new book here on this site very soon, keep an eye out for them, and please let me know what you think good or bad, if helps me to get better as a Indie Writer