Technology * Innovation * Publishing Newsletter #300
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While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important, which you might have missed, and try to include a bunch of resources & opportunities. My goal is to surface at least one interesting tidbit you didn’t see. How did I do — did you learn something new?
Important Items
The Real Targets of Project 2025’s War on Porn
It’s not just about people watching porn. It’s drag queens, trans people, LGBTQ library books, and more.
https://newrepublic.com/article/183636/project-2025-war-porn-trans-drag
Long Island bill could mean jail time, $1,000 fines for face masks
Map shows states where COVID levels are “high” or “very high” as summer wave spreads
“Nationwide, the average share of emergency room patients with COVID-19 is also now the highest it has been since February and has increased 115% from a month ago”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/map-covid-levels-states-summer-2024/
Innovation
Monster 310-mile automated cargo conveyor will replace 25,000 trucks
The Japanese government is planning to connect major cities with automated zero-emissions logistics links that can quietly and efficiently shift millions of tons of cargo, while getting tens of thousands of trucks off the road.
https://newatlas.com/transport/cargo-conveyor-auto-logistics/
Technology
Is AI the Bitter End — or the Lucrative Future — of Book Publishing?
As the law fights to catch up to Big Tech, the future of books hangs in the balance. Are writers doomed by “the biggest rip-off in creative history” or could AI offer new ways of making a living?
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a61485201/books-ai-lawsuits/
Generative AI enhances individual creativity but reduces the collective diversity of novel content
HT @ThadMcIlroy “We find that access to generative AI ideas causes stories to be evaluated as more creative, better written, and more enjoyable, especially among less creative writers.”
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn5290
The AI-focused COPIED Act would make removing digital watermarks illegal
The COPIED Act seeks to protect journalists and artists from having their work used by AI models without their consent.
YouTube’s updated eraser tool removes copyrighted music without impacting other audio
MIT researchers introduce generative AI for databases
A new tool enables someone to perform complicated statistical analyses on tabular data using just a few keystrokes.
https://news.mit.edu/2024/mit-researchers-introduce-generative-ai-databases-0708
The Washington Post made an AI chatbot for questions about climate
The chatbot will use articles from The Washington Post’s climate section to inform its answers.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/9/24194486/the-washington-post-climate-answers-ai-chatbot
OpenAI and Arianna Huffington are working together on an ‘AI health coach’
OpenAI and Arianna Huffington are now jointly funding the development of an “AI health coach” through Thrive AI Health. In a Time magazine op-ed, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Huffington stated that the bot will be trained on “the best peer-reviewed science” alongside “the personal biometric, lab, and other medical data you’ve chosen to share with it.”
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/9/24194450/openai-sam-altman-arianna-huffington-thrive-ai-health
Amazon’s AI shopping assistant rolls out to all users in the US
Rufus is rolling out to all users in the US on Amazon’s mobile app. It can answer questions, draw comparisons between items, and give you updates on your order.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/12/24197173/amazon-ai-shopping-assistant-rufus-us-customers-rollout
Microsoft’s Copilot AI now understands your terrible handwriting
Microsoft will enable Copilot in OneNote to read and analyze handwritten notes. You write handwritten notes using a stylus + it will summarize, ask questions, or generate to-do lists
AI’s Energy Demands Are Out of Control. Welcome to the Internet’s Hyper-Consumption Era
Generative artificial intelligence tools, now part of the everyday user experience online, are causing stress on local power grids and mass water evaporation.
https://www.wired.com/story/ai-energy-demands-water-impact-internet-hyper-consumption-era/
Early Apple tech bloggers are shocked to find their name and work have been AI-zombified
The Unofficial Apple Weblog was shut down by AOL in 2015, but its new owner is posting articles under the bylines of former writers who haven’t worked there for over a decade
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/10/24195858/tuaw-unofficial-apple-tech-blog-ai-web-orange-khan
Everything You See Is a Computational Process, If You Know How to Look
Computer scientist Lance Fortnow writes that by embracing the computations that surround us, we can begin to understand and tame our seemingly random world.
https://www.wired.com/story/everything-you-see-is-a-computational-process-if-you-know-how-to-look/
A glitch in the matrix of online shopping
Or: why I reverse-image-search before buying anything. By @caitlindewey.
https://linksiwouldgchatyou.substack.com/p/a-glitch-in-the-matrix-of-online
Publishing & Media
Audible changing audiobook royalty model
Each subscriber is assigned a value, based on their subscription plan, a la carte purchases, and activity. That’s divided among the titles they consume each month. For the credit-free titles, a royalty will only be paid if a certain consumption threshold is reached, which varies depending on the length of the book.
How Celebrity Book Clubs Actually Work
Three famous readers (Oprah, Reese, Jenna) hold immense influence over the publishing industry. Their recommendations can make or break a book — but how do they make their selections, and is their influence waning? Insiders take Esquire behind the scenes.
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a61473205/celebrity-book-clubs/
From ‘Bridgerton’ to ‘Ripley,’ Netflix’s latest hit adaptations have also boosted book sales
HT @publishingtrend Netflix has had immense success adapting books into television series, turning the streamer into a global driving force for boosting book sales and changing how we read fiction.
Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024, Part Two
193 Books to Read in the Second Half of the Year
https://lithub.com/lit-hubs-most-anticipated-books-of-2024-part-two/
The UK & Ireland TikTok Book Awards shortlist is here — these are the reads to have on your radar
Plus how to vote for your faves.
https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainment/books/tiktok-book-awards-uk-ireland-shortlist
100 Best Books of the 21st Century
As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of The New York Times Book Review.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/best-books-21st-century.html
100 Best Books of the 21st Century: That’s a Dizzying List! Help Me Choose a Book.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/21st-century-books-read-next.html
Vote for Your 10 Best Books of the 21st Century
More than 500 writers and notable book lovers — including James Patterson and Junot Díaz, Rebecca Roanhorse and Roxane Gay — have shared their picks for the best books of the 21st century, and now it’s your turn.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/vote-books-century.html
RBmedia Agrees to Acquire Dreamscape Media
The pending acquisition of Dreamscape will add more than 7,000 titles to RBmedia’s catalog, giving the audiobook publishing giant more depth in such genres as mystery/thriller and romance.
Random House Publishing Group to acquire comic book and graphic novel publisher Boom! Studios
Need a wedding dress? This librarian has 100 — and she lends them out for free
RT @EveryLibrary Adele Puccio from NJ’s Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library lends wedding dresses to brides-to-be, offering them a free and unique alternative to buying a wedding dress and giving a growing collection of donated dresses a new chance to shine.
https://www.today.com/life/relationships/librarian-loans-wedding-dress-rentals-rcna155230
Hundreds line up in North Carolina and Tennessee for used books road trip
HT @publishingtrend McKay’s, a treasured used book store and music shop in the South, is celebrating its 50th anniversary by offering fans up to $800 in store credit and swag to anyone who visits all five locations in North Carolina and Tennessee in one day.
The House just voted to roll back LGBTQ+ protections for library workers and students
Join me in telling the Senate to stop this bad bill. Via @LibraryPolicy.
https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messages/edit?promo_id=22924
Book banning just got harder in Vermont
RT @FReadomFighters In positive news, VT has passed a new law banning book bans and protecting teen readers
https://www.aol.com/book-banning-just-got-harder-085101795.html
Resources & Opportunities
Call for WMG Mentors!
WMG has had 30-minute mentors in the Summer for our CUNY fellows for a long time. I started year-round mentoring of WMG scholarship winners a few years ago and this year we’re adding peer mentoring. WMG Members: Sign up TODAY!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSesVa6W4d_jPUHmpU1gMRHIO393qNkWf66oxbm6urSkP1bQRA/viewform
Applications are now open for The Word’s Editor-Writer Mentorship!
MT @wordisdiversity We have 5 categories: picture book, middle grade, YA, adult general fiction, and adult romance. Writers with a complete, unpublished manuscript apply by Sunday 8/4.
https://www.thewordfordiversity.org/editor-writer-mentorship
Agents of Change Mentorship Program
RT @litagtsofchange The next cycle of the Literary Agents of Change Mentorship program is coming soon! Apply to be a mentor or a mentee by July 31st, 2024. #LAOCMentorship
https://airtable.com/appUBxLXVxSN7vsH1/shrRMQgrk0CfXqZmn
Do Query List
MT @AriannaSidd Had a really good experience with an agent? Recommend them to other querying authors? Consider filling out this DO-QUERY form. Note: email and name are both required to ensure no funny business! Both will be kept completely confidential.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScfLx4DPHRlbpxH8lZaTgB3RaWcJnT3bd5pEUnASma_hUirQw/viewform
Getting Published Hub
RT @PenguinUKBooks Are you an aspiring writer? For information on the process of getting an agent, making money as a writer, writing prizes and opportunities or just general advice, check out our Getting Published hub! 👇
https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/work-with-us/getting-published
Sir Harry Evans Global Fellowship
RT @sirharrysummit Calling early career journalists!🚨 The Sir Harry Evans Global Fellowship is an unrivalled opportunity for an ambitious reporter: a 9-month fellowship with @durham_uni + @Reuters to undertake an investigative project. 2025 applications close 15 July 2024.
https://www.durham.ac.uk/sir-harry-evans-memorial-fund/global-fellowship/
NYC Public Artists in Residence
MT @NYCulture 🗣️ Applications for the next cycle of the NYC Public Artists in Residence program (#PAIRnyc) are now open! Socially engaged artists can apply to work with @ACSNYC, @NYCCHR, @NYCHRA, & @EquityNYCGov. The deadline is Sunday, August 25.
https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcla/publicart/pair.page
NYC Teen Voices Festival
RT @nypl Register now for our annual Teen Voices Festival on August 7! Meet YA authors, connect with organizations where you can get your work published, take part in free arts workshops, and browse artwork by NYC teens
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teen-voices-festival-at-nypl-tickets-902765204027
National Voter Registration Day 2024 Event Grants
MT @LibraryPolicy 🗳️ Our partner @NatlVoterRegDay launched their National Voter Registration Day 2024 Event Grants! Applicants must be National Voter Registration Day community partners. Sign up your library and get #ReaderVoterReady today:
https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/national-voter-registration-day-2024-event-grant/
July 2024: The Fourth Annual #MarginsBookselling Month
Celebrating BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, Disabled, & Neurodiverse Booksellers! Find an event or a bookseller.
https://www.thewordfordiversity.org/marginsbookstores
VIEWFINDER Virtual Event
The legendary director behind Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights, and Wicked, Jon M. Chu and his co-author, Jeremy McCarter, will be discussing his memoir, VIEWFINDER. Moderating the event is pop-icon and Wicked star Ariana Grande. #teamPRH
https://sites.prh.com/viewfinder-event-jon-m-chu-jeremy-mccarter-ariana-grande
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