South Florida Writers Roundtable Tackles AI, Authenticity and the Writer’s Voice
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By J. Adrian Betancourt, Host, The Miami Book Hub
What happens when four writers sit down to discuss artificial intelligence? You get strong opinions, thoughtful cautions, practical advice, and, in our case, a surprise contribution from the technology itself.
Episode 19 of The Miami Book Hub Podcast marked Chapter 2 of the South Florida Writers Roundtable, my recurring conversation with South Florida Writers Association (SFWA) President Amy Nicole Naim and Vice President C.V. “Ceci” Shaw. This month, we welcomed Tabitha Rose, founder and publisher of Life to Paper Publishing, as our special guest.
We opened with “The Previous Chapter,” catching up on recent literary happenings. Ceci recapped author and Writing Class Radio host Andrea Askowitz’s energetic SFWA presentation on authenticity and reliable narrators. Her memorable advice to writers? Confront “that embarrassing thing… that thing that still gives you shame. That’s the good stuff.”
Ceci also shared highlights from Tea Among the Witches, her Miami-Dade Public Library System program celebrating her novel, The Spell. Guests introduced themselves by their “witch names,” while I confessed that I may now need a third, witchy—or is it wizardly?—alter ego.
I quickly recapped the seemingly dozens of activities and milestones I experienced over the month as part of my own writing journey, including the exhilarating “unboxing” of my debut novel—Maya Lin & the Ancient Order of Seshat, in the arQitect—and seeing it become available for sale on Amazon (don’t delay…BUY IT TODAY!).
Then came our Hot Topic: AI and writing.
Amy captured the difficult middle ground many writers occupy. “I am very against using AI to write anything that should be coming from yourself,” she explained, “but using it as a tool…is super important.” For her, responsible uses include organization, research and administrative support—not replacing the writer.
Tabitha described how AI helped her manage her business during a demanding family week. But as a publisher and former ghostwriter, she drew a firm line: “Books cannot be in any way authored by AI.” The writer’s voice, she reminded us, comes from spending time with people and capturing “the way they tell it…that originality.”
Ceci offered the strongest warning for authors pursuing traditional publication. Publishers and agents are scrutinizing AI involvement throughout a manuscript’s development, even in query materials. Why? “They want the humanness so that they can connect,” she said. Her advice was blunt: writers hoping to traditionally publish should approach AI with extreme caution.
As for me, I have found AI enormously helpful in building the business around my first book… from administrative guidance to brainstorming visual concepts. My conclusion: “It’s like everything else in life…it’s got its good, it’s got its bad…but it’s here to stay.”
And yes, “Patty,” my increasingly cheeky ChatGPT assistant, made an unscripted cameo, advising writers to preserve drafts, notes and version histories so their human fingerprints remain evident. A little surreal? Absolutely. But also perfectly fitting.
The program continued with our Writers Spotlight on SFWA member Forrest Jones and his geopolitical thriller, The Placebo Agenda. We also shared writing workshops, contests and upcoming literary events, including opportunities through SFWA, Jitney Books, Writer’s Digest University, Books & Books and The Betsy Hotel.
Amy closed with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s reminder: “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” It was the perfect ending to a conversation about technology, creativity and authenticity.
Whatever tools we use, our voices remain our greatest treasures. No one else can tell a story exactly as we can. Sorry, Patty.
Learn more about, and join, the South Florida Writers Association at SouthFloridaWriters.org. Then visit The Miami Book Hub at www.ThreeTreasuresPress.com to watch or listen to this and other podcast episodes, explore the newsletter and discover more of Miami’s literary community.
Until next time… keep reading, keep writing and stay curious, Miami!
