Writers Critique AI Startup’s Publishing Plans

A startup named Spines has sparked a wave of criticism from writers and publishers due to its ambitious plan to publish up to 8,000 books in the coming year utilizing artificial intelligence. The company intends to charge authors between $1,200 and $5,000 for comprehensive services that include editing, proofreading, formatting, designing, and distributing their works.

The independent publisher Canongate expressed their disapproval, stating in a post on Bluesky that these “dingbats” clearly do not prioritize quality writing or the essence of books. They criticized Spines as charging hopeful authors to automate the process of publishing, providing minimal attention and care.

Author Suyi Davies Okungbowa also chimed in, labeling the startup as a group of “opportunists and extractive capitalists” who lack genuine interest in literature. This sentiment reflects broader concerns in the literary community regarding the commodification of literature through AI technologies.

Despite the backlash, Spines has successfully secured $16 million in funding and claims that authors using their platform will maintain 100% of their royalties. Co-founder Yehuda Niv asserts that Spines is not merely a self-publishing or vanity publishing service but is positioning itself as a “publishing platform” designed to empower authors.

However, others in the industry are skeptical. Deidre J Owen, co-founder of the independent micropublisher Mannison Press, criticized their classification, asserting that Spines is functionally a vanity press. Marco Rinaldi, co-host of Page One – The Writer’s Podcast, added that the startup seems to be hastily accelerating a flawed self-publishing model while avoiding transparency regarding its methods.

Anna Ganley, chief executive of the Society of Authors, the UK’s largest trade union for writers, illustrators, and translators, urged caution for authors considering any author-contribute contracts. She expressed concerns regarding the realism of outcomes from such arrangements, emphasizing potential issues with originality and the overall quality of AI-assisted publishing services.

Spines contends that its platform can reduce book publishing timelines to just two to three weeks. This innovation comes amidst broader industry trends, as Microsoft has announced its plans to establish a book imprint aimed at producing titles more rapidly than traditional publishing houses. Furthermore, HarperCollins’ recent agreement with Microsoft to utilize some of its titles for AI model training has also raised eyebrows within literary circles.

A representative from Spines defended the startup’s mission, positing that it strives to empower authors, particularly those who face rejection from mainstream publishing avenues. They argued that most authors, who are not celebrities or well-connected, endure significant barriers when seeking publication. The platform purports to offer an affordable route, contrasting with the exorbitant fees of vanity publishing—averaging between $10,000 and $50,000 per book—and time-consuming processes involved in self-publishing.

Spines asserts that its technology can democratize the publishing process, enabling aspiring authors to publish in significantly shorter durations and at a reduced cost, with a visionary goal of helping one million authors share their stories.