Comments on: Book spam or research help? 200,000 partly robo-written POD and E titles by ONE author: Check out this video http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:06:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Mike Cane http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-764251 Mike Cane Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:45:18 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-764251 Argh, no time to read the article. But my nose tells me that guy's scheme probably stinks as bad as this one: http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/the-most-evil-software-i-have-ever-seen/ Argh, no time to read the article. But my nose tells me that guy’s scheme probably stinks as bad as this one:
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/the-most-evil-software-i-have-ever-seen/

]]> By: gnawingonfoot http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-763902 gnawingonfoot Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:21:49 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-763902 Some of the techniques used in the video reminded me of my statistics class and how strictly they were teaching us about how to describe data. I made a comment out of repressed creativity frustration that they should just have the stats programs write up all the graph and chart descriptions, seeing as how there was virtually no room for me to do anything original with them. Seeing this makes me regret that comment. I could see this easily being adapted to writing essays for students with money, and that's depressing. Some of the techniques used in the video reminded me of my statistics class and how strictly they were teaching us about how to describe data. I made a comment out of repressed creativity frustration that they should just have the stats programs write up all the graph and chart descriptions, seeing as how there was virtually no room for me to do anything original with them. Seeing this makes me regret that comment. I could see this easily being adapted to writing essays for students with money, and that’s depressing.

]]> By: Rob Preece http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-763521 Rob Preece Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:04:56 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-763521 Only so many body parts to make a romance. Only so many rooms in the mansion to make a murder in. Only so many planets to have a SF story. He's onto something. Seriously, though, I can only think the romance comment is designed to gain attention to him. Romance authors tend to be more than a little protective of their genre and mass like piranna when they think it's under attack. Rob Preece Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com Only so many body parts to make a romance. Only so many rooms in the mansion to make a murder in. Only so many planets to have a SF story. He’s onto something.

Seriously, though, I can only think the romance comment is designed to gain attention to him. Romance authors tend to be more than a little protective of their genre and mass like piranna when they think it’s under attack.

Rob Preece
Publisher, http://www.BooksForABuck.com

]]> By: Bill Monks http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-763447 Bill Monks Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:19:26 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-763447 Joseph's last comment is right on this money. If POD publishers don't crack down on this hard it's going to kill the market. How about this as a service - want to have your name on a book cover but don't want to get bogged down in actual writing? Let this guy run you off a "unique" book and slap your name on the front. With a generic dustjacket it could be done for maybe 1 or 2 hundred bucks. Joseph’s last comment is right on this money. If POD publishers don’t crack down on this hard it’s going to kill the market.

How about this as a service - want to have your name on a book cover but don’t want to get bogged down in actual writing? Let this guy run you off a “unique” book and slap your name on the front. With a generic dustjacket it could be done for maybe 1 or 2 hundred bucks.

]]> By: Joseph Gray http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-762838 Joseph Gray Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:07:04 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-762838 I just read that NY Times article. It convinces me that I should never buy a book from Icon Group International. David, your use of the term "spam" is appropriate. This guy is just pumping out huge quantities of generic drivel and hoping that enough people will be either foolish enough or unaware enough to buy an occasional copy. Just like a spammer--put out enough junk and someone's bound to fall for it and part with their cash. I just read that NY Times article. It convinces me that I should never buy a book from Icon Group International. David, your use of the term “spam” is appropriate. This guy is just pumping out huge quantities of generic drivel and hoping that enough people will be either foolish enough or unaware enough to buy an occasional copy. Just like a spammer–put out enough junk and someone’s bound to fall for it and part with their cash.

]]> By: Joseph Gray http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-762796 Joseph Gray Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:26:30 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-762796 Correction. The title of that story is "Henry James, This One's For You". Correction. The title of that story is “Henry James, This One’s For You”.

]]> By: Joseph Gray http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-762785 Joseph Gray Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:15:44 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2008/04/13/book-spam-or-research-help-200000-pod-titles-written-partly-by-machines/#comment-762785 This exact topic was the plot of a SciFi story. The story was entitled "This One's For You, Henry James". The story was actually quite good. I won't spoil the ending, but Mr. Parker may want to be careful :-) Last year, I downloaded it for free from Fictionwise. Every year, they provide the current Nebula Award nominees for download. I don't know if that story is still available on Fictionwise or not. There is a new crop of Nebula nominees for download, now. This exact topic was the plot of a SciFi story. The story was entitled “This One’s For You, Henry James”. The story was actually quite good. I won’t spoil the ending, but Mr. Parker may want to be careful :-)

Last year, I downloaded it for free from Fictionwise. Every year, they provide the current Nebula Award nominees for download. I don’t know if that story is still available on Fictionwise or not. There is a new crop of Nebula nominees for download, now.

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