MikeMar 4
Scalzi

I get asked to show up to book clubs, online and offline. Here is why from now on the answer is always "no." If you think this might have something to do with "AI" ruining yet another thing for everyone, you're absolutely 100% correct.

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/03/03/indefinite-book-club-hiatus/

Indefinite Book Club Hiatus

Today in “Things that ‘AI’ has ruined”: No, I won’t be able to show up to your book club’s online/offline gathering, and the reason for this is simple: I, and li…

Whatever
Mar 4 at 3:27amWeb
Show threadMr. Big John Mar 4

@scalzi In "Following The Equator", Twain detailed his long correspondence with "The (some part of) Australia Mark Twain Book Club".

(spoiler) Twain traveled halfway around the world to discover it was just one guy pretending to be about 20 people. Which is only more impressive because it all happened over international mail!

Show threadThat Dinkum ThinkumMar 4
@scalzi Same situation here for predatory science conferences. No way I can go through all the fake invitations. The amount exploded after “AI” became mainstream. There is a set of established ones I pick myself and the only way new ones can get through all the spam is through direct (human) contact. Sad, but true.
Show threadjslMar 4
@bigz @scalzi Pre-Covid we lived in a time where we attended science/ literature conferences in person. Then, Covid made the human contact deadly and everything went online. Now, as a result of AI spam, real conferences & book clubs require direct human-to-human transmission of the invite.
So, in a strange way, AI drives people back from digital-only interactions to face-to-face communication. That's not a bad thing... (except for Covid & Co still being out there)
Show threadManna NMar 4

@scalzi Gotta love this end stage capitalism and all it entails. Not really, no. As a visual artist all Participate in this competition emails went straight to bin. For scientists it is the endless Would you like to pay for us to publish this in our Not a real Publication.

I published a room for rent in an online service. I started getting I am 16 would you like to get to know me in whatsapp answers.

Show threadSu_GMar 4

@manna
That’s revolting!:
“ I published a room for rent in an online service. I started getting I am 16 would you like to get to know me in whatsapp answers.”

#AISlop #pedophilia #WhatsApp

@scalzi

Show threadManna NMar 4
@Su_G @scalzi It was. And so totally predatory minded, and weird in our culture. Yuk.
Show threadTheNovemberFella ✊🏳️‍🌈 🇺🇦☸️🛰️🚀Mar 4
@manna @[email protected] 😬
Show threadGravity Sucks...then it FallsMar 4
@scalzi I am sad to learn this. I am a relatively new fan but am enjoying your work. All the best!
Show threadKevin Neely Mar 4
@scalzi it's probably best to work with local bookshops and their attached book clubs. This would both add legitimacy and be a good business decision, since that's the way your books get distributed.
Show threadMichael VilainMar 4

@scalzi Some 40+ years ago, I asked @dianeduane to talk the LGBTQ group at CSUN about being a writer. She very kindly obliged. Since then I've read the novels and story universes she talked about at that meeting. It just took what Ida Rolf called "The compound essence of time" for them to make themselves known. I know how lucky I was to have something like that happen even back then.

I can't image it's gotten any easier for writers to divide their time between their work, their private life, and "other". Strangely that set of access points maps exactly to UNIX permission sets for owner, group, world. When an author posts on social media, goes to a convention, or smiles and takes a selfie with a fan, they're giving up some of their time to "other".

Sometimes book group members can be kinda hard core about their books.

Show threadHannah SteenbockMar 4

@scalzi

Shame, really.

I get so much fake praise for my books (based on the description), followed by a spiel for marketing services that I no longer trust any kind words about my books unless they come from people I've met before.

Trust the Artificial Idiot to ruin every good thing on Earth.

Show threadDamon L. WakesMar 4
@Firlefanz @scalzi I recently got one of these fake praise marketing spiels for someone ELSE'S book via my website contact form. On the plus side, I suppose it saved Damien Wake some bother at least.
Show threadLeah BobetMar 4
@Firlefanz @scalzi I read the fake praise, feel good about myself, say "Thank you!" to the air, and then block the sender before I get to the sales pitch. It's turning into a really nice off-label use.
Show threadHannah SteenbockMar 5

@leahbobet

That's probably the best way to deal with them, yes.

@scalzi

Show threadDavid W. JonesMar 5
@Firlefanz @scalzi What if they come without spiels for any marketing services or even any request for a response from you?
Show threadMarcial 🇨🇷🇻🇪Mar 4

@scalzi I swear to God, my blood will never cease to boil when I hear someone talk about how “AI will change the world.”

Don’t worry bro, it did. And now it’s so much worse.