November 2026 | In this issue: thoughts on the great A.I. debate, planning your 2027 publishing strategy, and a free guide to self-publishing
Musing of the Month
I wrote this yesterday and then Squarespace deleted it when I pressed publish so, not to sound alarmist, but the tech may be working against me here.
Because here’s my take on The Great A.I. Debate in Publishing: I think there is a discernible and concerning disparity in A.I. opinions between those who do the work and those who profit from the work. Which is why we end up with pieces like Wired’s “Book Publishers Are Quietly Using More AI. Staff Are Revolting,” and the critical pieces on both Kathleen Schmidt and Andrea Bartz’s Substacks, among others.
And at its core, I think the cruelest part of integrating A.I. into publishing, editorially or operationally, is the fact that compensation will not improve on the other side of its adoption. Editors are, by and large, overwhelmed and overworked. The highest on-record starting salary at a Big 5 imprint will be $60,000.00 (pre-tax!), effective January 1, 2027. Keep in mind that Wise notes the average cost of living for an individual in New York City is $73,152.00, a rate Payscale cites as 134% higher than the national average. This is before we see editors shift and inherit projects regularly from the ongoing M&As across the industry, both at Big 5 and indie scales, often simultaneously.
I know there was widespread concern about the AALA’s adjusted Canon of Ethics allowing agents to offer editorial services for a fee to non-clients. I have been a publishing consultant for three years now, and in returning to my agenting roots I’ve intentionally built structures across both roles and workflows to maintain a distinct line between my consulting work (which I’m paid for outright, by the author) and representation (which I earn a commission on, exclusively). But I also recognize that being able to be an agent is a privileged profession by nature. I wasn’t surprised when the AALA’s membership survey reported that 3 out of 4 agents rely on secondary income, their own or that of a spouse/partner. If average advance values are shrinking across the board and editors’ inboxes are a bottleneck of inquiries demanding consideration and time, and they’re limited on both, there are narrow avenues toward full-time work as an agent. (Likely why the AALA report also says agents need 7-years “in the field” to earn a livelihood*. In 2025, 50% of agents earned less than $50,000.00 from commissions.)
And in direct response to the ongoing, effusive pro-A.I. stance that “like it or not, it’s the path we’re on,” my answer is simply: but we’re not. Not if we don’t want to be.
Whether you relate to this epic (and brief) monologue from Hannah Einbinder on Hacks or you just don’t get the hype, you’re not alone. And I know many professionals in this space—both independent contractors and those with full-time employment—who hold the line still. Confluence Literary Agency, which I am proudly a part of, has recently added our A.I. stance on our website. In short: we prioritize human-crafted storytelling and do not accept A.I. generated work. Our author agreements, similarly, guarantee clients that we will never upload their work to A.I. interfaces without their express, written consent. To do that would be the truest breach of trust.
So the question of A.I. for me is much larger than the tech: it’s indistinguishable from the years-long discussion of compensation and work/life balance. For a commercial sector producing books titled Everything to Everyone: How to Wrangle Kids, Work, Aging Parents, and Spouses... When You Just Want a Nap and Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours, the irony is not lost on me. Is it on you?
…other reads to sink into…
🔗 To Play a Literary Agent on ‘Youth,’ Sharon Horgan Did Her Reading, Publishers Weekly, Link
Did I screenshot quotes from Horgan on what an agent is, in her understanding, because I felt so seen? Yes, yes I did.
🔗 Sarah J. Maas, Inc., Publishers Weekly, Link
I may not read ACOTAR (I know! I’m also surprised!) but I do find the fandom’s rise and resurgence around book launch fascinating.
🔗 The Age of Freemium and the Financialization of Art, Dear Head of Mine by Sean DeLeone, Link
Because truly, how many Substack memberships and streaming services can I keep up with financially? How many could anyone?
Publishing in 2027? Do you know your strategy?
Because your New Years Resolution to “publish my book” should actually see some progress before December 31, 2027, I’m offering a 27% discount on 20 Foreword 60 appointments booked between today and January 31st.
What is the Foreword 60? This 60-minute individualized strategy call focuses on: your publishing goals, your overall progress to date, and your truest path to achieving them…all while debunking those pesky publishing myths along the way. After the call, you’ll receive an original, multi-page strategy document built for your book and your book alone. (Usually around 15 pages.) Limited spots per month.
This is a $300.00 investment transferrable to any larger Submission Toolkit or 3-month retainer contract. The discounted rates are credited if a promo code is used.
Free Resource!
The Essentials of Self-Publishing
Because sometimes you just have to do it yourself.
Download this 8-page free resource outlining:
Why Self-Publishing is a viable path
What makes it different from Assisted Self-Publishing (and what makes Assisted Self-Publishing different from Hybrid Publishing)
What steps you’ll want to execute at a minimum to publish competitively at quality via Print-on-Demand
A general timeline for how long to block off for each step—and which you can multitask, if you’re inclined.
