iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Also, yes, I know a lot of authors have simply stopped submitting because it's demoralizing to see so much slop published

011

I can definitely agree that this whole shitfest has been awful and dehumanizing. I feel for your friend. This is an awful time to be trying to publish. I don't think anyone is saying Pangram should be the gatekeeper, And if editors *are* saying that I'd no longer sub to their mags, tbh

to their argument. FWIW I'm happy to provide Pangram results of all of my published short stories (you can also run all of my Substack posts through it with their internal Pangram tool). Also, I'm not accusing this person of lying, just that my exp doesn't match and I'd like more transparent data.

020

Pangram 4 debuted right before this article IIRC. I have seen it before. This author's experience totally goes against my own experiences and the experiences of others I know using the program. It is notable that this author does not provide the actual text they ran, which would lend credence...

120

It's certainly not your friend's job to prove her work is human but I'm also very interested in seeing literally *anything* flagged false positive so I can calibrate my own internal editor. Attached is my attempt to try to fool it and then a story I generated based on that attempt.

110

I would genuinely love to see that work. I see scores of people claiming false positives but no one ever seems to want to share. I did have one friend get a false positive on a religious prayer she'd adapted for her aesthetic, but there are hundreds of AI versions of that prayer floating around.

120

To be more clear, I pretty much fully agree with @erincairns.bsky.social, and by trying to fool it I mean, I've tried to generate a false positive by cramming every AI tell I can think of into pangram and it's still giving me 100% human each time. I've run all my work through it with no issue.

260

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I think if you're using Pangram to solely make editorial decisions then you shouldn't be an editor, to be frank. But I could view it as "tools in a toolbox" There's a lot of misinformation out there, much of it repeated in this thread. I've been trying to fool it and have been unsuccessful.

170

Let Yourself Suck: The Importance of Mediocrity in Creative Development reflecting on early-stage writing and how that uncomfortable feeling of just not being very talented is good for you, actually. or: why A.I. is ruining even more things or: just be cringe and write 🪐📚

thearchetypist.substack.com

Let Yourself Suck: The Importance of Mediocrity in Creative Development

What are we losing when we eliminate the perceived “suckage” of early-stage art?

040

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

H. Marin @hanmarin.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

i’ve been seeing the anatomical heart emoji being used as a react everywhere lately and if people could just not that’d be great

693

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

All this talk of AI, Flock cameras, and the general enshittification of everything due to massive corporate greed could spur a new literary movement that looks back to a simpler time and imagines a more compassionate future: New Romanticism. thearchetypist.substack.com/p/new-romant...

011

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Casey Aimer @caseyaimer.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The Hugo's Best Semiprozine category has a problem. Every single nominee in the semi-pro category pays professional rates. Every single nominee in the semi-pro category is not a semi-pro magazine. The exact same professional publications get nominated every single year.

1234

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Erik Grove @erikgrove.com · 10/08/2026

I just sent out a newsletter with an announcement about preordering my book (oh, what could or be?!?), my WorldCon schedule, and a sneak peek at tremendous and awesome art by @jordanshiveley.bsky.social If you missed it, don’t fret! You can still see it and subscribe at erik-grove.beehiiv.com

erik-grove.beehiiv.com

Home | Murmurings from the Grove

Author Updates for Erik Grove

143

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com · 07/08/2026

*incredulous spluttering at some of these names*

4527476

You're right, sorry 😂 DON'T FEED THE SLOPPERS

000

Idk if people are aware they just could post their unhinged boomer slopscreed on their private Facebook account or w/e

030

Jason Sanford @jasonsanford.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Imo, if working to keep AI out the industry is "Gatekeeping" then I guess I'm making T-shirts, lol

092

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Regarding the Horror Writers Association (HWA) newsletter promoting AI usage, why why why do people keep using the term "gatekeepers" to describe those opposed to the use of LLMs in writing and art? The true gatekeepers are the billionaire tech bros whose companies push to normalize AI usage. 1/

static.klipy.com

Rick Moranis: Are You The Gatekeeper?

Alt: Rick Moranis: Are You The Gatekeeper?

923647

I really can't believe we have to keep having this conversation. The people who are submitting AI generated stories to mags that specifically say they don't want them are *bad actors* So reading "OMYGOD WHY are we mad about the bad actors???" Is quite frankly enraging.

020

If you want to use Gen-AI for your own personal thing, fine I guess. I think you're a bad person b/c of all the environment stuff but, that's on you. But come on. If a mag doesn't accept AI stories, don't *lie* and submit one Magazines have the right to set guidelines. Respect them.

120

Gen-AI has no place in the arts. I hope the people using it to generate work they pass off as their own get exposed and shamed. I hope their stories get pulled. I'd even go so far to hope that they are in some way required to make reparations. If that makes me a "gatekeeper" so be it.

110

Shantell Powell @shanmonster.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

RE the HWA drama: it's not "gatekeeping" if you're working to protect the industry from the existential threat of LLMs. When a bunch of Nazis show up at your favorite bar, you kick the shit out of the Nazis. If you don't, your favorite bar becomes a Nazi bar.

130

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

It's bonkers to say that someone using AI isn't the enemy. Dude. I am a professional artist who studied design. AI art is stealing from folks like me.

51455

Eddie Burfi @eddieburfi.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Yikes on *several fucking bikes*

180

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Argentina lose the World Cup Final ✅ Messi denied the Golden Boot ✅ Infantino fuming ✅ Trump having to begrudgingly hand a trophy to Spain ✅ Beautiful 🥳 #spaarg #esparg #worldcup

1641189

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Call Me The Brie-ze @briesmith.xyz · 19/07/2026

Argentina can still win this match if Mike Pence has the courage.

777396

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Myna Chang @mynachang.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Just learned one of the stories I featured in a past MicroVerse spec flash roundup was not written by a human, but rather generated by an LLM. The story won a HUGE cash prize. Goddammit. Removing it from my rec list and website. Seriously, friends, we have to step up our game.

3435

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Thanks for standing up and saying this. I know firsthand that it's embarrassing to feel like you've been fooled.

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

This tbh. If you don't have your guard up for it, it's easier than people think for something to slip by. It's even gotten people I know who pride themselves on being good readers/reviewers.

000

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

emma burnett @slashnburnett.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Stupid shit I've seen when reading for magazines: • Use AI. If the rules say don't, don't. If you want to be a writer, write. If you want to be famous by cheating, well, fuck you. • Monologue at me. Don't care about your personal manifesto, even if you think we might align. It's not a story. 1/?

86213

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Stephen Granade @granades.com · 05/07/2026

Fellow fiction writers, I beg you: AI is not a thought partner. It cannot edit your work with intention, and it absolutely will not help you dig down until you hit the bedrock of what you are so imperfectly and humanly trying to express. heatherparry.substack.com/p/actually-a...

heatherparry.substack.com

actually, AI is making you a shit writer

and also kind of a fascist

0317

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Props to y'all for standing up, publicly.

050

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Good. Gen-AI has no place in the publishing industry. Mad respect to Reckoning.

140

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

Keira Perkins @thatkeira.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Instead of launching, Emma’s debut book got buried alive. I can’t imagine how awful that feels. Actually. Strike that. I can because Emma wrote beautifully about how brutal this has been. Let’s unbury it - share the link, buy a copy, send one to a friend? emmaburnett.carrd.co

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Me anytime I see an ai story in slush

042

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Did you hear flame tree did a vampire call?

020

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

H. Marin @hanmarin.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

every single publication should be having AI-detecting intensives for all of their readers and staff. slop is slipping through the cracks, and it’s largely because people don’t know what to look for. i wonder if there are some other mag editors who would be interested in running trainings with me…

3125

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

I'm unfamiliar with the shops by the stokers but I'd try De Fer and The Boredom Set

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

I mean, generally only small shops. Anything approaching a chain is usually ass

110

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Just saw someone refer to AI as "pathetic convenience" and tbh I'm mad I didn't think of it first.

030

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

-they're building a data center down the road -they're building a data center across the river -they're selling the oil and gas rights to the park 200ft from my house but there will be "no surface activity unless there is a separate, written agreement." So fucking tired of this shit.

000

Reposted by Jacob Baugher

emma burnett @slashnburnett.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Do you like dystopian speculative fiction? Stories about food? A focus on parenting? Raging against the predatory capitalist machine? Awesome because I have a book for you! Pre-order your copy here: emmaburnett.carrd.co #scifi #stories #booksky 📚🪐 #parenting #food #agroecology

Jacob Baugher @prof-bogs.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

You'd think people have better things to do 🔪