Recently, a startup named Spines has sparked strong opposition from writers and the publishing industry due to its plan to publish up to 8,000 books using artificial intelligence (AI) next year. The company charges authors fees ranging from $1,200 to $5,000 for AI-assisted editing, proofreading, typesetting, design, and distribution.
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Independent publisher Canongate expressed on the social platform Bluesky that these individuals are not genuinely concerned about writing or books; Spines' approach merely pushes aspiring authors into an automated publishing process lacking attention and professional craftsmanship. Writer Suyi Davis Okonbowa also spoke out on the platform, accusing Spines' founders of being "opportunistic exploitative capitalists" who have no interest in books or reading.
Although Spines claims that authors can retain 100% of their royalties, its co-founder Yehuda Niv defined the company as a "publishing platform" rather than self-publishing or vanity publishing. In response, Deidre J. Owen, co-founder of the independent micro-publisher Mannison Press, pointed out that Spines is essentially a vanity publisher.
Some industry insiders have also expressed concerns. Marco Rinaldi, co-host of the writer podcast Page, believes Spines is merely accelerating self-publishing, but this approach is unlikely to succeed. Anna Ganley, CEO of the largest union for writers, illustrators, and translators—the Writers Guild—also warned authors to carefully consider any contracts requiring self-funding before signing. She noted that this model is likely to fall short of authors' expectations, and relying on AI systems could raise issues regarding the originality and quality of the services provided.
Spines claims that the time to publish a book will be reduced to two to three weeks. Meanwhile, Microsoft announced last week that it will also launch a book printing business aimed at publishing books faster than traditional publishers. Earlier, HarperCollins reached an agreement with Microsoft to allow some books to be used for training AI models, with permission from the authors.
As of now, Spines has not responded to this matter.
Key Points:
📚 Spines plans to publish 8,000 books using AI next year, charging fees of $1,200 to $5,000.
💬 Several writers and publishers criticize Spines as a "vanity publisher," claiming it does not care about the quality of books.
⚠️ Industry insiders warn authors to be cautious when choosing self-publishing contracts, as they may not meet expected outcomes.
