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Writers and publishing professionals are suddenly awash in AI promises—“Outsource your editing to AI!” or “Use AI to automate your marketing!”—yet most of us are quietly wondering: Can these tools really help without compromising quality or ethics? The answer is yes, if you apply your own critical thinking skills and thoughtfulness to the process—and if you’re willing to pay a monthly fee for the professional versions of today’s AI tools.

In this class, publishing industry expert Jane Friedman demystifies the current AI landscape and shows through examples and live demos how to incorporate AI tools into your workflow so you reclaim creative time and reduce time sinks. Drawing on other authors’ examples and her own use, Jane shows how to use AI responsibly, with human oversight and respect for readers, writers, and the larger community. It is possible to use AI in a way that keeps your voice your own and your copyright intact.

This class will:

• Identify administrative and business tasks ripe for AI assistance, especially marketing and promotion tasks
• Show how AI can be used as a research assistant, with citations you can check—and how it can serve as another layer of protection against errors creeping into your work
• Demonstrate how AI can be helpful for brainstorming and idea refinement (it’s great at generating common, boring ideas to work against!)
• Offer methods of generating of quick first drafts using your own words
• Help you prevent AI from training on material you upload
• Emphasize caution and transparency in all types of use

What is not covered:

• Using AI to generate images or video
• Using AI to write longform articles or books from scratch (but short summaries? yes!)
• An explanation of all the AI tools and features available today; instead, Jane will focus on a handful of tools she uses and knows best, primarily ChatGPT

If you’ve ever spent hours on tedious research or business tasks, struggled to come up with marketing plans or marketing copy, or felt intimidated by the rapidly evolving landscape around AI, this session is for you.

Who should take this class:

• People who have little or no experience using AI tools and aren’t sure how to use them
• Emerging and established authors in any genre or category

Who should not take this class:

• People already using AI on a daily or regular basis
• Anyone looking for a push-button tool to write their work for them
• Participants unwilling to experiment, iterate, and apply critical judgment to AI output

But isn’t AI illegal/unethical?

While lawsuits are underway about the legality of how some of these models have been trained, the courts have not yet made any decisions about whether that training was fair use (legal) or infringement. Even if the courts find that the models constitute infringement, the most likely outcome is that financial remedies will be put in place. The AI companies will not suddenly be shut down or go out of business. AI technologies will continue to develop just as they always have and on a global scale.

AI companies now legally license material from established media outlets and publishers, including the largest New York publishers and educational corporations. AI is being taught in schools, used by professors, and plays a role in nearly every business around the globe. It’s true that some people use AI in unethical or illegal ways. In fact, Jane was personally affected by such use. But that’s not the same as the tool itself being unethical or illegal. This class will emphasize how to use the technology in an ethical, legal manner.

But isn’t AI bad for the environment?

The energy required to use AI is akin to any modern convenience. Here’s a ​big-picture overview​ from a former physics teacher about the environmental costs. Here’s a data scientist who cares about sustainability (and has published a book on the topic) who ​agrees​ with his conclusions.

How do I attend the live class?

This class uses Zoom webinar technology. You will join through your Internet-connected computer or mobile device. When you register, you will receive information via email on how to join the class. If you don’t receive it within 1 hour of registering, please contact us.

• When: Thursday, June 26, 2025
• Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. Eastern Time / 10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Pacific Time
• Fee: $25

The webinar is broadcasted via the internet with live audio delivered through your computer or mobile device speakers. The visual presentation is displayed directly from the presenter’s computer to your computer screen. The Q&A is managed through a chat-style submission system with questions read and answered by the presenter for the entire class to hear.

Closed captions are provided during the live class. We use Zoom’s automated closed caption service, which is about 80%+ accurate.

All students receive the following

• Access to the live class (90 minutes). The instructor will take questions during class using in-class chat/text. The class will end after roughly 90 minutes.
• A recording of the class—audio and video. This is especially helpful if you have a conflict with the class time or something comes up and you can’t make the session. Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for 30 days. You do not have to attend the live event to access the recordings.
• Presentation slides. All participants receive a copy of the slide presentations in PDF form.
• Rough transcript. We offer a lightly edited transcript of each webinar, which we’ll share with you in addition to the audio and video recording.
• AI resource guide. Jane will share her continually updated web-based guide with links to more guidance, tips, and resources.

Event Attendance & Anti-Harassment Policy

We strive to provide an environment where all present—whether attendee or presenter—can feel supported. In order to ensure a welcoming event, here is what we expect from all who participate.

• That the presenter and the presenter’s work be treated with respect by attendees and that all attendees treat each other with respect and a generosity of spirit.
• That attendees will refrain from harassment of any sort including (but not limited to) comments or questions of a racist, homophobic, sexist/sexual, or threatening nature. This includes actions that disrupt or interfere with anyone’s ability to participate. Offenders will be asked to leave the live event and will not be refunded.