Category: Writing
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“Done-ish”: That Time I Finished My Book—Until Catherine Seeley Said Otherwise
I typed “The End,” pushed back from my desk, and smiled. My manuscript was done. Complete. Finished. I even told people so. Silly me. I was about 75% through reviewing my “finished” manuscript—one final read before sending it off to my writing coach for a developmental edit—when I decided to double-check a small fact. You…
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Three Times NOT the Charm: When AI Illustrations Go Off the Rails
When I set out to improve an illustration for my forthcoming children’s book, Doris’s New Home, I wasn’t expecting a breakdown of logic, perspective, and anatomy. I expected a quick revision. Just a few tweaks, really. I just wanted a warm family dinner scene. So I gave ChatGPT a clear prompt: “All the family members…
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When AI Crosses a Line: A Lesson from a Steerage Scene That Looked All Too Familiar
Posted by Deborah Samuel Holman, Author of Nothing Really Bad Will Happen and the upcoming children’s version inspired by it NOTE: This post also appears on my family history and the book blogs—because it touches all three worlds. When I began adapting my adult novel Nothing Really Bad Will Happen into a version for my…
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Post RootsTech Day 1 – Being a Tourist!
A Sunny Day in Salt Lake City (Despite the Forecast!) We woke up around 9:30 a.m. and headed downstairs to the hotel restaurant for breakfast—always a solid way to start the day. After that, we set out for a nice walk around Salt Lake City, revisiting a few places we’d been to on a previous…
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Creating a Meaningful Writing Workshop with AI
NOTE: This post is a bit longer than usual—about an 12-minute read. If you’re not interested in the writing process or how AI can enhance creativity, feel free to skip it! For those who would enjoy a deep dive into how I developed my writing workshop with some help from AI, read on! Several months…
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Celebrating a Special Recognition for “Nothing Really Bad Will Happen”
I just received the Winter issue of CT Genealogy News, the quarterly publication of the Connecticut Society of Genealogists (CSG). I knew it would feature an article about my being the 2024 recipient of the Richard G. Tomlinson Literary Award for my novel, Nothing Really Bad Will Happen, but I wasn’t expecting such a glowing…
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Charleston Literary Festival Highlights: Writing, Celebration, and Community
This November, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Charleston Literary Festival, but it was so much more than just a trip for books and authors—it was a week of connection, creativity, and celebration. My husband, Scott, and I flew down to Charleston on November 5, and we stayed until the 12th. While it…
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Meet Scripty McPromptface: My AI Writing Companion
I’ve been super busy (obsessed with) writing the story of Scott’s great-grandmother, Catherine C. Fitzallen. I’ll share more of the premise in another post, but today, I want to introduce you to my writing buddy, Scripty McPromptface. That’s right. I’ve named my AI assistant. Well, technically, we came up with the name together. Here’s how…
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Resilience Across Generations: A Conversation with Author Deborah S. Holman
Join me on Sunday November 17 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, when I share my journey from blog writer to published author. This program is free and open to the public. Signed books will be available at the in-person presentation. To attend virtually, visit www.jgsct.org for the registration link. To attend in-person: No registration needed. The…
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Exploring the Benefits and Drawbacks of AI in Writing: Insights from My Writer’s Group
This morning in my writer’s group, we dove into a discussion about the virtues and pitfalls of using AI in our writing. The topic is a hot one right now, with opinions on both sides of the fence. As someone who’s been experimenting with ChatGPT 4.o, I shared a fun conversation I had with my…
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