In the ever-evolving world of writing and publishing, one thing remains timeless and sacred, your voice.

Whether you’re a blogger, a poet, a novelist, or someone pouring their heart out into journal entries turned memoirs, the most powerful thing you bring to the table is you. Your experiences, your emotions, your perspective. And in a world full of noise, shortcuts, and temptations to “just get it done,” I want to speak openly today about why originality, honesty, and heart-driven storytelling matter more than ever.

Let’s Talk About Plagiarism First…

Plagiarism isn’t just lazy; it’s illegal, immoral, and devastating to both your reputation and your creative soul.

Copying someone else’s words, paragraphs, blog posts, or book concepts and claiming them as your own can result in:

• Legal consequences (including lawsuits, fines, and removal of your published work)
• Damaged relationships with publishers, editors, readers, and your own writing community
• Complete loss of credibility: once it’s out that you’ve plagiarized, it’s incredibly difficult to rebuild trust in your name or your brand

Even “borrowing” an idea too heavily without proper credit can cause harm. The online and indie writing communities are passionate, protective, and watchful—and rightfully so. Many writers pour their entire lives into their work. To steal that? It’s not just unethical. It’s cruel.

And Then There’s the AI Elephant in the Room…

Look, I love technology as much as the next creative entrepreneur. AI can be an amazing tool for brainstorming, organizing, or working through blocks, but it is not your voice. It wasn’t born with your trauma, your lessons, your humor, your rage, or your resilience.

There is a growing trend of people trying to pump out entire novels or series with nothing but AI and a plot prompt. Let me be clear: this is not writing. It’s content-churning. And it’s hurting the industry.

• Legally, many AI-generated works are not copyrightable under U.S. law because they lack human authorship. That means someone else can copy your AI-generated book… and you can’t stop them.
• Ethically, passing off AI work as fully human-written is dishonest, especially if you’re profiting from it.
• Professionally, you’re risking your reputation. Publishers, agents, and even self-publishing platforms are getting smarter about detecting AI-generated content.

And the truth is, readers can tell. There’s a soullessness to AI-written stories that no amount of editing can truly cover up. It lacks the nuance, depth, and lived wisdom of human storytelling. That’s something you can’t fake.

Your Story Deserves Better

Writing from the heart, whether it’s raw or polished, is sacred work. It teaches you about yourself. It gives voice to things you didn’t know needed to be said. It’s healing. And for those who read your words? It can be life-changing.

Learning to write in your own voice isn’t always easy. It takes time. It takes practice. It takes learning, failing, rewriting, and sometimes screaming into your notebook. But there’s no shortcut for authenticity. And there shouldn’t be.

Because when you find your voice, truly find it, you’ll unlock the kind of magic that no machine could ever replicate. That’s the kind of writing that lingers, that matters, that echoes through the soul.

And Let’s Not Forget…

When you plagiarize or use AI to do all the work:

• You risk your publisher’s reputation, not just your own. That’s not fair to the people who believe in you.
• You risk burning bridges with writing communities, critique groups, mentors, or ARC teams who put their time into supporting you.
• You risk being remembered not as a writer, but as a cheater, and no one wants that to be their legacy.

So… How Do You “Find Your Voice”?

• Write messy first drafts. Let it pour out without judgment.
• Read widely and often. Let others inspire you, not define you.
• Reflect on your truth. The more honest you are, the more powerful your words will be.
• Use tools like AI sparingly, if at all, and always with transparency. A tool should support your creativity, not replace it. [Like to help you come up with alternative words, grammar corrections, and plotting out characters or creating a plot outline.]
• Don’t rush. Some of the best books took years to create.

At Owl Mountain Press, we believe in stories that matter. Stories written with care, courage, and integrity. If you’re a writer walking this path, know that you’re not alone and your voice is needed.

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Write with heart. Write with integrity. And above all—write as you.

Much love and many blessings,
Mrs. B

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