Show notes
Episode Notes
In this episode, we dive deep into one of publishing's biggest challenges: AI companies
training on author work without permission or compensation.
Julie Trelstad is a 36-year publishing veteran who's been ahead of every major industry
shift, from editing The Not So Big House (which sold 500,000+ copies) to pioneering ebooks
on CD-ROMs in the 1990s, to now leading AI content licensing at Amlet.ai.
TOPICS COVERED:
🎯 How AI companies have been "scraping" published content without author consent
🎯 What the "post-scraping era" means for creators and AI companies
🎯 How Amlet.ai's ISCC digital fingerprinting gives authors control over their work
🎯 Why AI actually needs human creativity to function (and why that's good news for writers)
🎯 The licensing paradox: why AI companies love this system but authors are hesitant
🎯 How to build a sustainable, fulfilling author career in an AI-driven world
🎯 The "art vs. commerce" reckoning in publishing and why authors need to understand it
🎯 Real strategies for authors choosing between traditional, indie, and hybrid publishing
KEY INSIGHTS:
"We're not talking about AIs writing the books, we're talking about AIs protecting your books."
"AI needs you because it can't train on its own slop."
"Publishing is a business, not an art form. Understanding that reality is essential to
building a sustainable career."
"The answer isn't more marketing, it's more books."
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction & Julie's Background
4:00 - The Accidental Futurist: Predicting Publishing Shifts
12:00 - The Publishing Architect Philosophy
19:00 - Understanding the AI Scraping Problem
25:00 - How Amlet.ai Works & Digital Fingerprints
33:00 - Why AI Needs Human Creativity
40:00 - The Licensing Paradox & Author Hesitation
52:00 - Building Sustainable Author Careers
60:00 - The Art vs. Commerce Reckoning
68:00 - Practical Advice for Authors Today
RESOURCES:
📱 Julie's Website: https://paperbacksandpixels.com/
✍️ Julie's Substack: https://julietrelstad.substack.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietrelstad/
🎬 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2XcIT5KqrLI
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GUEST BIO:
Julie Trelstad is a 36-year publishing veteran who has worked across traditional publishing,
independent publishing, digital platforms, and now AI licensing. She's the editor of
The Not So Big House (500,000+ copies sold ), a pioneer of early ebook technology, founder
of Plain White Press, and former Director of Digital Rights at Writers House.
Currently, she's Head of US Publishing at Amlet.ai, where she's helping authors and publishers
navigate the emerging AI economy and protect their intellectual property through digital
fingerprinting and licensing.
Julie is a thought leader on sustainable author business models, digital rights management,
and the future of publishing in an AI-driven world.
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