On Wednesday, October 30th, our class welcomed guest speaker Erik Hanberg, a
talented writer and entrepreneur. Erik has self-published several books on
focused topics such as nonprofit boards and fundraising. In addition to
writing, he has developed websites for his projects and managed arts
organizations, including the Grand Cinema in Tacoma. Through these experiences,
he has gained valuable insights into leadership, teamwork, and creative
problem-solving that he shared with us.
During his talk, Erik explained how technology has opened up new doors for
independent authors and business owners. He highlighted how platforms like
Amazon Prime and self-publishing sites make it much easier for anyone to
publish and sell their books without the need for a big publisher or
significant printing costs. With print-on-demand technology, books are only
printed when someone orders them, which helps save money and storage space.
Erik also noted how Amazon has improved the discoverability of
self-published books, making it easier for readers to find new authors. This
change has allowed many writers to reach a wider audience than ever before.
He further discussed the increasing role of AI in writing. While some
authors use AI tools to generate ideas or even write entire stories, Erik
prefers to rely on his own creativity. He believes that while AI-generated
content is improving, it still lacks the depth and emotional richness that
human writing can offer. As AI continues to develop, it challenges us to
rethink what storytelling and authorship truly mean.
Erik emphasized how vital it is for writers to keep a personal touch in their work. He encouraged authors to discover and cultivate their unique voices instead of allowing AI to dominate their creative processes. The key challenge is to leverage technology as a supportive tool while keeping human creativity at the forefront of storytelling.
No comments:
Post a Comment