Human authorship.
Open about the tools.

Authorship

The Cloaked Saviour was written entirely by me, Guus Kooij. AI did not write the book or any part of the manuscript.

The story, characters, world, scenes, prose, creative decisions and final voice are my work. The book's cover artwork is also human-created by me.

AI as an additional reviewer

I use AI tools, primarily ChatGPT by OpenAI, as part of the editorial process. I use them much like an additional reviewer: to look for contradictions and continuity problems, flag passages that may be unclear, examine pacing and structure, identify possible errors, and provide feedback on drafts.

I consider that feedback myself and decide what, if anything, should change. The writing and revisions remain my responsibility, just as they would after feedback from a human reviewer.

Learning and developing my craft

AI has also been one of the tools I have learned from while developing my writing and editing skills. Discussing why something works or does not work, examining criticism, and comparing approaches has helped me become more conscious of how I write.

Those lessons are part of my own development as a writer. The tool can provide feedback; I am still the person doing the writing.

Wider publishing use

Outside the manuscript, I also use AI for parts of the practical publishing process, including operational planning, metadata and market positioning, website-development assistance, and drafting or editing portions of marketing and campaign material.

Where that use is relevant, I would rather be open about it than pretend AI is not part of the workflow.

The principle

The distinction is simple: AI can help me review, learn and run a small publishing business. It does not replace my authorship of the books.

I remain responsible for the manuscript, the finished book, and the claims and copy published by Continuing Press.

Guus Kooij
Author and founder, Continuing Press