Independent Publisher
Ben Wilson

Ben Wilson

Author of the Postal Marines sci-fi series and speculative fiction that explores high-concept supposals — where military science fiction meets questions of morality, AI, and what makes us human.

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Recent Posts

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You Are Not an Author Because You Had an Idea and Pressed a Button

An AI-assisted author defended his one-star-reviewed novel by claiming ownership of the ideas behind it. But U.S. copyright law does not protect ideas. It protects expression, and the Copyright Office has repeatedly refused registration for AI-generated content. This post examines why authorship requires human craft and execution, not just ideation. Drawing on direct experience in author communities, copyright statute 17 U.S.C. § 102(b), and current Copyright Office rulings on AI-generated works, I argue that outsourcing writing to AI gives up both the legal and creative basis for calling yourself an author.

Economics of Being a Writer

In an era of generic content, I examine the high-stakes economics of professional authorship, revealing why a 30-book backlist has become the new sustainability benchmark. My research analysis moves beyond the $13,000 median income to map a path for authors in specialized niches where a unique human voice remains the primary discovery tool. I pull back the curtain on my own augmented workflow for the Strand series; including how I leveraged AI to catch continuity errors like a character's tribal affiliation in Strand: Discovery while protecting my primary research on King George III and military history. The goal is to balance craft and volume and preserve our uniquely human voices.

Three Words for My 18-Year-Old Self

Everyone wants to advise their younger self. But would you have listened? I wouldn't. And that's not the problem we think it is.

Preflight Complete: The Year I Stopped Playing It Safe

What do you do with enough runway to change direction? You stop playing it safe. A look back at my 2025 pivot from federal service to launching the Strand alternate history series.

The Great Fruitcake

Discover the extremely factual origin myth of the Great Fruitcake; a creation story explaining why we pass around fruitcake each Christmas season.

Author Nation 2025 Recap

Five years at Author Nation: navigating AI in publishing, the fellowship that matters, audiobook strategies, and learning new ways to build a community with readers.