Science fiction author and Fandom Pulse founder Jon Del Arroz joins the show to discuss why he is arguably the most banned man in independent publishing. From being ejected from WorldCon while in line for a Disney ride to being de-platformed by Kickstarter and Indiegogo, John explains how “cancel culture” collusion works and why he refuses to back down.

Jon also dives into his most controversial stance yet: his open use of Generative AI for writing fiction. He argues that much of modern genre fiction has become “algorithm slop” and explains why he believes AI can sometimes outperform human authors who are merely writing to market.

In This Episode

* The WorldCon Ban: Jon recounts the story of being banned from the World Science Fiction Convention and labeled a “racist bully” due to online political disputes.

* Kickstarter & Indiegogo: How mass reporting campaigns led to his removal from major crowdfunding platforms despite running over a dozen successful campaigns.

* The AI Controversy: Why Jon openly uses AI for text and art, and his experiment with a “hidden” AI pen name that magazines can’t distinguish from human writing.

* Human “Slop” vs. AI: A critique of the “Write to Market” philosophy and why formulaic human writing is just as soulless as machine generation.

* Valiant Frontiers: Jon’s new “Star Trek-alternative” novel series on Fund My Comic, designed to bring back high-concept episodic sci-fi.

* Building a Brand: Practical advice for new creators on how to find a niche and the necessity of daily content creation.

Guest Links

Jon Del Arroz

* READ Valiant Frontiers: https://www.fundmycomic.com/valiant-frontiers

* Youtube @JonDelArroz

* Substack Fandom Pulse

* Discord @_otomo

* X @jondelarroz

Kristin’s Links

* Services & Content

* Editing Services: nonsensefreeeditor.com

* Newsletter: https://www.fictionalinfluence.com

* YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nonsensefreekristin

Sponsors

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Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Jon Dela Rose

00:44 - Controversial Use of AI in Publishing

01:11 - Jon’s Experience with Cancel Culture

01:34 - Jon’s Career and Projects

03:04 - Banned from Worldcon

07:57 - Challenges with Crowdfunding Platforms

17:10 - AI in Writing and Art

21:18 - The Future of Independent Publishing

22:56 - Hypocrisy and AI in Publishing

23:28 - Algorithmic Writing and Market Trends

26:06 - AI’s Role in Writing and Personal Experiments

26:40 - Challenges of Being a Creative Author

29:07 - Marketing Strategies for Authors

32:16 - Crowdfunding and Niche Markets

37:19 - Future Goals and Advice for Aspiring Authors

41:09 - Balancing Content Creation and Writing

41:50 - Where to Find More Content

About This Podcast

Nonsense-Free Kristin is where independent authors and creators learn to build their platforms, master their craft, and create on their own terms—without begging for permission from gatekeepers who hate them.

New episodes weekly.

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