Paranoid Writer Fears Witch Hunt!

So I reached out to D.K. Shepard after reading their now Top Story, Help Wanted.

I won’t lie—I was a little uneasy after reading it. Not because I didn’t get the intent (I did), but because something about it felt… off. (To me at least.)

It seemed to be giving a “ call to arms vibe.” In my imagination she rallied the masses to start sniffing out AI-generated content like bloodhounds on the trail of a fugitive.

This creeping feeling in my gut that the “AI Vigilante Task Force” could very easily turn into the AI Witch Trials. (I maybe had watched a mcarthy trial documentary and as a practicing witch shit like this makes me nervous 🤣).

Since the finger was being pointed at a seemingly well-known, award-winning writer.I suddenly had a very real question:

"Wait… if this could happen to them, what stops it from happening to me?"

So, I did what any rational, slightly paranoid writer would do.

I reached out to DK.

Not to argue. Not to fight. Just to get a read on things. To see if she knew what I was now realizing—that AI scanners weren’t conclusive. That this “witch hunt” could turn on anyone.

But… she didn’t seem to want to talk about that.

And that’s when I had a paranoid, just did a bong rip thought:

What if this was a woman on the make?

What if this wasn’t about preserving the integrity of literature?
About protecting Vocal from AI?

Maybe This was about writing an incendiary piece and fanning the flames?

That’s the problem with paranoia. It’s never just what you see in front of you. (I tend to be hyper vigilant and go through life analyzing it in a series of worst case scenarios. Prepared always for the worst possible what if.)

I began scrutinizing my work, the irony of finally letting go of my imposter syndrome as a writer only to fear accusation of A.i!.

What if It becomes about accusing good writers of “sounding too good.”

And if “sounding too good” is a crime, what the hell are we even doing here?

I realized this wasn’t just about AI.
It could become about punishing writers for putting in the work. The implications frightened me, I wrote a really sad poem, there was even a hidden message for you D.K!🤣

Enter: Mother Combs, My Voice of Reason.

While I was spiraling down a literary existential crisis, one person pulled me out of my own ass.

Mother Combs.

I reached out to her, fearing the pitchforks, terrified that coming clean about using AI for spellcheck and formatting help would make me some kind of literary heretic.

I expected her to tell me I had committed some grave sin.

Instead?

She encouraged me to follow through.

To publish my work, raw and unapologetic.
To own my voice, my process, and my place in this community.

Because real writing isn’t about perfection.
It’s about humanity.

It’s about the grit, the passion, the absolute chaotic mess of the creative process.

And then—something funny happened.

After reading my piece, "She’s a Witch, or At Least Somebody Thinks So", DK apologized.

Like, genuinely.

And I realized…

We’re actually fans of each other’s work.

So much so that I’m including one of her pieces in the May edition of The Breakfast Writing Club.

I believe we can beat A.I. by creating.

I want to see this platform flooded with writing that bleeds humanity.

I like my pieces like I like my men: slutty, gritty, witty, and real.

If that’s the vibe you’re bringing?
Drop your human-created stories on my Breakfast Writing Club posts, pretty please ✨🖤

I will read, share, and hype the absolute hell out of the best ones!

This isn’t just about beating AI.
This is about making human writing so damn good, it doesn’t stand a chance.

So, what did we learn?

In the end, I suppose I learned a few things.

For starters, I’m a dramatic bitch. That much has been confirmed. If you hand me even the smallest existential crisis, I will take it, monologue about it, and then turn it into a full-blown literary event.

I also learned that Mother Combs is a literal literary angel, descending from the heavens to gently whisper, "Girl, post the damn article." And honestly? We should all be so lucky to have a Mother Combs in our corner.

I learned that DK and I? We have the same mission, the brandings just a little different and that's ok. I bring a sort of stoner, manic care bear energy that's a little too trusting a little too naive and he brings the strict sort of brut Gordon Ramsey like sterness that in other settings I like ;)

I think we both need to coexist.

I learned that we absolutely should report AI-generated nonsense. Because trust me, I’ve read enough soulless horror stories with the emotional depth of a wet napkin to last a lifetime.

But more importantly?

We don’t witch-hunt real creators.

Not because we’re above jealousy. (Let’s be real—I’m absolutely capable of being a bitter little gremlin when someone else’s win stings.) But because, in the end, these aren’t just competitors.

These are our friends.

We are all in the same fight for greatness.

And if we spend less time burning each other at the stake and more time lifting each other up?

✨ We will only grow stronger. ✨

For more creator led resources on how to fight A.I. please visit these links:

This resource guide on spotting A.I.

This call to action!





This piece by Vocal.



And this piece by a very dear friend of mine, Mother Combs: