I wasn’t expecting a nonfiction opinion piece to be my first “yes” in publishing since starting my writing career in earnest. I have one young adult book under my belt, which I have shelved after an unsuccessful search for an agent for it (though there were a few near-successes with a handful of agents, the book just missed the mark for them). I’ve nearly finished an adult fantasy romance, and have half of another YA gothic drafted. I have entered a few short story contests, and submitted to fiction magazines with several “please send us more in the future” passes. Nonfiction was not something I had considered trying to write or publish.

To be honest, this article was born out of indignation. But after talking to a few other library professionals about how they received School Library Journal’s article suggesting that librarians should use ChatGPT to perform reader’s advisory tasks, and more, I was flabbergasted. So, I wrote down my thoughts, cited some sources, and sent an email to the editor. Four hours later, I got an email saying that they would love to publish my piece.

It wasn’t what I was expecting, but when does life every follow a tidy path to success? I will hold this “yes” like a tiny dragon collecting its first treasures. Maybe someday soon I will have an agent or a published book to place in my treasure trove. I think the lesson here is that I have to continue to write for me. I have to write what inspires me, and follow my gut. So, for now, I will continue to work on pieces with magic, love, burning down the patriarchy, and masquerade balls.

You can read my article School Librarians Should Approach ChatGPT with Caution here at School Library Journal’s website.