AI is disrupting the writing industry—fast. But what does that mean for you as a freelance writer, content creator, or journalist?

In this Summer Shorts with Estelle solo episode, I share my editorial perspective on the recent Chicago Sun-Times controversy involving an AI-generated listicle that included fake book titles attributed to real authors.

In This Episode

• Why listicles and content marketing assignments are disappearing [3:38]
• What types of editorial content are most vulnerable to AI outsourcing [6:09]
• How ghostwriting and white papers are emerging as higher-paying, human-centered alternatives [9:30]
• Why editorial integrity and fact-checking are more essential than ever in the AI era [11:13]
• How to tell the difference between short-term panic and long-term opportunity [11:51]

Watch on YouTube 

Want context on where the industry is heading? Don’t miss my 2025 Forecast episode:

Solo Episode #119 How to Steer Through the Publishing Gauntlet

And if you haven’t yet—watch my TEDx Talk:

How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond

In this bold, funny, and widely shared talk, I blend personal storytelling with the real-world writing strategies I’ve developed as a longtime magazine editor, NYU professor, and writing coach. It all starts with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine—and builds into a powerful message about how to stand out in a crowded, noisy world, no matter the medium.

📺 Watch, comment, and share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ

About Estelle 

Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist, author of Writing That Gets Noticed (named a “Best Book for Writers” by Poets & Writers), and host of Freelance Writing Direct—2025 Podcast of the Year (Education), American Writing Awards. A Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest and adjunct instructor at NYU, she’s written for over 150 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP: The Magazine, and has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines.

✨ Explore More:
📚 Writing That Gets Noticed – Buy the Book | Listen to the Audiobook
📬 Subscribe on Substack – Craft tips, pitch advice & exclusive podcast extras. Latest post Stop Counting Words. Start Shaping Your Story (plus a bonus for paid subscribers) and How to Get Published in Cosmopolitan or Seventeen
🎧 Freelance Writing Direct – Interviews, insights & behind-the-scenes publishing tips 

Follow Estelle:
📸 Instagram | 🎵 TikTok | 🐦 Twitter | 🌐 BlueSky