Dear Reader,
The author of “The River Forgets Us First” is broadly suspected of employing generative AI in her writing, and she misrepresented herself in a number of ways when submitting to Reckoning. Accordingly, we will no longer be working with this author. We will not be publishing this poem on our website, and we’ll be removing it from future copies (both ecopy and print) of It Was Paradise. If you received an ebook containing this poem and would like a replacement, please contact us.
Reckoning’s editorial staff, along with editors, publishers, contest judges, and writers the world over, are now deeply engaged in learning to perceive the linguistic and stylistic “tells” of generative AI; we believe this to be essential work for living and working towards environmental justice in the future. It’s impossible to determine definitively whether a piece of writing was made using an LLM. AI “detection” software exists and has become broadly used by some editors; however, even at its most reliable, it’s been shown to be as prone to mistakes as chatbots themselves. Reckoning will not be employing such software. Instead, we’re going to rely on evolving experience, due diligence, and collaborative internal and external professional discussion. This is how we will continue to find the writing we love and want to bring to our readers.
Thanks for coming along with us on this journey!
—Michael
Michael J. DeLuca
Publisher
I love this transparency and committment to action. I imagine it wasn’t easy. Thank you.