Science fiction author and Fandom Pulse founder John 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.
John 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: John 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 John 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: John’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
John 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
Descript - Edit audio by editing text. Remove filler words and clean up background noise automatically.
https://get.descript.com/nonsensefree
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to John De La Rose
00:44 - Controversial Use of AI in Publishing
01:11 - John’s Experience with Cancel Culture
01:34 - John’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.
Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music.
