2026 Publishing Predictions
Savour Your Unclonable Voice
I’ve posted my 2026 Publishing Predictions on my website, but I want to share the one I believe is the heart of the conversation for the year ahead.
#1. Your unclonable voice is your greatest asset.
As AI permeates the market and digital fatigue becomes the norm, something extraordinary is happening.
People are craving connection and the human voice behind the words.
Readers seek originality and vulnerable stories and are becoming wise to AI-generated writing. I love AI as a tool, but not when the human is removed from the creation.
And you’ve probably noticed it too.
Your inner radar is more attuned to frequency than ever before. People know when a story has emotional impact and nuance that machine learning cannot match, and when it doesn’t.
Two concerns I hear often are:
“Who am I to write this book?”
“Others have already written on this topic.”
My response remains the same:
No one can write your messages or book the way you can because you have has your lived experience, wisdom, gifts, or unique way of seeing the world.
Now I say it even more clearly:
You and your voice are unclonable.
My prediction for this one is simple: your unclonable stories win 2026.
If you’d like to explore all ten predictions, including the ones about Substack, I’ve posted the full list on a new Article section on my website.
P.S. If you’ve written your own predictions for 2026, feel free to share them in the comments or reply. I’d love to read what you’re seeing for the year ahead.