Hugh Howey reflects on the Stratemeyer Syndicate, one of the first publishing content farms, which created iconic characters like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys through ghostwritten books. He draws parallels to modern AI-driven publishing, where companies like Fractal Enigma can now produce hundreds of books daily without human authors. Howey acknowledges the long history of such systems, noting that figures like Edward Stratemeyer and James Patterson still required real human effort, but AI removes all friction.

While Howey maintains a nuanced view—supporting AI-assisted writing and reader choice—he expresses a deep preference for authentic, human-created content. He values readers and writers above all industry players and celebrates the purity of reading and writing for their own sake, whether by living authors or historical figures.

His main critique centers on authenticity. He admits he’d have preferred knowing as a child that characters like Nancy Drew weren’t authored by real people. This leads to his vision of a "Humazon.com"—a human-only bookstore, clearly labeled and easy to navigate, where readers can confidently choose books written by actual humans.

He challenges Amazon and BookBub to create verified human-authored badges or lists, betting that readers who value authenticity will pay premium prices for transparency and trust.