How 1455 Books Screens for Quality
Sean Murphy on editorial review and avoiding low-quality or automated work
My dear friend Jenna Blum—NYT bestselling author and the generous soul behind A Mighty Blaze—invited me onto her platform to talk about 1455 books. It was one of those conversations that goes everywhere: from the early days of 1455 Lit Arts to the messy reality of building a nonprofit, from corporate lessons learned to assembling passionate teams and convincing donors to believe in the mission. We eventually arrived at the questions that matter: Does art still matter? (God, yes.) Should we launch a publishing venture now? (It’s insane timing, which is exactly why we’re doing it.) Because at the end of the day, publishing books is what 1455 has always been about—championing authentic voices, building real community, and showing up for storytellers who deserve to be heard.
How do we screen for good books and guard against AI? My bottom line: AI won’t replace writing because it can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t—people who like to read will know the difference. We need vulnerability, messiness, and humanness that AI can’t replicate. For our first three books in 2026, I’m the editor and screener with a team helping me. I’ve read every submission Movable Type has received since 2020—thousands of pieces for story fests, hundreds of poems annually for our contests.
Will some people use AI and trick me? Maybe. But I’m not worried about being flooded by robots gaming our submission system. The AI concern reminds me of aspiring writers asking if I’m worried someone will steal my ideas—anyone worried about that needs to spend less time imagining fame and more time doing the work. In this digital age, you have copious backups proving ownership anyway. AI is a whole topic, but for launching an imprint, it’s the billionth thing on my list of immediate concerns.
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