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Become a Books By People Member

Publisher Enquiries

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Defending
Organic Literature
in an AI World. 

We champion books written by people, on behalf of publishers, authors, booksellers and readers.

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What People Are Saying

  • “Books by People could not come at a more timely moment. Authors, publishers, and booksellers will all welcome and indeed will need the certificate of authenticity that it can provide.”

    Margaret Atwood

    Booker Prize-winning author of The Handmaid’s Tale

  • “Human storytelling is the lifeblood of our industry. Books By People ensures that human creativity will continue to lead our beloved book industry into a successful future.”

    Markus Dohle

    CEO of Penguin Random House (2013–2022)

  • “Books by People is a vitally important enterprise. I need to know whether what I am reading is communicated from another human heart, or from an artificial brain. Though the latter may impress with its cleverness it can never teach or move me in the same way that lived experience can.”

    Dame Harriet Walter

    Author, and Emmy, BAFTA, and Tony award nominated actress

  • “At a time when the literary community is grappling with the uncertainty of AI and the authenticity of what is being published and offered to readers, this brilliant initiative will provide the kind of confidence we’re looking for.”

    Mitchell Kaplan

    President of Books & Books, and Chair of the Miami Book Fair International

As Seen In

About Us

Books By People is an independent organisation that partners with publishers to champion human-written books, and certifying these titles with a reader-facing mark.

The Crisis

AI is flooding the literary world with imitations of human storytelling - challenging the publishing world to respond. Without rigorous safeguards, authentic human work will inevitably struggle to maintain the visibility and credibility it deserves.

Our Mission

To uphold a trusted and recognisable ‘Organic Literature’ market, by supporting human-focused publishers and authors, and making that commitment clear and valuable to readers.

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Publisher Memberships


We work rigorously on behalf of publishers and authors to certify the books written by people.

Publisher Questionnaire

Complete a short questionnaire designed to help us tailor membership, and understand their current publishing practices and policies relating to AI. Click here to start.

Membership

The publisher becomes a Books By People Member, with an account in our secure publisher portal and a public profile in our Members Directory, where all certified titles will appear.

Resources & Support

You’ll receive regular updates on AI in publishing, access to our full kit of resources, operational and marketing templates, features on our growing channels, and year-round advisory support.

Certifying a Book

Titles are registered, and we conduct a short review - based on creation accounts, manuscript history, and signature analysis. If the work meets our standards, it qualifies for the Books By People Mark. Certification is quick to complete, and the regulations have been examined and approved by the UK government’s Intellectual Property Office.

Once Certified

All certified titles will be recorded on your public profile page in our Publisher Directory, easily accessible to readers via your unique ID and QR code. You can now also add your book's certification status into the data you send to retailers, so they can recognise your title as Books By People certified.

Why Books By People?

Unlike online AI tools which simply attempt to detect AI, or trust-based labels, our certification process maps the clear signs of humanity visible in the writing process, and has been developed for publishers, by publishing professionals. We offer multiple forms of review crafted for literary work, and our team oversees the whole certification journey.


Publisher Memberships


We work rigorously on behalf of publishers and authors to certify the books written by people.

Publisher Memberships


We work rigorously on behalf of publishers and authors to certify the books written by people.

Publisher Questionnaire

Complete a short questionnaire designed to help us tailor membership, and understand their current publishing practices and policies relating to AI. Click here to start.

Membership

The publisher becomes a Books By People Member, with an account in our secure publisher portal and a public profile in our Members Directory, where all certified titles will appear.

Resources & Support

You’ll receive regular updates on AI in publishing, access to our full kit of resources, operational and marketing templates, features on our growing channels, and year-round advisory support.

Certifying a Book

Titles are registered, and we conduct a short review - based on creation accounts, manuscript history, and signature analysis. If the work meets our standards, it qualifies for the Books By People Mark. Certification is quick to complete, and the regulations have been examined and approved by the UK government’s Intellectual Property Office.

Once Certified

All certified titles will be recorded on your public profile page in our Publisher Directory, easily accessible to readers via your unique ID and QR code. You can now also add your book's certification status into the data you send to retailers, so they can recognise your title as Books By People certified.

Why Books By People?

Unlike online AI tools which simply attempt to detect AI, or trust-based labels, our certification process maps the clear signs of humanity visible in the writing process, and has been developed for publishers, by publishing professionals. We offer multiple forms of review crafted for literary work, and our team oversees the whole certification journey.


Join The Organic Literature Movement

Spotlight your books in a market becoming over-run with AI-assisted titles, and strengthen your position to the readers who need to know where their books came from.

Secure the Future of Human Authorship

Protect the value of human stories, preserve original thought, and help ensure that the democratic future of literature remains led by people.

Secure the Future of Human Authorship

Protect the value of human stories, preserve original thought, and help ensure that the democratic future of literature remains led by people.

Maintain Consumer Trust

Our recognisable mark and certification process shows that stamped books maintain a certain standard of human writing, now that this is no longer a guarantee.

Maintain Consumer Trust

Our recognisable mark and certification process shows that stamped books maintain a certain standard of human writing, now that this is no longer a guarantee.

Pioneer a New Market

As AI is overused, and goes undiclosed, consumers everywhere are looking for known human-authored content. Engage in the newest form of book discovery, as 'human-created' becomes the defining factor for many buyers.

Pioneer a New Market

As AI is overused, and goes undiclosed, consumers everywhere are looking for known human-authored content. Engage in the newest form of book discovery, as 'human-created' becomes the defining factor for many buyers.

Confidence in an Uncertain Landscape

Membership equips you with long-term safeguards, strengthens your AI controls, and keeps you up to date with evolving solutions to AI interference, enabling you to continue publishing books with confidence!

Confidence in an Uncertain Landscape

Membership equips you with long-term safeguards, strengthens your AI controls, and keeps you up to date with evolving solutions to AI interference, enabling you to continue publishing books with confidence!

The Books By People Team

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Esme Dennys

Executive Co-Founder

Esme was Associate Director at Dennys, Sanders & Greene, a long-standing rare book company focused on specialist collections. She brings experience of the publishing and editorial processes from her time at independent publisher Titan Books.

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Esme Dennys

Executive Co-Founder

Esme was Associate Director at Dennys, Sanders & Greene, a long-standing rare book company focused on specialist collections. She brings experience of the publishing and editorial processes from her time at independent publisher Titan Books.

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Esme Dennys

Executive Co-Founder

Esme was Associate Director at Dennys, Sanders & Greene, a long-standing rare book company focused on specialist collections. She brings experience of the publishing and editorial processes from her time at independent publisher Titan Books.

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Conrad Young

Co-Founder

Conrad is a multiple-time founder in the creative industries. He has led marketing strategies for tech sector startups in the UK and abroad.

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Conrad Young

Co-Founder

Conrad is a multiple-time founder in the creative industries. He has led marketing strategies for tech sector startups in the UK and abroad.

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Conrad Young

Co-Founder

Conrad is a multiple-time founder in the creative industries. He has led marketing strategies for tech sector startups in the UK and abroad.

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Gala Tomovska

Chief Technical Officer

Gala is a computer scientist. Her work sits at the intersection of AI, product strategy, and innovation, with a focus on shaping emerging technologies into products with meaningful real-world impact.

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Gala Tomovska

Chief Technical Officer

Gala is a computer scientist. Her work sits at the intersection of AI, product strategy, and innovation, with a focus on shaping emerging technologies into products with meaningful real-world impact.

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Gala Tomovska

Chief Technical Officer

Gala is a computer scientist. Her work sits at the intersection of AI, product strategy, and innovation, with a focus on shaping emerging technologies into products with meaningful real-world impact.

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Kelsey Farish

Chief Legal Counsel

Kelsey is a London-based media lawyer and AI expert. She advises artists, authors, publishers, and cultural institutions on copyright, licensing, and digital replicas. She has published pioneering work on generative AI and recently advised the European Parliament.

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Kelsey Farish

Chief Legal Counsel

Kelsey is a London-based media lawyer and AI expert. She advises artists, authors, publishers, and cultural institutions on copyright, licensing, and digital replicas. She has published pioneering work on generative AI and recently advised the European Parliament.

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Kelsey Farish

Chief Legal Counsel

Kelsey is a London-based media lawyer and AI expert. She advises artists, authors, publishers, and cultural institutions on copyright, licensing, and digital replicas. She has published pioneering work on generative AI and recently advised the European Parliament.

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Louise Dennys

Senior Advisor

Louise is Publisher Emerita of Penguin Random House Canada. She has worked as the editor and publisher in Canada of writers such as Michael Ondaatje, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Salman Rushdie, Karen Armstrong, Naomi Klein, and Yann Martel. 

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Louise Dennys

Senior Advisor

Louise is Publisher Emerita of Penguin Random House Canada. She has worked as the editor and publisher in Canada of writers such as Michael Ondaatje, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Salman Rushdie, Karen Armstrong, Naomi Klein, and Yann Martel. 

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Louise Dennys

Senior Advisor

Louise is Publisher Emerita of Penguin Random House Canada. She has worked as the editor and publisher in Canada of writers such as Michael Ondaatje, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Salman Rushdie, Karen Armstrong, Naomi Klein, and Yann Martel. 

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Andy Stanton

Advisor 

Andy is an award-winning author who is best known for writing the Mr Gum series. His recent book ‘Benny the Blue Whale: One Author's Descent into the Madness of AI’ is one of the first books to document a collaborative writing process between a human author and ChatGPT.

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Andy Stanton

Advisor 

Andy is an award-winning author who is best known for writing the Mr Gum series. His recent book ‘Benny the Blue Whale: One Author's Descent into the Madness of AI’ is one of the first books to document a collaborative writing process between a human author and ChatGPT.

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Andy Stanton

Advisor 

Andy is an award-winning author who is best known for writing the Mr Gum series. His recent book ‘Benny the Blue Whale: One Author's Descent into the Madness of AI’ is one of the first books to document a collaborative writing process between a human author and ChatGPT.

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Sam Jordison

Advisor

Sam is a literary journalist, writer, and co-director of the acclaimed indie publisher Galley Beggar Press.

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Sam Jordison

Advisor

Sam is a literary journalist, writer, and co-director of the acclaimed indie publisher Galley Beggar Press.

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Sam Jordison

Advisor

Sam is a literary journalist, writer, and co-director of the acclaimed indie publisher Galley Beggar Press.

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James Erskine

Advisor

James is a multiple-time agency founder and CEO of Rocket: a marketing and content business whose work has included projects with Harper Collins, Penguin, The Bookseller and more. He started the country’s first influencer marketing agency and is often seen on conference panels as an expert on ‘Book-Tok’. 

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James Erskine

Advisor

James is a multiple-time agency founder and CEO of Rocket: a marketing and content business whose work has included projects with Harper Collins, Penguin, The Bookseller and more. He started the country’s first influencer marketing agency and is often seen on conference panels as an expert on ‘Book-Tok’. 

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James Erskine

Advisor

James is a multiple-time agency founder and CEO of Rocket: a marketing and content business whose work has included projects with Harper Collins, Penguin, The Bookseller and more. He started the country’s first influencer marketing agency and is often seen on conference panels as an expert on ‘Book-Tok’. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Membership cost?

To ensure that membership is accessible to publishing houses of all sizes, fees are based on annual turnover and the number of titles you wish to certify. 

For full details, please enquire through our application system.

Will we have to do a lot of extra work?

Will the Books By People Mark go on all my titles?

How do you define Human Written vs AI-written?

How do I get in contact?