Author: Judy L Mohr

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Ding, ding, ding. We have an AI scammer!

The number of scams is on the rise. Systems like ChatGPT have made it super-easy for the charlatans to craft the perfect emails.

Scrape this website here of that information. Scrape that bit too. Oh, and get ChatGPT to run its own high-powered search. And tell the system to craft the perfect email that will suck the unsuspecting doop in.

As many of us start to see more and more of these emails, we’re starting to see patterns that seem to be the Hallmark of scams. But, it’s getting harder and harder to spot the scams. And for a freelance editor (and writing coach) such as myself, what might look like a scam on the first inspection (as it’s an email that follows the telltale signs of an AI scam), the email might indeed be a prospective client that I need to start courting.

In today’s post, we’re going to look at the tactics that scammers are now using. I’ll even attempt to provide tips on how to identify the AI scams for what they are (though the AI scammers are quickly evolving and they are wisening up to their own failings.)

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Woman watching the sunset

2026 Theme: Commit to Self

Every year, I encourage the members of my various writing groups to pick a word or a phrase that will be a signpost for their actions (and decisions) for the coming year. The idea is that we often know that there is an aspect of our lives that we want to change (improve) in some way. But instead of making a New Year’s resolution that we forget and ignore, we’re providing our subconscious brains with a mantra that we can repeat over and over, helping to guide our actions.

I started doing this myself back in… I think it was 2016. At first, it was just recognizing an aspect of my personality that seemed to be ingrained into my psyche. The word eventually grew to a short phrase.

10 years later, and I still set a word or a phrase for the coming year. And this year, in a way, I’ve set both.

2026 Phrase: Commit to Self

2026 Word: Self

This year’s word and phrase are not about being selfish. It’s quite the opposite. But they are about realizing that if I don’t take the time to recharge and shut away from the world occasionally, I’m going to burn out. And in certain interactions with others, if I don’t put myself first in the equation, others will continue to walk all over me, taking advantage of my goodwill.

It’s time to take the time to discuss what my 2026 word and phrase mean to me.

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2025 was a Big Step Forward

Presenting at online conferences and for various organizations. Running writing workshops. Publishing a novel. And being named one of ten New Voices of Aotearoa.

There is no doubt about it: 2025 has been a massive year for me, with a huge step forward within my writing career. But there were also massive steps forward within my physical and mental wellbeing too. And here's hoping that 2026 sees the momentum continue.

It's that time of year again, when I look back at the year just been and celebrate my successes.

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