From the Backlist: What I Need to Write

 

Image from DiviantArt - Lazy Reading by snatti89

It is time again to delve into our Supernatural Underground backlist-of-awesome and find a post you'll enjoy rereading (or re-reading if you've been in our community for a while!)

This time, we're featuring Terri Garey reflecting on what she needs to write. We hope it resonates with you. Enjoy!

***

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

What I Need to Write

 by Terri Garey

 

We're talking about "writing touchstones" this month in the Underground, and you've already seen that different writers need different things in order to stir their creativity:  Helen Lowe needs to write freely and loosely in longhand, Amanda Arista uses visual images, while Jocelyn Drake and Pamela Palmer use music to put them into a writing frame of mind.

What I need to write is pretty simple; I need to READ.  There is nothing I love more than a great story, well-told.  Reading has taught me so much about writing.  It's taught me what works in a story and what doesn't, from simple things like the fact that if I, as a reader, don't care about the characters, then I'm not going to care for the story, and more complex things like pacing, plot development, conflict and resolution.

I've been an avid reader since grade school, and I have never, ever stopped.  I read while I'm on the treadmill.  I read while I eat my lunch.  I read while I'm on a plane.  I read while I'm at the beach, or in a waiting room, or at the hair salon.  I read, read, read, and then I take the lessons I've learned from that reading and I try to craft a few great stories, well-told, of my very own, for others to enjoy.  Basically, if I'm not writing, gardening, exercising or sleeping, I'm reading!

In the last three weeks, I've read nine books...

Read the full post here! 

 

* * *

We would love to hear what you are reading right now, in the comments.

 

The Art of Adaptation - AI: A New Chapter for Writers

AI and Writing Detection - Justin Gluska, October 2024

Next in the Art of Adaptation Series!

Embracing AI: A New Chapter for Fantasy Authors 

In the enchanting realm of fantasy literature, where dragons soar and magic zings through the air, we find ourselves on the brink of a transformative wave—the rise of artificial intelligence. As we dive into this brave (or frightening) new world, I want to reflect on how AI might shape the landscape for fantasy authors and, in turn, the stories we cherish. 

How will we all adapt?

1889 novel where AI takes over
the world.

Writing in a World of AI 

For many authors, writing is a deep, personal process, rich in emotion and intricately woven with their unique voice. AI presents an intriguing proposition here. With tools that can analyze narrative structures, suggest plot twists, or even help in world-building, could these innovations enhance the creative process? Some authors may find that AI serves as a brainstorming partner, helping to overcome writer's block or providing endless possibilities to consider. 

Can blending human creativity with AI capabilities result in more intricate and layered stories? If so, the concern remains: will the essence of storytelling be lost? 

The distinctive nuances of characters crafted from personal experiences, the way an author captures the intricacies of human emotions, or the intimate connection formed through relatable dilemmas might get overshadowed if automated systems take the wheel. Still, the heart of fantasy has always been its capacity to transport readers to new realms—perhaps AI can assist authors in doing just that, allowing them more freedom to focus on the emotional depth of their characters. 

1968 film inspired by
Arthur C Clarke 

Marketing Magic in the Digital Age 

What about marketing, you ask? 

As the publishing industry continues to evolve, so too will the strategies authors employ to connect with their audiences. Marketing in the age of AI could redefine how fantasy authors approach their readers. Personalized marketing campaigns powered by AI analytics may better target specific demographics, allowing authors to reach niche audiences who are eager for their tales. 

Imagine a world where illustrations, interactive maps, and additional digital content can be effortlessly integrated into a book’s marketing strategy. By leveraging AI, authors could create an immersive experience that complements their storytelling, enticing readers to dive into the world they've crafted even before turning the first page. 

But what does this mean for authenticity? Will the charm of grassroots marketing—intimate book signings and personal interactions with fans—be sacrificed for distant algorithms? Navigating this slope will require a fine balance between innovation and the warmth that the community of readers and writers cherish. 

A Changing Publishing Industry 

A 1968 novel made into Blade Runner
in 1982 directed by Ridley Scott

The publishing industry itself stands on the precipice of transformation as AI tools become more prevalent. From manuscript evaluations to editing, the potential for automating certain tasks could streamline the process. Publishers may gain the ability to sift through pitches more thoroughly, identifying hidden gems that previously might not have received any attention. 

Nonetheless, this shift raises important questions. If AI tools become standardized, will all fantasy stories begin to resemble one another, lacking the quirks and spark that make each narrative unique? Or could this be an opening for more adventurous, experimental works, as the time and barriers to entry are reduced for storytellers? 

The Human Touch 

At the end of the day, the most significant question remains: what does this mean for our experience as readers? Will the magic of reading mature into something more profound and immersive, or could it lose its heartfelt touch in the quest for efficiency? As avid fantasy lovers, we must be vigilant. 

Asimov's SF short stories 1940 - 1950
Proyas 2004 film with Will Smith

Our barometer for what constitutes a good story should always center on the depth of emotion and relatability it evokes. AI may alter the tools we use to craft and discover stories, but the soulful heart of storytelling will always thrive. The narratives we adore are stitched together not solely by structure, but by the human touch—the ability to connect, to inspire, and to transport us to realms beyond our own imagination. 

Adapt or Perish?

In 1968, a French literary critic and theorist named Roland Barthes wrote an essay called The Death of the Author. His thesis was that “The birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the author”. 

One way to understand this is to say that every text is eternally written here and now. But every time it is read, it is rewritten by the reader, and given a different meaning depending on the reader's mood, knowledge and perspective. In this way, the author (or artist) must step aside for the art to stand on its own and create new meaning.

Essentially, the author dies so the reader may be born. 

As AGI evolves, are authors to face a new kind of death, or was Barthes seeing sixty years into the future?

Conclsions

Features a compelling AI
character Character

As we venture forward into the uncharted territory of AI, can we celebrate the fusion of creativity and technology, while holding on to the essence of what makes fantasy fiction so wonderfully captivating?

After all, the story is still ours to tell—wrought from the tapestry of dreams, imagination, and the undeniable human spirit. Isn't it?

Do you think AI will change the way fantasy authors create? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! 

Disclaimer

If you've read all the way to the end, my AI buddy and I thank you.

That's right, I actually didn't write this post. 

To exemplify the ideas here, I took 2 minutes to set up an AI blog platform on Grammarly with ideas, tone and keywords to explore. I pressed GO, and two seconds - one, two - later, this article appeared.

2009 Novel with the quantum sentient
“Being” JARROD. 

I edited it a little, changing a word here and there, and adding different punctuation, but it's not really me, my research (which I would have spent 6 hours minimum doing, not 2 minutes) or my voice. 

Except for one heading and two paragraphs that follow it (and this disclaimer).

Can you tell which is me in the sea of AI (gathered and compiled in 2 seconds)? I'd love to hear your guess in the comments. 

xxKim

* * * 

About Kim Falconer 

Kim Falconer, also writing as AK Wilder, has released Crown of Bones, a YA Epic Fantasy with Curse of Shadows as book 2 in the series. 

Currently, she is ready with the third book, planned to be out in 2025. TBA

Kim can be found on AKWilder.com, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and KimFalconer.com. 

Throw the bones on the AKWilder.com site.. See you there!

Read Blood and Water, a PNR alt history that will leave you questioning every natural disaster ever endured.

“There is no doubt fiction makes a better job of the truth.”

― Doris May Lessing, Under My Skin: Volume One of My Autobiography, to 1949

 

From The Backlist: "Great Dialog" By Stina Leicht

 .
It's always a delight to delve into our Supernatural Underground backlist-of-awesome and find a post we think you'll enjoy rereading (as much as we do!)

This month, we're featuring Stina Leicht's post on writing dialog, which is a deep dive that will interest readers and aspiring writers alike.

Enjoy!

Great Dialog 

by Stina Leicht

... Dialog should have texture. Some characters should be more serious. Others should speak in clipped tones. That’s more like real life, after all. Everyone has their way of speaking, and characters should too. Ultimately, dialog should say a great deal about the character, the world they’re from, the relationship they have with those with whom they’re speaking as well as the plot.

I’ll start with dialog as world-building. Everyone is familiar with the concept. We all know about accents, but geography and culture have a deeper, more subtle affect on speech. I learned that when I wrote Of Blood and Honey which is set in Northern Ireland. Unlike in American films, in reality an Irish accent isn’t the same all across the country even though its a small island. In fact, in the Irish language there are four distinct dialects. (There are others, but they aren’t officially recognized by the government.) And that’s when the Irish speak Irish. When they speak English, it’s possible for them to tell where someone is from within a few miles. It’s possible to tell a great deal about someone based on how they pronounce the letter “H.” It’s that nuanced. 

I’ll give you an American example. In Texas, an East Texas accent isn’t the same as a Central Texas accent. People who’ve spent all their lives in East Texas tend to, well… mumble. (And if you want a good example of East Texas dialog, read Joe R. Lansdale.) Central Texas accents are clearer and faster. People from other parts of Texas speak slower and more drawn out. It’s possible to convey these differences without writing in dialect. Listen closely. Ask any poet, language has rhythm. So do accents.

Once I get something down, I read it out loud. I ask myself if the words sound like something someone would actually say. If it doesn’t roll smoothly off the tongue, I fix it. Then I think about the environment the character came from. Are they upper class or lower class? How well educated are they? In addition, the analogies and slang they use should illustrate something about their background. The word choices can hint about about their age too. I once had a discussion with a new writer about whether a teenager would use the word “bosom.” Here’s a hint: they wouldn’t—that is, unless they’ve spent their entire lives around older southern (American) women and were home schooled.

..."

Like last month's What If: Folklore As A Source feature by Melissa Marr, the above is an abridged version of Stina's original, which you can read in full here.

To check in on Stina and what's she's writing currently, you can visit her here.

Hint, she has a new novel out this year: awesome, high five!

Great Leaders in Speculative Fiction #7: Signe in "A Song For Arbonne" by Guy Gavriel Kay

 .

In last month's post, I focused on when a book's "big bad" can also be a great leader. This month, I want to hone in on Signe de Barbentain in A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay. 

Signe is definitely on the side of the angels, but she has also had leadership thrust upon her, in a country -- Arbonne -- divided by a bitter rivalry for the past quarter century. 

For starters, she is an old woman, and the widow of Arbonne's ruling Count, rather than having always held the throne in her own right. The reason she does so now is because her husband died without an heir -- and the divisive rivalry is between the heads of Arbonne's two most powerful political and military families. So Signe, despite her age, must rule alone and in her own right, in order to hold the balance of power, and keep the peace, between the two.

What further complicates the situation for Signe, is that the cause of the feud was her daughter, Aelis. Aelis was married to one great nobleman, Urte de Miraval, but fell in love with the other, Bertran de Talair. She died in childbirth, but brought matters to a head by revealing the affair to Urte and telling him Bertran was the father of her child -- who also died, leaving no heir to Arbonne and a bitter feud between the two men. By the time Signe comes to rule alone, the rift is irreconcilable.

The problem for Signe is that Arbonne's neighbour, the militarily powerful and fervently religious nation of Gorhaut, makes no secret of its ambition to annexe Arbonne -- an ambition fueled by Gorhaut's desire to eradicate the worship of the goddess Rian, which prevails in Arbonne. 

Under such circumstances, Arbonne needs unity desperately, because unless Urte and Bertran reconcile, Gorhaut will conquer it. As Countess, Signe must strive to prevent that outcome. She also knows that Urte and Bertran will never work together, despite considerable effort by herself and other Arbonnais leaders. (Including 'influencers', as we would say. :-) )

Signe's unenviable dilemma is brought to a head when a very high-ranking Gorhautian noblewoman, Rosala de Garsenc, arrives in Arbonne requesting political sanctuary for herself and her about-to-be-born child. This is a considerable test for Signe in terms of living her "side of the angels" values, because granting it will give Gorhaut the perfect pretext to invade. 

The easiest, and most politically expedient, course for Signe would be to refuse Rosala and send her and the child back, irrespective of the adverse fate that awaits them. But although Signe is old, and tired, she is also astute. She understands that Gorhaut will invade at some point regardless, but most probably soon, and that sending Rosala back will very publicly negate the values that Arbonne -- and the disputed worship of the goddess Rian -- claim to stand for. So in bowing to Gorhaut, Arbonne will appear weak and craven, eroding public confidence and causing its allies to waver. 

In other words, Signe is capable of evaluating both immediate threats and a bigger picture, and -- however old, and physically frail -- of making the big calls. Yet the elephant in the Arbonne room is always the feud between Miraval and Talair, and defying Gorhaut will lay bare its consequences. 

Signe's dilemma is that Bertran de Talair is the most able military leader and must lead Arbonne's defense -- but if he does, Urte de Miraval won't fight himself or field Miraval's considerable military force. An impossible decision, but as ruler, Signe must make it. She appoints Bertran, as she must, and Urte withdraws. Leaving Arbonne's defense a forlorn hope, or so we think... 

[Herewith a "Spoiler Alert" for anyone who hasn't read this book, but thinks they might like to.] 

Signe realizes the only way to save Arbonne is to accept that she can't reconcile or compel Urte and Bertran, so she must come up with an alternate plan based on their division. But to work, complete secrecy must be maintained -- not only from Gorhaut, but from Arbonne's allies and the rest of Signe's leadership team. Only one other person, necessary to make it work, can be privy to the plan.

Here's the thing, though. Like many such secret plans, it's high risk and requires Signe to proceed on the basis of trust, even if she cannot be entirely certain of her ace in the hole. So Arbonne's fate rests on a gamble, but also Signe's nerve, wit, and determination in playing for the highest stakes.

So when I look across the array of leaders present in the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres, Signe de Barbentain is right up there in the ranks of the great. Among the many qualities that qualify her for greatness, the foremost (in my 'umble opine :-) ) is Signe's ability to accept what cannot be changed. Then use it, to defend the country, and way of life, she loves. 

~*~

About Helen Lowe

Helen Lowe is an award-winning novelist, poet, and lover of story. With four books published to date, she is currently completing the final instalment in The Wall Of Night series.
.
Helen posts regularly on her “…on Anything, Really” blog, monthly on the Supernatural Underground, and tweets @helenl0we.

......................................~*~

Prior Posts: Great Leaders in Speculative Fiction ~ 
Where To Find 'Em & Why They Rock

February: Mara of the Acoma in the "Empire" series by Raymond E Feist & Janny Wurts

March:  Kaladin and Dalinar in "The Stormlight Archive" by Brandon Sanderson

April: Pyanfar Chanur in "The Pride of Chanur" series by CH Cherryh

May: John Aversin in Dragonsbane, by Barbara Hambly

June: Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" Trilogy, by Suzanne Collins

July: Ulric of the Nadir in Legend by David Gemmell