“AI and I … need to talk?”

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SillWill Land #34

As my journey as an Indie Author and Artist continues, it has become apparent the greatest challenge is keeping up with all the changes in the field. With AI, (Artificial Intelligence), in both writing and design/illustration, making distressing waves, it feels as though staking out a place of relevancy becomes more and more difficult. The current Movie and Television Writers’ Strike sets up these questions as even more immediate. It’s daunting enough to compete with other talented writers/artists but an algorithm? AI and I need to … talk?

Below kind of summarizes my feelings about technology. You just know there’s a plot unfolding somewhere. See if you can relate.

On one hand, technology is a tool to be used by an enterprising person. On the other, it can usurp the creative person by, seemingly, pushing them to the side. I do a lot of digital illustration but use the software in a rather traditional way. Other people aren’t so restricted. It’s in the space between those two approaches I believe we’ll see the ultimate effects of the latest AI technological advances.

In the future, people may want certain illustrations, books or films labeled as being from an AI or an actual person’s imagination? That scenario was proposed by a young man I had a chat with at my last book signing. Gotta say it has potential. Would you prefer a story written by a person or an algorithm? We’re all going to find out over the next five to ten years in my opinion. And the Writers’ Strike in the film production industry will have a huge impact on that outcome.

In my novels, The Witch’s Foundling and The Secret Cage, I purposely chose the 19th century as the best setting for my Gaslamp fantasy. Technology and magic exist side by side in Sally and Samdriel’s world but the emphasis is on the supernatural. Besides having a deep love for the gothic vibe of stories like Jane Eyre, Frankenstein and Dracula, I wanted my protagonists to mainly rely on their own wits. No Google for them. Or AI to consider. Perhaps I’ll write a story examining that question but not today. For now, more adventures of The Witch’s Foundling will follow.

As a point of interest, 60 Minutes Australia did an interesting report on AI. Find it here on YouTube.

For our Feature Design of the Month say “Good Day, Milady,” to the Steampunk Sorceress. A mysterious woman has claimed a power that will challenge the world. Now, technically, my novels classify as ‘Gaslamp Fantasy’ meaning they feature a Victorian Gothic Vibe while true Steampunk is all about a Victorian Science Fiction aesthetic. Think, Frankenstein/Dracula vs. War of the Worlds/The Time Machine as a way to distinguish the difference. However, there’s a lot of overlap. For now, you can join forces with the Steampunk Sorceress on our Redbubble shop. She looks forward to your collaboration in her plans for world domination.

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SillWill Land #5 “Genres, Sub-Genres, Mash-Ups and More!”

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Whether in novels, films or comic books, modern storytelling is often divided into Genres and Sub-Genres. One of the challenges I’ve faced as an author is understanding what “Genre” my novel falls into as I’ve included elements from more than one. In terms of marketing, every writer needs to understand where their story sits whether you’re traditionally or self-published. The more of a “Mash-Up” your novel is the more complicated it can be to categorize. Genres actually help readers find your book as people go looking for what they like first and foremost. And if you mis-categorize your book you can end up with a lot of disappointed readers and poor reviews.

Using my own story as an example, I would categorize it as a Paranormal Historical Thriller. I recently heard of the sub-genre “Gaslamp Fantasy” which I feel would also apply. There’s magic and monsters and evil spirits set in 19th century England. So, you see what I mean”Gaslamp Fantasy” can be said to be related to “Steampunk” or maybe “Historical Fantasy“.

Though I wouldn’t use Steampunk to describe my book it could be said to contain Steampunk elements. So, maybe that’s its “Sub-Genre“. Which leads then to the term “Mash-Up” where we can throw together different tropes or characteristics from numerous genres to create something unique and, one hopes, cool. Unless, if possible, you go too far…

Think Lady Renalda Crosswise – Post Apocolyptic, Space Pirate Princess Mage Detective has a future? Don’t like to see fantasy and science-fiction mashed-up too closely together or are for piling it in on? Now, the doodle of Lady Renalda Crosswise doesn’t have any relation to the story I’m working on but you get an idea how some writers love to stretch a readers’s expectations. Gothic Horror can now encompass Urban Fantasy elements and procedural mystery. A detective story can have a science-fiction setting with a romantic subplot. A political thriller can involve zombies and alien invasion. Not to mention the plethora of Shapeshifter Romances out there these days. I guess there can be almost any combination as long as a writer or artist has the creative chops to follow through. Yet, is there a boundary to such mash-ups? I haven’t seen it but wonder if someone else has. Do you think that genre-expanding, mash-ups are a mess cluttering up literature or they’re just another trend that pushes the boundaries of the genre envelope?

We did a bit of the genre-bending with our graphic novel adventure series The Adventures of Astrodog by taking the trope of kid detectives and transporting them to the moon and having them led by an investigative dog. You can pick up a copy of those colourful stories right here. Keep pushing those creative boundaries and join the adventure!

For a couple of my current favourite writers in the “Gaslamp Fantasy” genre, check out:

C. J. Archer at: https://cjarcher.com or Tilly Wallace at: https://tillywallace.com