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No, AI Can’t Produce Art (but It Can Write)

June 6, 2022

Philosophy, Writing

computer, creativity, fiction, imagination, literature, programming, society, writing

Based on discussions and what I read, a lot of people are afraid AI, artificial intelligence, will “steal” their jobs – what the hell happened to the “one day we’ll have robots and we won’t need to work” dream of early sci-fi? But I digress… Writers don’t seem to be an exception. A great number of them seem to be worried about AI replacing them. So, can AI produce art?

In this post I argue that no, AI can’t produce art – for reasons we’ll explore. But AI can certainly write. It can already now, and I’m certain it will become even better.

Where’s the difference, then, you might ask.

The difference, to a large extent, revolves around matters central to the writer-or-artist distinction. More insidiously, perhaps, it’s about conditioning us into patterns that can have far-reaching (and unpleasant) consequences.

AI can't produce art
“The algorithm” (Google Photos) keeps suggesting that I should “fix [the] lighting” of this and many other photos. It doesn’t understand art
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How to Create Patterns in Literature

May 23, 2022

Fiction Writing Tips, Writing

creativity, literature, symbolism, writing

Can you imagine a narrative without patterns? A novel where each scene, chapter, or other division is more or less independent from the rest? Well, I wish I could say “me neither”, but I’m afraid I’ve seen such awful novels. Which is precisely why I know they should be avoided at all costs. To create patterns in literature is to create cohesion and symbolic depth, all while favoring non-linear narratives.

Briefly, patterns in literature are creative repetitions that produce meaning precisely as a result of their repetition. We’ll examine this in more detail, with examples, but the key takeaway is this: Patterns in literature are about adding affective impact to your narrative.

So let’s take an in-depth but accessible look at how to create patterns. I’ll first explain what patterns are and what effect they create, then I’ll offer you a practical guide.

patterns in literature
Patterns in literature become meaningful because we are used to seeing patterns everywhere in our life. Visually, aurally, and even in terms of experiences
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Planet Generator: A Tool for SciFi and Fantasy Authors

May 16, 2022

Programming, Writing

creativity, fantasy, fiction, javascript, programming, science fiction, writing

Astronomy is one of my hobbies, and I’m particularly intrigued by exoplanets – planets beyond our solar system. Combining this interest with my coding and writing experience, I thought to make this JavaScript Planet Generator program. Not only does it create graphical representations of such fascinating worlds, it also generates random civilizational data that might be helpful for science fiction and fantasy authors.

In other words, whether you’re a scifi/fantasy author looking for worldbuilding prompts, a programmer looking for inspiration and/or tips, or simply someone interested in the universe, there’s definitely something in Planet Generator that will interest you.

planet generator
Here’s how the results page of Planet Generator looks like
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