I very recently came up with an idea that deals with the concept of nature vs. man - capitalization and expansion as opposed to tradition. I want to somehow incorporate the existence of dragons and the people who speak for them as the means of stopping a "corrosive" expansion by the government, a body of people simply looking out for the needs of humans.

This need for growth contrasts against the traditional angle which is actively keeping the populace growing altogether. If it weren't for the traditions, then the people wouldn't grow, but because they're growing, they have to consider throwing away the traditions. No traditions will then equate to utter chaos that could potentially be the end of mankind as everyone knows it.

Dragons just top the icing on the cake.

 

I've been working on a few fictionalized accounts of the past few years of my life for a few months. One of my big problems with writing Genre Fiction, which I've been struggling with doing since I was like 11. has always been that I either get too bogged down with worldbuilding from the start and never actually end up with a story, or I just start writing and end up with a very inconsistent world immediately and end up scrapping it after I write myself into a corner like 15,000 words in.

Taking the 'write what you know' approach has definitely helped with that, and while I'm sure every young adult feels that their experiences are unique and meaningful and interesting when they're not, I think when I'm done I'll have something actually worth reading. I mean, Pink Floyd has made a decades-spanning career off one of their friends losing his mind, I figure I can made a half-decent novel out of the nine close friends and lovers I've lost to schizophrenia over the course of under three years.

Also been trying my hand at a bit of historical fiction, just because I've spent way too much time lately reading about the history of the Steppe. The idea that the history of civilization is kind of just the stuff that gets written down in-between invasions of horse-archers is surprisingly good inspiration.

 

Hello, just wanted to discuss a original fiction I am writing.

The basic premise is 'a god comes to Earth to learn what it is like to be human'. I've always been interested in the idea of deities and how they live their lives, so I dicided to write this.

The short story I am working on is known as A God Among Us and it follows Nox, one of the few still active gods after most have fallen into a death-like sleep or ceased to be after a God Civil War. Nox, tired of the fighting and politicking of deities triesmto assimilate herself into the mortal world to get a taste of what it is like to be those who used to worship beings like her. However, as of the first chapter, we see that its not going as well as she hoped; the mortals feel uncomfortable around her due to her status as a god, so she is quite alone. Eventually, she'll gain some friends after befriending someone who seems to be uneffected by the unnerving presence of a god.

After some fun time with her new friends, it twists darkly with the renewal of another God War between an enraged Nox against the others.

 

I'm working on a coming-of-age fantasy set in the present day Midwest. It features a young African American 'wizard' who comes into his powers and discovers a new world, yet he encounters a sinister underbelly to this magical society. It's probably too much like Harry Potter in some regards, but I'm writing the story I want to read - a fantasy that's filled (hopefully) with awe and wonder featuring a character that looks like someone of my race.

After all, I'm getting tired of having to cosplay as Dean Thomas every time I want to be a wizard.

 

Gunpowder fantasy set on a continent much like our Europe, with similar national rivalries and enmities. Super basic plot premise is: Coup attempt leaves princess alone in the wilderness until she's found by a company of light infantry from her father's army, separated from the rout that's possibly left her father and brothers dead, and it's up to a group of men that aren't even all the same nationality as each other to see her safely home.

Read: I'm too lazy to invent anything wholesale, but still want all the drama and conflict that come with a continent sweeping war, like the Thirty Years' War or Napoleonic conflicts, and I like 18th century clothing and militaries.

 

I'm working on a sci-fi setting on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. It's been terraformed and artificially heated, and it's the third space colony from Earth. Mars and Ganymede have already been colonized, and Titan's population is growing. The thing about Titan (which is true IRL) is that it's always facing one way. There's a light and dark side, and the way it orbits Saturn prevents one side from ever getting any light and one side ever getting any darkness.

To function, the entire dark side has to be lit, but that's expensive so the upper class live there. The lower class, mostly refugees from Mars' recent failed colonial uprising and people exiled from Earth's surface, live in the light side. Drugs, prostitution, homicide--it's all done in the light of day. All the time. There are nicer areas, but the slums are bad.

Artificial Intelligence has gotten to the point where AI are seen as having the same rights as humans. Depending on class, they have certain restrictions and authorization levels. Some AI, who've been around over a hundred years, can inhabit robotic bodies that look the same as humans. They can decide to inhabit vehicles and networks if they have the money or status, and many actively work for the government to prevent an AI from going rogue. Humans have kill-switches for AIs that commit crimes, and if other punishments don't work, they're gone.

Humans integrate a lot of biological technology, and many diseases can be cured or lived with for a long time. Most everyone, at least on Titan, gets along fine with both AI and human. There's not a whole lot of civil unrest except between the classes, and even then not a lot because most people have accepted the reason they're on Titan.

The big business on Titan is it's adaptability. The rich see it as the equivalent of a getaway from the hectic chaos of Earth and Mars and Ganymede. Titan is flexible and can be molded. Government oversight is few and far between when it comes to companies. The rich see an opportunity.

The main cast is a myriad of people from all different backgrounds, rich and poor, all races and ethnicities, and crazy different personalities. I center on Vegas, a 19-year-old girl living on the dark side of Titan and Miles, an 18 year-old-boy from the light side. Shit hits the fan quickly because of economic upheaval. People are rioting in the streets and the light-side residents have pushed their way into the dark side's streets. Large-scale violence and destruction erupt. (Think the Los Angeles riots of 1992.)

Under the cover of all this chaos, a small off-shoot of the biggest Titan company snatches Vegas, Miles, and Merri, a 20-year-old woman who can talk her way into or out of anything.

The company is experimenting with uploading human consciousness and converting it to AI-like data before implanting it in a robot, just like typical AIs do. They do this to Vegas before she can escape, but Miles and Merri manage to spring her. Darla, Vegas' family caretaker (who is a very, very old AI and is deteriorating), is a huge part of the escape's success. She gives Vegas instructions and means to escape to Mars to hide. Vegas accepts, but she has to find certain people first, namely her twin younger brothers Lincoln and Carson. At the end of book 1, they head off to Mars to track down Miles' grandparents and an AI Darla knew.

There's an ex-executive of the company residing in the backwoods of Mars (it's been terraformed for a long time), and that's another target while they're on Mars.

It's Subjective Omniscient, so the narrator has a distinctive voice. (If you need an example of well-done subjective omniscience, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is a great example. It's easy to tell the 'author' is Lemony Snicket because of his unique way of presenting everything.)

Wow, this was a long-ass post.

 

Not sure how they can supposedly have the same rights as people yet only AIs that have been around for 100+ years can have bodies and are all required to have kill switches.

 

That was explained badly. What I mean is, AI that have been around a long time have more privileges. It wouldn't take that long to gain a body, in fact my notes have it down as getting it almost immediately.

What I meant was that, the longer an AI has been around, the more options they have and the more access to the network they have.

When it comes to the kill switch, that is strictly used like our death penalty. If something horrendously egregious is committed by an AI and they're found guilty of it during a trial, one of the sentences on the table is the death penalty, just like any human. (At least, in this society. That could be a point of contention for everyone, I haven't decided yet.)