Do you have topics or questions about books, writing process, editors, cover artists, or story ideas, aspects of a story (plot, characters, world), etc., that you want people to talk more about?
My example
For example, personally I want to know what people with disabilities think about the current book publishing situation. Do they feel they are represented? Do they want more representation? If other people were to write about their specific disability in a fictional way, what do they wish were written?
I’ve read two books where the main character is mute for whatever reason. Sometimes I wonder what people who are mute feel about those characters. I know it depends on the person, but I do get curious.
I’ve also had discussions here about race and diversity in fiction. Being sensitive and what it means. Doing research on a certain group and what it means to write about something that you’re not, etc. I’ve watched videos on people’s various takes on AI. I keep an eye out on what’s going on with the fiction space as much as I can, and the evolving views that people have on disabilities.
I’m curious if you have any discussions that you want to have (but are afraid of or not sure if other people would care, etc.). I’m thinking of creating a post series about it on my IG. I like doing these talks. It could be only about me. But I’d like to have discussions that you want to have.
If you ask me, I think there is something deeply wrong if I can point to a hyper-violent Seinen manga from the 90s as being an accurate representation of how people with ADHD think.
Disabilities and mental conditions are harder to write than gender identity, sexuality, or ethnic group because it affects the way you interact with the world deeply. From the tunnelvision you get from hyperfixating on certain things, to having an unreliable short-term memory, ADHD isn’t just a personality trait you slap onto a character to make them more quirky. Same with Autism and Anxiety Disorders, especially Generalized Anxiety.
I’m rather curious about why discussions of book promotion are always so vague and mysterious. How come no one wants to discuss specifics, with concrete examples?
I’d also like to know why people think it’s a good idea for AI to learn to do all the jobs humans love to do and are best suited for, like writing and music composition, instead of learning to do all the miserable and dangerous jobs no one wants. And why is no one talking about this?
Yeah, how to get your point across WITHOUT HAMFISTING YOUR POINT so glaringly obviously in your readers’ faces? So many stories I am reading can’t do that.
I think part of it is how breakthroughs in AI technology are communicated to the public.
Of course, there are many people who really don’t like writing, composing music, or making art but don’t want to pay someone to do it for them because they have no money to spend.
AI development might still be a niche topic for the general public, but it is gaining the interest / concern of people in business, politics, finance and (naturally) computers. Maybe most in the creative industries don’t understand the speed / impact of AI development.
Three interesting somewhat related videos I encountered this morning.
So many stories I am reading can’t do that.