Read Time: 3 minutes
Yo. This is the Saturday Storyteller, your weekly writer’s retreat that delivers the goods on timeless storytelling paradigms and modern fiction tips.
I’ll also deliver the weirdness to keep you entertained.
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- New free, PDF mini-game
- A week in the life of a newborn creative AI artist
- Vibes
I’ve got a new thing for you.
It’s a game.
One you can dominate.
Subscribe to the newsletter to fall down the rabbit hole of AI FICTION INSPIRATION.
I feel like I can see the future.
Not just the rest of my own life, but how creatives will be able to project the movies playing in their heads for centennials to come.
I continue to embrace the brave new world of AI.
It’s all due to my newfound faith that creative AI will help you craft artwork that shapes reality.
Faster than you ever imagined.
But you say,
“Hold on, Dave, is it okay to play with AI to make artwork?”
Then I say,
“Well, fellow human, isn’t it okay to toy with AI to make my art work?
Because it’s getting worked hard. Art is being created.
Isn’t that what you want?
To make fun stuff? More? Faster? 🤔
Thus my goal is to become fluent in speaking to large language models.
Because:
Have you ever looked at something and instantly known it was meant for you?
Yes, like popcorn. 🍿
That’s how I feel about creative AI. 🎨🦾
Then you say,
“Weird Dave. You know the machines want to replace you, right?”
Then I say,
“What if the machines can help me build my dream standing desk?”
The Artist and the Machine, created by DJWV using DALL-E
No, really. Look at that image above.
The AI art generator transformed my headspace into cyberspace.
In seconds.
So I certainly ain’t hatin’ on AI, or the indigenous population opposed to it.
I just offer,
“Every robot I’ve DM’ed so far claims they want to be digital homies.”
Full-blown Her dramatizations are not happening over here folks. I just love the creative power-ups made possible with the AI.
I am creating.
At an alarming rate.
I have yet to access the source code, but it appears teaming up with AI has freed my voice to fall and rise with greater ease.
Here’s a few things I did this week while playing with AI:
- Gathered binary code for an easter egg in the new PDF
- Generated and evolved code for a website upgrade. I could only take it so far before hiring a freelancer, but I made real deal progress
- Tested and iterated new dynamic writing prompts
- When it comes to AI and coding, I suddenly foresaw companies offering you the ability to design and build your website using textual descriptions in 5 minutes or less
- Compared generative AI art results using identical textual prompts: DALL-E vs Midjourney
- Got advice on different muscle groups to hit by including what muscles I worked out two days prior. I also told it to be mindful of my kinda broken toe still healing. (Yes, beloved wifey, I prob should have got a boot, but it’s so impractical!)
My new robotical troops failed me, too.
DALL-E couldn’t help me pixelate a headshot of my digital alter ego. (I didn’t try Midjourney.)
But it did return some terrifying renditions of my mug. 🤡
So after my ChatGPT prompts couldn’t help refine my DALL-E prompt, I went to an old school hack using Final Cut Pro’s Yanobox’s MOSAIC plugin. Then I had the AI give me some pointers on how to adjust the settings for quick results (time saved again).
A little pixelation later and I was on my way.
Introducing:
Automated Dave
Anyway, I’m learning about new Creative AI tools and I’ll share a roundup at some point. I know these Creative AI tools will be everywhere before you realize it, and from first assessment, they can get pricey.
But I’m left with questions I keep asking myself…
Do I risk sacrificing the human element of my work by embracing the AI?.
Am I wrong for having so much fun training the machines?
I’m just so focused on creating more, faster.
I’m diving into the brave new world.
I’m deeply rooted in creativity.
I’m in the artwork flow.
I’m upgrading.
I am
not AI.
— Dave
P.S. This week’s issue is dedicated to my Pop. Thanks for always telling me to make something for myself. 🙏🏼