<aside> 🔑 This Notion was originally created as an accompanying case study to an Edinburgh Futures’ Institute dissertation examining the role generative AI technologies can play as a new tool in a fantasy writer’s toolbox, as well as assisting writers in transferring their skills across different media forms. The Notion includes A) an introduction to the fantasy world of “Fìdeachlann” that was developed with the assistance of genAI tools; B) tips and resources for genAI in fantasy worldbuilding and C) additional notes and ethical considerations about the project.
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Emerging technologies often come with as much fear as excitement. While there are many valid concerns around the negative implications of genAI for writers, the opportunity is just as great. However, for writers to be an active part of the conversations that will shape how society socially and legally regulates the use of such tools, the fantasy writer should feel comfortable experimenting with the tools by having access to jargon free resources to understand what these technologies do and how they do it.
This notebook demonstrates that Generative AI can play a role in a fantasy writer’s world-building process through:
The notebook will give you a brief overview of generative AI technologies through sharing my own favorite resources to learn different models/tools, as well as a tool database and prompt library for your own experimentation with genAI. In addition, the three artefacts developed for the fantasy world of Fìdeachlann serve as detailed examples of the power (and limitations) of using these tools int eh worldbuilding process, while highlighting best practices to prioritize your own creative vision, and be a ethically responsible AI user.
<aside> 🔍 The content is presented in multimedia forms, including text, images, screen recordings, and audio accompaniments. This is designed to hopefully provide a range of entry points for different learning styles and levels of interest/prior knowledge, as well as serve as a basis to find the most relevant resources for individual interest areas. Lastly, I chose to use voice memos throughout the notebook as the primary way to reflect on my own world-building process with genAI tools to provide “background track” while you are viewing images, etc., and challenge the assumption of many writers (including myself) that all our thinking needs to be done solely inside our head or on the page. The notebook is best viewed in light mode and full screen.
Navigation Key 🔊 Listen in for an explanation (audio file) 🤖 Working with GenAI tools 💡 World ideation points 🎙️ Notes from interviews with experts ✍🏼 📹 🎭 Sample snippet of potential content in different forms
New to working with Generative AI? Start here.
Get the basics of GenAI and a brief overview of how these technologies are currently being used across industries
Learn how GenAI identifies and generates new images, with a focus on using Midjourney
Understand Large Language Models (think ChatGPT) and about some of the text generative tools they power
Understand the GenAI basics, and ready for some examples in fantasy worldbuilding? Start here.
Designing the map of Fìdeachlann and generating inspiration images for different nations/peoples
Developing the magic system of Fìdeachlann through merging craft and genAI
Co-writing a folk song with genAI, and experimenting with the medium of musical theatre
Ready to co-create with GenAI for your own fantasy worldbuilding project? Start here.
A full list of sources referenced in this notebook and the accompanying dissertation can be found here:
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<aside> 🧭 Notebook Navigation 🔊 Listen in for an explanation (audio file) 🤖 Working with GenAI tools 💡 World ideation points 🎙️ Notes from interviews with experts ✍🏼 📹 🎭 🎼 Sample snippet of potential content in different forms
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<aside> Create Your Own Work
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<aside> Learn about GenAI
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<aside> GenAI in Action
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