July 17, 2011

To my science fiction, comic book nerd friends and writer friends:

I have a question about a story series I am am writing. The title character is a computer program, Artificial Intelligence, who eventually comes to life in the real world. His personality was copied from a human. The series isn't a mystery or a thriller, it's more like a slice of life like Seinfeld, Entourage mixed with SF elements and action from time to time.

My question is: would you as a reader, rather know the exact origin, identity of the person your main character was downloaded from and history of the AI from the start of a TV/comic book series ,or would you rather that info be held off until later in the series to build up?

It matters little to me emotionally. But it's important because I have two beginnings to choose from, and your answers would help me figure out which beginning is best.


Thanks for your time.

2 comments:

XantesFire said...

Does it matter to the main plot? If it's not a mystery or thriller or being kept a secret for comedic or any rational scientific reason I would think the person it was being copied from would want to know and so would all the scientists and non-scientists involved. For the scientists it would be more important because it would give them a baseline to analysis the AI's behavior. For the non-scientists involved because they would like to know and if the scientists know, it's not gonna be a secret.

Courtney Coulson said...

I think start the story at a random point and establish the character as you go, building up backstory by dropping bits of information here and there.
That's the way it's done in a lot of stories. At least traditionally. Modern writers have a habit of just telling you straight up who their character is.
Where as, Sherlock Holmes, for example starts with Watson missing Holmes and paying him a visit. Slowly we are told more about the two, and I like that method most.