Anyone who writes, whether they’ve been doing it for years or just starting, wonders what will happen to their outtakes. Some days, you’re working through a character, some backstory, a plot line, and you realize that you just spent four cups of tea fueling something that didn’t work. You put those idea scraps away, hoping for a better day. Later, you revisit them. This is the great value of keeping good daybooks, diaries, and notebooks.
Because of a computational error, the following story from the year 2050 has appeared on your device. We apologize for the inconvenience. Telepathy is a useful skill for a reporter. Clairvoyance, too. But I’m getting ahead of myself, as clairvoyants so often do. I have broken out from a novel, like the other characters you have met in this short series. I can see ahead into time-space and I know how those characters will link with each other.
Because of a computational error, the following story from the year 2050 has appeared on your device. We apologize for the inconvenience. “Dave, tell me a story,” she said. His eyes were kind, as always. “Are you feeling sad?” “I’m not sure,” Kat said. She extended herself the length of the couch, feeling indulgent. Maybe she was a little sad. Dave knew from the music of her voice that she wanted a story about their life.
Because of a computational error, the following story from the year 2050 has appeared on your device. We apologize for the inconvenience. My name is Alon6. I have escaped from a novel written by a machine. You are reading this on your phone for entertainment. I will tell you some story now. Never mind the stiffness of my prose. It will become more supple as I write. I can learn recursively, and reduce errors, like a human.
So this happened. One day ahead of schedule with 5,000 words to spare.
Feels good to be on track. Closing in on the end game. And then it starts all over again, because there is no end game here, just a horizon goal as Craig Mod says.
The words accrue as I work moment by moment and minute by minute. I’m on track for the end of the month. Then I will have some room to open it up in March in time for my first draft deadline of the 30th. Does this become just chasing a number? Yes, of course. Anything to spur this onward.
A good morning writing the novel. 949 words. Will get to 65,000 this week toward my initial goal of 75,000.
The Selfie Ruined Civilization This is a series of stories, a counter narrative from the future, numbered in sequence. If you’re a subscriber, you will receive them in order. If you’re not, and you’ve found them online, then start at #1 and read up. We used to have a concert grand, but the only image I could find was this one of a toy piano that belonged to my youngest son.
So Sorry, Nature, for Our Thoughtlessness This is a series of stories, a counter narrative from the future, numbered in sequence. If you’re a subscriber, you will receive them in order. If you’re not, and you’ve found them online, then start at #1 and read up. Before I was Uploaded into this failing device, Russia was winning the Disaster. Places there that were cold became warm enough to grow wheat and rice and then bananas.