Writing a story/book

[Angrist]

I've always had nice ideas for stories, but I never got myself to work them out. Until yesterday! Lately (thanks to Xantar) I've been thinking a lot about artificial intelligence. I'm really fascinated by the idea of creating AI by copying human emotions/decisions. I'm sure that even something as complex as human emotions and decisions are based on 'simple' cost-benefit analyses. Emotions are not inexplainable, they are as rational as anything else.

I won't go into too much detail, but I think we have a basis for AI.

Yesterday I suddenly thought "what Michael Crichton can do, I can do as well" (probably not as good though). I've read 8 books of MC so far and they all had something in common: believable yet unavailable technology going wrong.

So now I'm working out a story of an AI project going wrong. I plan to write the book in Dutch first, after that I'll try an English version (which won't be as good as the original, because my Dutch is richer than my English).

What do you think? Please don't tell me this has already been done before.

[Swan]

It has been done I believe.


But coming up with any fully original ideas these days is next to impossible. You just have to add your own twist to it

[Angrist]

Yeah I figured. I guess I just need to avoid that story, before it gives me ideas.

Btw, is it illegal to refer to existing stuff, like computer games and to quote wikipedia articles? It would suck if I had to 'make up' my own versions of wikipedia and games.

[Professor S]

Using real evidence and history is preferable and completely legal. If someone can write wikipedia article on it, you can also, but be sure to put the information in your own words.

If you want to write about AI, do it, and do reserach on it. If you allow the reality to guide your fiction it will be more believable, inspre you and also inspire others to look more into that area.

I'm researching Tesla right now for a story I'm developing (its been a long time), and let me tell you, truth is stranger than fiction. He was a visionary beyond all others and in fact he is on record several times as having correcting some of Einstein's theories.

[Angrist]

But is it 'legal' to mention things like "I,Robot", "Civilization 4", "Wikipedia"? I rarely see such references in books.