The programmer’s guide to fiction writing: we’re starting to use an “IDE”
This is the fourth part in a series of posts on AI-supported fiction writing. For the full series so far, see this table of contents.
Over the last couple of posts, we created a braindump including a synopsis, in total about 1,500 words. It is now time to feed this information into sudowrite, the “IDE” we are using for getting to first draft. More specifically: for this article we will use its story engine feature to sketch out our initial set of characters. For more information, I would refer to sudowrite’s youtube channel, which has a bunch of great zoom recordings of courses, such as this story engine 101 course. I would also like to point out that the engine gets constantly upgraded and improved, and what works for me at this very moment might be accomplished more easily in the future using different features. The best way to find out is to simply try it yourself 🙂
Initial setup
Any programmer using an IDE will need to create a project first. Sudowrite is not that different. We create a new project called “stormbound” and click on the story engine section. We the paste our previous braindump into the “braindump” section (note that there is a different section for the synopsis; I’ll talk about this soon). Under the braindump, there are two more sections for “genre” and “style”. We established our genre in the last article, and using what we learned in the last post, we populate it as follows:
Young Adult with subgenre contemporary fantasy. This subgenre of YA fiction combines elements of the real world with elements of fantasy, such as magic, supernatural creatures, or alternate dimensions. Additionally, some aspects of coming-of-age and romance.
For the style, we ask the AI of our choice to “describe the writing style of most bestselling young adult novels, especially in the subgenre of contemporary fantasy,” then shorten it to 40 words or less. Here is what I use:
First-person narration from Ashley’s point of view to experience the story through the protagonist’s eyes. Use present tense and simple, clear language that is easy to understand and comprehend. Use colloquial language and slang that is familiar to young adults.
We now have the first column of the story engine populated. I now like to press the generate button next to “synopsis” to see if the spirit of what I want to convey is well-expressed in the braindump. If both are very similar, then we’ve done a good job so far.
Here is the synopsis created by story engine:
In the small town of Breezewood, Oklahoma, a young girl named Ashley Hayate struggles to find her place in the world. Haunted by a troubled past that includes the loss of her mother in a devastating tornado, Ashley is neglected by her work-obsessed father and left to navigate the challenges of adolescence on her own. Her rebellious behavior leads her down a path of minor felony charges, shoplifting, and reckless behavior.
Amidst this tumultuous backdrop, Ashley finds solace and hope in her secret passion for meteorology. She dreams of a better future, yearning to be popular, accepted, and beloved. However, her oppressive force takes the form of a seemingly well-meaning guidance counselor who fails to recognize Ashley’s struggles and offers little support. The “popular girls clique” at school becomes her tormentors, embodying the cruelty and judgment often found in teenage social dynamics.
As Ashley endures the hardships imposed by her environment, she discovers that she has a unique gift for manipulating the weather. Through a chance encounter with a mysterious figure, a reclusive meteorologist and former storm chaser, Ashley gradually realizes her own untapped potential. As the storms intensify, she grapples with the weight of responsibility and the ethical dilemmas that arise from her newfound abilities.
Enter the high school quarterback, her Prince Charming, who becomes a symbol of the life she yearns for but feels is out of reach. From afar, Ashley admires him, never daring to reveal her feelings until fate intervenes. The pivotal event, such as a high school ball, sets the stage for her remarkable transformation where she puts the girls clique into their place, catching the eye of her “prince”. Ashley has all that a girl supposedly could “want”: she is finally popular, has the superficially perfect boyfriend. But is this what she really “needs”?
As Ashley journeys through the second act, she grapples with the weight of responsibility and the ethical dilemmas that arise from her newfound abilities. She experiences personal growth, learning that true strength lies not just in the control of her abilities, but also in the wisdom to use them judiciously and selflessly.
With newfound confidence, Ashley captures the attention of her Prince Charming at the climactic event, where her inner and outer transformations align. However, this turns out to be a false victory, which sets Ashley on a different path. She learns to not measure her own worth by other people’s perception, be it the popular girls or boy of her dreams.
As the story progresses, Ashley undergoes a personal metamorphosis. With the help of unexpected allies — a compassionate teacher, a kind-hearted classmate, and the reclusive meteorologist — she learns to confront her past, channel her pain into strength, and embrace her true potential. The story ends with Ashley graduating school and having found a solution to the tornado problem that plagues the town.
“Stormbound” explores themes of forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the power of second chances. As Ashley emerges from the shadows of her troubled past, she discovers her own worth and the courage to confront her oppressors. This young adult novel presents a contemporary twist on the timeless Cinderella story, delving into the complexities of teenage struggles, the pursuit of redemption, and the transformative power of love and self-discovery.
Throughout “Stormbound,” readers will encounter a strong female protagonist who is determined to overcome her challenges and find her place in the world. Ashley’s story is a coming-of-age journey as she learns to accept her past and embrace her newfound powers. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns, as Ashley must use her newfound powers to save her town from a series of deadly storms.
By avoiding common tropes such as the chosen one, the love triangle, and the damsel in distress, “Stormbound” offers a fresh take on contemporary fantasy. The story balances the challenges of adolescence with the transformative power of self-discovery and redemption. Ultimately, “Stormbound” will captivate readers, resonating with those who have experienced adversity and offering a message of hope and resilience.
Note how the synopsis is almost identical to our braindump, just leaving out a few details here and there? I actually like it slightly better, as it hopefully gives the AI a chance to be slightly more creative in the outline. Then again, as was said in the story engine 101 course, “The best outline is what you bring.” Good thing they are already quite close 🙂
First round of character creation
Let’s see what characters sudowrite creates for us:
Ashley Hayate: A determined young girl with a passion for meteorology. Haunted by a troubled past, Ashley struggles with feelings of self-worth and the need to fit in. She has long brown hair and green eyes that seem to absorb the colors of the storms she’s fascinated by. Resilient and resourceful, she learns to embrace her unique abilities and find her true potential.
Dr. Theodore “Ted” Bentley: A reclusive meteorologist and former storm chaser who becomes an unexpected ally for Ashley. He has a graying beard, deep-set eyes, and a quiet intensity about him. Dr. Bentley harbors his own secrets, but recognizes Ashley’s talent and helps her learn to control her abilities.
Hannah Walker: A kind-hearted classmate who reaches out to Ashley despite the social barriers in their high school. She has short, curly red hair and a warm smile that invites trust. Hannah encourages Ashley to believe in herself and stand up against the bullies that torment her.
Mrs. Lillian Carter: A compassionate teacher who takes an interest in Ashley’s well-being and personal growth. She is a middle-aged woman with a calm demeanor and a knack for understanding the complexities of teenage struggles. Mrs. Carter offers guidance and support to help Ashley navigate her self-discovery.
Felicity Chambers: The leader of the popular girls clique at school, Felicity is an antagonist who embodies cruelty and judgment. She has long blonde hair and a seemingly perfect appearance, hiding a manipulative personality. Felicity uses her social status to torment Ashley and make her feel unworthy.
Bryan Mitchell: The high school quarterback who becomes a symbol of the life Ashley yearns for. He has short, dark hair, and an athletic build, making him the epitome of the “Prince Charming” archetype. Although he appears to be the perfect boyfriend, Bryan’s character challenges Ashley’s perception of what she truly wants and needs in her life.
Mr. Hayate: Ashley’s work-obsessed father who struggles to connect with his daughter following the loss of his wife. He is a tall, broad-shouldered man with a stern demeanor, who often seems preoccupied with his own grief. Mr. Hayate’s emotional distance from Ashley contributes to her feelings of isolation and neglect.
Mrs. Evelyn Martin: The well-meaning guidance counselor who fails to recognize Ashley’s struggles and offers little support. She is a middle-aged woman with a carefully curated appearance and a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Mrs. Martin’s inability to truly understand Ashley exacerbates the young girl’s feelings of alienation and frustration.
This is actually a really good start! We have:
- Ashley, our protagonist
- Ashley’s dad
- Bryan, the love interest
- Mrs. Martin, the guidance counselor (“evil stepmom” in the Cinderella template — maybe she could start dating Ashley’s dad in the second act?)
- Felicity, the mean girl (“evil stepsister”)
- Dr. Bentley (“fairy godmother”)
- Hannah and Mrs. Carter, two characters who have no equivalent in the fairy tale but are much needed allies in Ashley’s corner
Overall, sudowrite allows for 700 words for character descriptions. It’s not enough to fully flesh out each character, but we won’t need to do that anyway. The character section in story engine is not static; we will cut characters that are not needed in a specific chapter and only add them when we do. This allows us to add more details to each of them. For today’s post though, this level of detail is good enough. We only need more once we write the first chapter. Except…
Second round
…I would really love to add a little more context on the relationship between the characters. For this reason, I type “add in character relationships and how they bounce off each other” and hit the rewrite button. Below is the updated output. Note how the AI heeded our antipattern and did not introduce a love triangle (Felicity could have easily been Bryan’s girlfriend, and she would have been mean to Ashley to get her to “back off her man”). In retrospect, I suppose making the counselor date Ashley’s dad would fall into a similar category. Good job, sudowrite 😀
Ashley Hayate: A determined young girl with a passion for meteorology. Haunted by a troubled past, Ashley struggles with feelings of self-worth and the need to fit in. She has long brown hair and green eyes that seem to absorb the colors of the storms she’s fascinated by. Resilient and resourceful, she learns to embrace her unique abilities and find her true potential. Ashley has a strained relationship with her work-obsessed father, Mr. Hayate, who fails to connect with her after the loss of her mother.
Dr. Theodore “Ted” Bentley: A reclusive meteorologist and former storm chaser who becomes an unexpected ally for Ashley. He has a graying beard, deep-set eyes, and a quiet intensity about him. Dr. Bentley harbors his own secrets, but recognizes Ashley’s talent and helps her learn to control her abilities. Through their shared passion for weather, Ashley finds a mentor and father figure in Dr. Bentley.
Hannah Walker: A kind-hearted classmate who reaches out to Ashley despite the social barriers in their high school. She has short, curly red hair and a warm smile that invites trust. Hannah encourages Ashley to believe in herself and stand up against the bullies that torment her. Through Hannah’s friendship, Ashley learns to trust others and find her own voice.
Mrs. Lillian Carter: A compassionate teacher who takes an interest in Ashley’s well-being and personal growth. She is a middle-aged woman with a calm demeanor and a knack for understanding the complexities of teenage struggles. Mrs. Carter offers guidance and support to help Ashley navigate her self-discovery. Through Mrs. Carter’s mentorship, Ashley learns to confront her past and embrace her true potential.
Felicity Chambers: The leader of the popular girls clique at school, Felicity is an antagonist who embodies cruelty and judgment. She has long blonde hair and a seemingly perfect appearance, hiding a manipulative personality. Felicity uses her social status to torment Ashley and make her feel unworthy. Through Felicity’s bullying, Ashley discovers her own strength and learns to stand up for herself.
Bryan Mitchell: The high school quarterback who becomes a symbol of the life Ashley yearns for. He has short, dark hair, and an athletic build, making him the epitome of the “Prince Charming” archetype. Although he appears to be the perfect boyfriend, Bryan’s character challenges Ashley’s perception of what she truly wants and needs in her life. Through her relationship with Bryan, Ashley learns to confront her own insecurities and realize her worth beyond superficial popularity.
Mr. Hayate: Ashley’s work-obsessed father who struggles to connect with his daughter following the loss of his wife. He is a tall, broad-shouldered man with a stern demeanor, who often seems preoccupied with his own grief. Mr. Hayate’s emotional distance from Ashley contributes to her feelings of isolation and neglect. Through her strained relationship with her father, Ashley learns to confront her past and find healing.
Mrs. Evelyn Martin: The well-meaning guidance counselor who fails to recognize Ashley’s struggles and offers little support. She is a middle-aged woman with a carefully curated appearance and a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Mrs. Martin’s inability to truly understand Ashley exacerbates the young girl’s feelings of alienation and frustration. Through her interactions with Mrs. Martin, Ashley learns to trust her own instincts and find her own path towards self-discovery.
Note that the character depictions do not include descriptions of the character’s races. I like it this way: while only 24% of the population in Oklahoma is non-white, skin color is not pertinent to this specific story. Heck, Ashley’s last name is a Japanese word for storm, and only 1.8% of the population is Asian. I hope and assume the AI will keep the characters as inclusive as possible.
In our next article, we will continue the work in story engine to draft a more detailed outline. Be sure to also check out the previous articles in this series.