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Using AI for Creative Writing: Practical and Ethical Considerations
Have you ever used or considered using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in drafting and editing your manuscripts? There are a few ethical and practical considerations. In this article, I will provide a fact- and statistics-based summarization of the current state of generative AI with a focus on the creative writing landscape, supplemented by…
I am a Canadian writer, born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. I write under the pen name, Scheherazade, who is the main protagonist of The Arabian Nights.
After King Shahyarar and his brother witness the unfaithful acts of their wives, they set out on a quest to find someone with a romantic partner more disloyal than theirs. They stumble upon a demon carrying a glass chest, inside which a woman is locked.
The demon unlocks the chest and falls asleep. The woman steps out and forces Shahyarar and his brother to make love with her under the threat of violence. The two men comply. Once the deed is done, the woman takes a ring from them both, which she adds to her collection of almost a hundred, each taken as a memento of the men she had slept with.
The quest fulfilled, the two brothers return to Shahrayar’s palace. Shahrayar is convinced all women are infidels. Out of rage and spite, he kills all of the women in his palace, including his wife and slave girls. He vows to marry a virgin woman every night and kill her the next morning as an act of vengeance against the female sex.
Enter Scheherazade who, against the wishes of her father (the King’s vizier), marries Shahrayar. On the night of the marriage, she tells him a story. But before she can finish the story, morning arrives, and she lapses into silence. The King decides to postpone Scheherazade’s execution by another day in order to hear the rest of the story.
This cycle continues for nights on end, with Scheherazade stopping mid-story at the break of dawn, leaving the king in suspense.
“If I am alive tomorrow night, I shall tell you something stranger and more amazing than this.”
Source: Haddawy, Husain, Muhsin Mahdi, and Daniel Heller-Roazen. The Arabian Nights. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Co, 2010.
There is a lot to admire about Scheherazade, from her sharp wit to her unwavering courage. To me, as a writer and storyteller, Scheherazade is an icon of the power of stories in captivating readers/listeners and promoting positive social change. Since I also specialize in writing short stories, she represents the ideal pen name for me to write under.
My stories blend together elements of different genres including fantasy, horror, and realism. Authors who have greatly influenced my writing include JRR Tolkien, Clark Ashton Smith, and Fyodor Dostoevsky, among countless others.
I look forward to sharing my stories with you and connecting with other like-minded individuals.
The Flutist of Sinraat and Other Fantasies
‘…in lands ruled by quarreling gods, where the border dividing the realms of the living and dead is obscure, where creatures of nether and aether inhabit the Earth alongside humanity, and where light recedes to darkness, surely, anything was possible.’
Dive into the world of the surreal and fantastical. Included in this anthology are seventeen short stories, each brought to life through dream-like prose that pushes the boundaries of the English language to create vivid, sensory experiences.
Immerse yourself in provocative tales that blend elements of fantasy, horror, and realism:
In “The Flutist of Sinraat,” Torosh the pipe player is banished from the royal palace after asking for the king’s daughter’s hand in marriage. Left in an impoverished position, he enters into a spectral contract with an insidious spirit from another realm…
In “The Pool of Lost Memories,” General Thragan marches his army over the mountains on a return journey to his homeland. Along the way, he drinks from a mysterious pool and becomes acquainted with his past selves…
In “Xarthon,” the King of the Xarthonian Empire, having grown old and shriveled, reminisces over the carefree days of his youth. After waking up from a strange dream, he is filled with an inexplicable longing to see his childhood lover again, in spirit or flesh…
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To Outline or not to Outline? Pantser (Blitzer) versus Plotter
Writers can be divided into two categories: those who outline and those who do not. The internet likes to call them plotters and pantsers, respectively. Quick related aside, I always thought the term pantser was strange. ‘Pantser’ is based on the idea of writing from the seat of your pants.1 However, the first thing that…
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Self-Publishing or Traditional Publishing? Why I am Choosing to Self-Publish as a Creative Writer
Most—if not all—writers who dared to pen their ideas have thought about publishing their works at some point or another. Those of you who are ready to make the ‘leap of faith’ must decide on whether to traditionally publish with a third party or self-publish using your own resources. My Self-Publishing Journey In recent decades,…
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Channelling the Essence of the Greats: Why Writers Should Read Classics
Reading and writing are like breathing in and breathing out, respectively. As writers, reading allows us to get inspiration for story ideas and to explore different writing styles and techniques. It is in the best interests of writers striving to hone their craft to read habitually. With so many books out there, you might have…
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The Secret to Unleashing the Creative Muse Within You: The Benefits of Writing Your Stories by Hand
I like to write the first drafts of my stories by hand (longhand specifically) which may seem like an odd thing for a writer living in the twenty-first century to do. Why not type them out on a computer to write faster and write more? Why deprive yourself the luxury of the backspace key for…
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Nutrition, Fitness, and Lifestyle Tips to Improve Your Writing
Writing can be taxing on both your mental and physical health due to the sedentary and isolative nature of the craft. Becoming a proficient writer involves discipline, self-care, and mindfulness. A balanced and fulfilling lifestyle is key to enhancing your creativity and productivity. Hone your writing skills while optimizing your overall health and well-being through…
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The Importance of Critique for Improving Your Creative Writing
You have finished your manuscript. Congratulations! Now, you might be interested in sharing it with others and getting feedback on your writing. Critique exchanges with other writers is one of the easiest ways to do so at no cost but your time. A critique exchange involves two writers reviewing and providing feedback on each other’s…
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5 Tips to Improve Your Writing Productivity
Life sometimes gets in the way of achieving your writing goals. We all have other commitments, whether it be school, work, socializing with friends, dating, taking care of loved ones, etc. That said, we all aspire to finish our manuscripts and maybe share them with readers. Here are a few quick tips to help you…
Scheherazade 