What If . . .
I realize so many of my novels start with a "What if . . ." and continue merrily through plot points and twists and turns with continued "What ifs . . ." and it started me thinking that perhaps that is the root of all creativity.
I pondered this as I drove with Oldest Son last night. He has joined a Robotics Club--you know, one of those very competitive high school clubs with national competitions for robots that the students build. He has decided he wants to be one of the programmers for his high school's club. And then he said the most astounding thing. "I've decided I want to be a programmer as my career. I don't want to cure cancer or diseases. I want to invent the ROBOT that invents the pill that cures it."
Then he came up with an idea for an intuitive AI robot . . . for people with Alzheimer's. Where, like spell check, he said, the robot would comb through, instantly, all the words in a standard vocabulary and intuit what the next logical word is for someone who is losing the ability to speak.
Now . . . I don't know if AI will eventually reach that point. But that's what he wants to do.
My kid is a math genius. This I have always known. But now . . . now I see the creativity. And it starts with WHAT IF.
WHAT IF breaks down all barriers. It supposes no limits.
WHAT IF shatters your perceptions. It allows you to think freely.
WHAT IF offers you hope. What if . . . you just wrote the next book that becomes a phenomena. What if . . .
So that is my thought for the day. WHAT IF we all gave in to genius?
What question inspires your creativity? What "what if . . . " do you allow yourself in your life? What if . . . .
23 comments:
What if?
Why not?
What's the worst that could happen?
Why not me?
I can't go to What If in real life. It's daunting. But in fiction...it's all about the What If.
Mark:
WHY NOT is a good one . . . though I tend to be pretty impulsive or daring, so I don't know that I need that one as much . . . .
E
Amy:
Yeah . . . what if in real life can be a little dangerous.
E
One of my favorite quotes is "What would you try if you knew you couldn't fail?" or something to that effect. I feel like a wimp when it comes to making big decisions, but I have made a couple in my life.
My current wip is based on a What If, as you saw from my hook yesterday. What's scary is I got the idea from something that really happened.
I love this post. Very inspirational. One of my characters is literally born because she wonders. Otherwise, she would just be an unknowing part of a whole. But wondering ejects her from the security and safety of her home, and propels her into the universe, where she is able to choose her own destiny.
What if we're all able to choose our own destiny?
Heather,
I think my question is...what if we couldn't?
Right on, Amy.
Our "What ifs" require courage to carry through.
So much writing is left undone because it might not come out to be so good as we imagined it.
People like your son face the same thing. He might or might not be able to successfully carry out this "what if," but if he doesn't try he never will.
So it is with all of us.
Okay-- Erica, that line:
WHAT IF we all gave in to genius?
Is going over my computer.
That's awesome. What a sweet kid. His time volunteering at the nursing home has clearly paid off. (Or am I misremembering?)
Glenn has unshakable faith that if someone else can do it, it can be done, and therefore you can do it, too.
Damn. I'm impressed with Oldest Son's insights. AI knows no bounds. One day it will surpass even the most ambitious predictions, it will make even the most imaginative science fiction seem naive.
One day a NYT bestseller will be written by a robot.
Stephen,
You mean James Patterson?
Welcome to Robotics! My son got involved last year and is this year. Maybe I'll see you at a competition. It's fun to watch the kids get involved in this competition.
That by the way is what my son does for fun, programming. I bought him a $50 book on Umbutu or some such programming language. He got as excited over it as you would The Prince.
The nice thing is, now I can harass him when my computer isn't working!
LOL Jon. I've often wondered myself if James Patterson could possibly be human. A 17 book deal? Come on!
Heather:
That is the absolutely most WONDERFUL "birth" idea for a character!
E
Joe:
I hope in some teeny-tiny way I help my kids have that courage.
E
Natasha:
I know. All his AI ideas involve helping the handicapped in some way shape or form.
E
Stephen:
What Lurker Monkey said. :-)
E
Richmond:
That would be fun to run into each other. It should be a great year!
E
I once read a short story on BookView Café that had a chip implanted in the brain of a woman in the final stages of Alzheimers and she recovered her original capacities. I can't find it now, but it was interesting. I would have liked to post a link for the Oldest Boy. *sigh*
Frenchie:
Sounds right up his alley!
E
I love the what ifs - the positive ones that is. I tend to say the negative what ifs but am trying to get out of the habit.
I guess my current what if is "What if I get a book deal" The what if always makes me smile. :)
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