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Monica Miller's avatar

Thank you so much for this post. I've been asking people for resources on "storytelling" lately, as the idea keeps coming up. I've been talking with a colleague about an archival project, and we keep talking about "telling the stories" of the objects in the archive. When talking about both scholarly research and teaching, I want to try to integrate more storytelling in both. And I've just been writing fiction for fun lately.

When I asked on social media for suggestions of resources about storytelling, one friend whose writing I really admire said that "emotion is an essential storytelling element." I have been thinking about that lately; I appreciate how your post here resonates with that.

(I'm looking forward to the Mysterium workshop, and your upcoming appearance in Macon!)

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Dallas Anne Duncan's avatar

"AI can repeat the literary devices, but what it can’t mimic are the emotions.”

— Cameron Mitchell

Thank you for sharing that specific line, Janisse. It puts into words something that I've been trying to explain to people who attempt to tell me that I'm insane for refusing to use generative AI in art, photography, and writing!

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Katharine Beckett Winship's avatar

Wow…the workshop on emotions!

Great summary 🌱🌿💚

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Janisse Ray's avatar

I was so scared he was going to ask me to go to the front of the room. LOL

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Mary Dansak's avatar

I was feeling dread, anxiety, fear, and apprehension just thinking about role-playing!

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Jenks Farmer's avatar

Great newsletter! You inspired my new book in content and title, so I sure wish I could do the New Book Marketing with you! But April is my month to make real money ( so I can afford to write books! ) so I'd just be the kid that falls asleep in the back of class. Physically drained right now but my layout guy is working hard on Secrets of Southern Gardening! Thanks for that!

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Janisse Ray's avatar

Jenks, congratulations on the new book!!!! I'll be eager to see it. You've got the marketing thing covered. xoxo

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Kory Wells's avatar

Cameron on Janisse’s substack? Love it when my worlds collide! He makes a great point about emotion and AI.

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Janisse Ray's avatar

I KNEW you knew him. Poet laureate of Murfreesboro!!!

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Katie Weinberger's avatar

Love your observation about AI and emotions. Just for curiosity, I put components of an essay I wrote into Chat GPT and was impressed with the technical perfection of the essay that it spit out…but it couldn’t nail the emotional component, even when I prompted it to “add more emotion.”

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Janisse Ray's avatar

What a fascinating exercise. I love that you asked AI to add more emotion. LOL

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Jane Pike's avatar

Janisse, is there a way to remove shipping on the workshops? I want to sign up to the mysterium workshop but it won't let me because of my non-US address xx

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Janisse Ray's avatar

Jane, I'll be in touch by email.

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Jenny Wright's avatar

And a great week to you, Janisse! Incorporating emotions in writing is an extremely useful element to think about and work with. The exploration of using emotion that Cameron Mitchell talks about is intriguing. Thank you!

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