Latest news with #Writers
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Tell us your favourite TV shows of 2025 so far
The Guardian's culture writers have compiled their favourite TV shows of the year so far – and we'd like to hear about yours, too. Are there any new series that you would recommend watching? What have been best TV shows of the year so far, and why? You can tell us your favourite TV show of the year so far using this form. Please include as much detail as possible. Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you include other people's names please ask them first.
Forbes
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Romance Stories Reaching New Heartfelt Heights Via Generative AI
In today's column, I'll be exploring the heartfelt topic of writing romance stories, which can be accomplished readily via the use of modern-era generative AI and large language models (LLMs). Turns out there are serious considerations involved, touching upon numerous societal and cultural norms, business and economic facets, mindfulness factors, and the like. You could say that romance or at least romantic tales are in the air and that AI is now contributing to stirring the hearts and minds of many. Let's talk about it. This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). I'm guessing that at some point you have likely read a romantic tale. This would almost seem a certainty. From a young age, we experience romantic stories that garner our imagination and enthrall us with emotional roller coasters entailing love both gained and lost. Adults generally relish romantic renditions. Some see it as a form of escapism. You can allow your imagination to roam and dreamily think about the joys of romance. What exactly constitutes a romance novel or story? Consider the definition stipulated by the Romance Writers of America on their website under the title of 'About The Romance Genre' stating these vital underpinnings (excerpts): Notice that the expressed requirement is that a romance novel contains an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. Do you agree with that stipulation? You might readily quibble with it. Who reads romance novels? According to 'Romance Novel Sales Statistics' by Dimitrije Curcic, Words Rated, October 9, 2022, these are some key stats about romance novel sales and their readers (excerpts): Romance novels amount to well over a billion dollars in sales annually. That's a good sign. Give credit where credit is due. The sales keep rising too. The bulk of readership tends to be women. Of those, half possess a college degree. A related false assumption is that men don't read romance tales. The statistics cited indicate that nearly one-fifth of the readers are men. Some researchers view literary fiction and romance tales as bearing on our cognitive capacities and can be psychologically impactful. In a research study entitled 'Reading Literary Fiction Is Associated With a More Complex Worldview' by Nicholas Buttrick, Erin Westgate, and Shigehiro Oishi, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2023, these key points were identified (excerpts): The gist is that reading literary fiction can be useful in exercising our minds and expanding our worldviews. Out of this can come the upside of being more empathetic to our fellow humans, see my coverage on empathy intertwined with AI at the link here. Generative AI opens the door to devising romance novels and short stories that will go in whatever direction your heart desires. You don't need to wait for some publisher to decide what romance stories are going to sell. Skip the middleman and devise your own romantic tale. The tale doesn't have to conform to the prevailing norms. It doesn't need to pass the dollar-making tests of publishers. This is romance as you see fit. If you want to go beyond contemporary tropes, you are welcome to do so. The sky is the limit. Here are eight vital ways to use generative AI when it comes to romance stories: I opted to ask ChatGPT to craft a relatively short romantic story for me. Here we go. 'Sure, here's a short romance story featuring Lauren and Eric.' 'Romance Story Entitled: Love Beyond the Desk' 'Lauren had always thrived in her bustling office, her vivacious spirit lighting up every room she entered. Her colleagues admired her not just for her intelligence and beauty, but for the way she made even the most mundane tasks seem exciting. One day, a new team member joined the company—Eric, a man whose striking good looks and impressive physique were matched only by his keen intellect.' 'Their first interaction was nothing out of the ordinary. Lauren and Eric exchanged polite smiles and brief pleasantries as they worked on a joint project. Lauren found herself intrigued by Eric's confidence and quick wit, while Eric admired Lauren's ability to navigate complex problems with grace and enthusiasm.' 'Weeks passed, and their professional interactions began to shift. They found themselves staying late at the office, working side by side. Their conversations grew longer and more personal, often drifting away from work topics. Lauren discovered that beneath Eric's imposing exterior was a thoughtful and caring individual who shared her passion for adventure. Eric, in turn, was captivated by Lauren's zest for life and her ability to make every challenge seem like an exciting opportunity.' 'One evening, after a particularly grueling project deadline, Eric invited Lauren for a coffee to unwind. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and as they laughed over shared stories and dreams, the air between them crackled with a new, undeniable tension. That night marked the beginning of something neither had expected.' 'Their romance grew steadily, with each shared moment deepening their bond. They explored new places together, enjoyed quiet evenings at home, and supported each other through professional and personal challenges. Their love was tested when a major project presented unforeseen difficulties, causing stress and strain. However, facing these obstacles together only strengthened their connection. They learned to rely on each other, blending their strengths and compensating for each other's weaknesses.' 'One rainy afternoon, as they strolled through a park near their office, Eric stopped and turned to Lauren. He held out a small box and, with a tender smile, asked her to marry him. Lauren's eyes welled up with tears of joy as she said yes, her heart swelling with happiness.' 'Lauren and Eric's commitment to each other was evident in every moment of their life together. They built a life full of laughter, adventure, and unwavering support. In the end, Lauren and Eric's love story is a testament to the magic that happens when two people find each other and choose to face the world together, hand in hand. They lived happily ever after, their love a beacon that continued to shine brightly through every chapter of their lives.' I thought that was a reasonably compelling romance story. Generating such a story doesn't have to be a one-and-done activity. A notable strength of generative AI is the interactive conversational capability. You can keep telling the AI to do this or that, making these changes and those changes, doing so until you feel like the romance tale is where it needs to be. By and large, most of the major generative AI apps will produce a PG-rated romance story by default. This is due to the AI maker having added filters and made various modifications to try and prevent the AI from generating untoward content, see my discussion at the link here. Please be cautious in entering personal information as seedlings for your romance stories. When you use most of the popular generative AI apps, you agree to the licensing agreement that usually stipulates that the AI maker can inspect your prompts. In addition, they can reuse that data for further data training of their AI. All in all, the point is that your personal privacy and confidentiality are not guaranteed, see my discussion at the link here. A few final thoughts for now on this heady topic. Famed novelist Janet Evanovich said this about romance novels: 'Romance novels are birthday cake and life is often peanut butter and jelly. I think everyone should have lots of delicious romance novels lying around for those times when the peanut butter of life gets stuck to the roof of your mouth.' No more worries about having romance stories laying around. You can produce them on-the-fly, wherever you are and at any time, just be logging into your preferred generative AI.
Chicago Tribune
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Writers Theatre's 2025-26 season includes the local premiere of ‘Leopoldstadt'
Writers Theatre in Glencoe will produce the long-awaited Chicago premiere of the highly acclaimed 2020 Tom Stoppard drama 'Leopoldstadt' as part of the its 2025-26 season, artistic director Braden Abraham said Monday. The expansive, Tony Award-winning drama, set in wartime Austria, explores how all four of Stoppard's Jewish grandparents were murdered by Nazis in concentration camps. It will be directed by the frequent Stoppard collaborator Carey Perloff. A coup for Writers Theatre, the ensemble-driven play likely will feature an all-Chicago cast. 'Carey found a way to do the play with slightly fewer actors,' Abraham said. 'That made it possible for us.' Perloff previously directed the new version of the play, crafted with Stoppard's help, at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, D.C. The next Writers Theatre season begins in the summer with Hershey Felder's 'Rachmaninoff and the Tsar ' (Aug.13 to Sept. 21), a dramatic, concert-style entertainment with music by Rachmaninoff from the longtime Chicago favorite and piano virtuoso. The Chicago premiere of Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery's new musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'As You Like It ' (Oct. 30 to Dec. 14) follows in the fall under Abraham's direction, with musical direction by Michael Mahler. Next winter, Writers will stage Nilo Cruz's 'Two Sisters and a Piano' (Feb. 26 to March 29, 2026) directed by Lisa Portes, followed by the Chicago premiere of the contemporary thriller 'Job' (April 9 to June 14, 2026) directed in Glencoe by David Esbjornson. Max Wolf Friedlich's tense, taut drama played on Broadway last year. 'Leopoldstadt' (June 4 to July 19, 2026) will conclude the season, with extensions to the run likely. As a subscription add-on in December, Writers Theatre will bring back the Australian magician Harry Milas to Chicago. Milas' intimate show, 'The Unfair Advantage' (Dec. 3-28), was well-received last year at Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre. More information on the season at 847-242-6000 and Also worth noting: In other theater news, it was announced Monday that a new James Taylor jukebox musical 'Fire & Rain' is in development. Both book and direction are by former Chicagoans: Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Tracy Letts has written the book and direction will be by David Cromer, who is currently represented on Broadway by 'Good Night, and Good Luck,' starring George Clooney and opening in New York on April 3.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MTV to skip Movie & TV Awards for second year in a row, return unclear
NEW YORK — MTV is skipping its annual Movie & TV Awards for a second consecutive year and it's unclear if the show will ever return at all. Insiders close to the production told TMZ on Friday that the ceremony will remain 'on pause.' At present, there are no concrete plans to either completely give up on the awards or bring them back, following the drama surrounding the most recent ceremony in 2023. The network first pressed pause on the screen awards last year. Sources at the time told TMZ it would return in 2025 with a modified format. It's unclear what MTV intended with the show's would-be rebrand, though news of such a plan came after the 2023 Writers Guild Strike upended the event. Drew Barrymore withdrew from hosting the show to stand 'in solidarity' with the writers, who went on strike for 148 days, ending on Sept. 27, 2023. The strike coincided with that of the Screen Actors Guild's 118-day work stoppage. The 2023 event eventually went on, but without a host. It also skipped its usual red carpet and the show itself was live-streamed due to the WGA's intent to protest the show.
