New types of intelligence relevant to creative writers

Abstract

We generally recognise that creative writing involves a number of intelligences. Linguistic intelligence is the ability to learn and use language. Throughout history, creative writers have sought to have and to improve upon their linguistic intelligence. Interpersonal intelligence is related to effective communication, and while creative writing is an art it has always also been a form of communication. Creative intelligence is of course fundamental to creative writing – creative intelligence being the ability to imagine the new, the distinctive, the unusual, the different, the previously unimaginable. Creative writers often do what they do to in order to apply their creative intelligence. Audiences seek out works of creative writing because of wanting to engage with that application. This exchange creates an individual bond in what is often a communal exchange. For example, an individual writer writes a novel and we buy that novel in the expectation of it appealing to us individually, even though dozens or thousands or even millions of people will buy that same novel. Greater and more immediate access to information for those located across much of the world, and the impact of new technologies (Artificial Intelligence, for example, advanced remote conferencing technologies, the Internet of Things) along with evolving forms and fields of knowledge, raises questions about what new types of intelligence might be emerging – new intelligences with which creative writers can become engaged. These might take on both the character of creative writing as a pursuit and the character of our current historical moment. For example: Butterfly intelligence. The ability to believe you can work on more than one writing project at a time, not get blown off course on any of them, and be equally happy with the bright and lively appearance of all of them. Butterfly intelligence conjures up visions of you on a sunny day, dancing in a flowery field. It is also topically very much like working ‘remote’, at home, sometimes, and sometimes working elsewhere (say, an office in a university, for example, at other times). You happily flitting between these locations. Despite the reference to nature, the foundation of butterfly intelligence is the unnatural speed at which you can now move from one thing to another, confident you’re not merely madly flapping. Thumb intelligence. Related to butterfly intelligence but more dexterous, this intelligence is about knowing which device you happen to be depending on at any givenmoment. This saves you, in your half-awake morning state, trying to look for the redial function on your ‘90s digital alarm clock, or expecting to be able to send your draft poem to your laptop from your refrigerator. Thumb intelligence is being enhanced by the arrival of the Internet of Things or IoT – in which not only can you express emotions in the direction of inanimate objects (such as shouting at a chair when you stub your toe on it) those inanimate objects can now get emotional with you. Thumb intelligence is also the mysterious and impressive ability to immediately know where to place your thumbs when told something is ‘entirely autonomous and hands-free’. Sorting intelligence. So much information is available today so quickly. The development of ‘Artificial Super Intelligence’ is an increasingly significant reason for this. Artificial Super