Ages ago, I remember an author telling me they were starting a Twitter account for a character in their book.
The idea was that this account would be in total character, with all of the characters dilemmas and problems, sending out click-bait type tweets to generate some interest.
I thought it was a great idea, so long as people were aware that it was a ‘fake’ account. The author argued that it wasn’t a fake account, they were going to answer the tweets in character, and then DM the people who were commenting to tell them it was based off a character in a book and direct them to buy it.
I had mixed feelings about it all.
I hate to get people invested in something and string them along in the comments for them to find out it’s fictional. And I really hate a random DM that’s basically a sales message.
BUT I do love it when this kind of thing is done correctly. For instance, those TikToks and Reels, where the author reads lines from the book as if it’s happening to them and then tells you at the end if you want to find out more….read this book.
Those type of things, I love. They fool you for about 15 seconds and I see them like a trailer to a film. You’ve hooked people in with the premise of your story and directed them to your book all in one go. But having a whole account as a character, and then to DM telling people it’s fictional? Not so sure about how that would go down.
In the end, we didn’t find out as the account was opened, about ten tweets done with little interest and the whole thing fizzled out. But with Meta announcing the celebrity chatbots this week, it reminded me of the whole fiasco and I don’t know what to make of them.
It’s a little frightening, as these three celebrity-inspired chatbots are just the start of something. If these accounts grow and expand as expected, what next? And what in the larger scope rather than celebrities?
Will we be able to ask Gandalf for his favourite snack? Message Anne of Green Gables for TV recommendations?
The one done by Paris Hilton as a detective crime solving partner is wild. I don’t have access yet to message her, but when you do, you’re apparently met with three options: ‘tell me about the victim,’ ‘who are the suspects’ and ‘where did the crime take place?’
As a crime writer, this is…a bit like those Choose Your Own Adventure books? You’re basically inventing a crime and a made up case and trying to solve it with AI.
And they have Snoop Dog as Dungeon Master where I’m not quite sure if its a game, or you’re involved in some kind of chat about games.
What’s your take on it all?
Can you and have you messaged any of them yet?
Hope you’re having a great weekend,
Zoe x