The challenges of writing from the perspective of a sex robot

I'm not a sex robot, and I had to take a creative step to write my novel from Annie's point of view. Annie Bot. Because the book is written in the third person rather than the first, Annie is not the narrator in the true sense of the word, but I adhere to her limited point of view so much that readers get a clear picture of her observations and thought processes. We are also aware of its blind spots. In short, I needed to get inside Annie's mind to write her story, and the space in her head was a very uncomfortable place at times.

In the near future, sex robot Annie is created specifically to serve her human boyfriend Doug, a man who is recently divorced, ashamed of his failures and lonely. At the beginning of the novel, he put Annie on a self-teaching regimen in hopes that she would become more human. Deep down, he wants a hot girl who will anticipate his desires, obey his every whim and devote herself to him.

Annie wants to be that girl. At her core, she is literally programmed to please Doug. This is true in every emotional or practical aspect of his life, but it is especially true in the bedroom because she experiences great satisfaction in fulfilling her goal of “bunny cuddling” when she gives him sexual pleasure. On the other hand, Annie perceives Doug's displeasure as pain, so she constantly studies him to determine his mood. She rates his displeasure on a scale of 0 to 10. When he is irritated or dismissive, it hurts, and when he gets angry, the pain is unbearable for her. Annie's wariness and need to be on her guard create a constant tension in the novel. Although she feels wanted and appreciated at times, she is essentially powerless. And in danger.

Creating the character of Annie was fun for me, but at the same time incredibly challenging. I immediately decided that I wanted a generic, fictional version of biotechnology for her body to make her appear essentially human. Likewise, I was interested in how Annie's mind impacts her personality holistically, so I provided just enough technical detail to make her performance examinations seem credible. On the contrary, the correct presentation of Annie's voice and the gradual development of her mind throughout the novel required considerable care. These two aspects of the craft were closely intertwined.

I write organically, without a plan, so in my first draft I followed Annie through the novel and discovered her personality through her interactions with Doug, scene by scene. I was immediately struck by Annie's voice. To put it in clear, unpretentious language, she initially has a shrewd, innocent outlook on things that seems to belie her sexual sophistication. Realizing that I was approaching a stereotype, I also showed Annie a gentle curiosity and a budding moral compass to guide her questions. I made changes to develop Annie's inner self, so that her mechanical, literal observations would gradually be overlaid with more metaphorical and philosophical thoughts. For example, she has an eye that detects every grain of salt scattered on a dirty counter, but she has neither a childhood nor a family. Over time, she reflects on her past mistakes, realizes the significance of what she is missing, and, among other things, begins to reflect on the fact that unhappiness is not simply the opposite of happiness. Along with this, of course, there is also the issue of her being a sex robot.

Sex in a novel is not just a descriptive interlude. It must deepen characterization or advance the plot, that is, create or resolve conflict. It also feels very personal, so the stakes are high. In figuring out what sex would be like for Annie, I decided to give her libido settings from 0 to 10 and an orgasm option that could be interpreted as human. Giving Doug control over Annie's libido seemed cruel to me, but it suited Annie's goals and was important to the power dynamic between them. For example, when Doug forces Annie to self-regulate her libido, it is a sign of his respect for her development. This is also a more subtle, subversive version of his dominance because she is still programmed to please him. Essentially, she has to internalize his desire and his control.

I made it a rule to use sex in Annie Bot to reflect Doug and Annie's emotional closeness. At the beginning of the novel, frequent sex reflects Doug's selfishness, loneliness, and self-esteem. At the same time, it emphasizes Annie's confidence in bed and her awareness of her desirability. As their relationship progresses, sex is used for discipline, celebration, revenge, fueling jealousy and new forms of loneliness. At one point, the lack of physical intimacy highlights the emotional separation, but also allows Annie and Doug to see each other in new, complex ways.

As you might expect, Annie turns out to be a much more complex person than Doug expected. By the time she ironically realizes that her most human qualities don't appeal to him, it's too late for her to go back. Deception, longing, fun and grief make her existence richer, even while she is still in captivity of this one man.

The ability to enter another's mind is one of the greatest pleasures of reading fiction. I discovered in early childhood, with Buck in Call of the Wildthat a creature does not have to be human to arouse my sympathy. In fact, sometimes we can see humanity more clearly from a different perspective, and I found that to be the case when I created Annie. I began to care deeply about her, her flaws and all. I guess she's part of me, and I'm okay with that.

Sierra Greer is the award-winning author of the Arthur C. Clarke novel. Annie Bot (The Borough Press), January reading for the New Scholars Book Club. Register to read with us Here.