u/Pirai-mom

World building question

I have researched world types, but am a bit confused as to if my world is a secondary world, hidden world, or if it’s automatically a portal world. Aetheria is a magic realm that is attached to Earth. It was created my ancient witches to escape death and persecution. Aetheria’s technology and architecture have evolved alongside Earth’s because they have sent “hunters” back to earth through portals to find witches and track magic signatures. These missions occur often, with multiple teams switching out. I’m not sure if because there is a portal, it’s automatically a portal world.

When writing RH, how do you go about outlining four different relationships? I’m using the hero’s journey structure to outline my story plot, but wasn’t sure how best to outline each of the MMCs and how the relationship progresses with the FMC and each other. Any advice is welcome. Thanks.

I have the story mapped out from beginning to end and started reworking chapter one after feedback I received. I’m struggling with how to know when to move onto the next chapter. I’m at a point where one scene is coming to an end and I haven’t decided yet if the transition should be on page or not, or if I should just start a new chapter with the next scene. I hope this makes sense

**ETA: Thank you everyone for your input, I think I’m going to go with a mix of my middle name and my grandfather’s last name. Shavon Taylor.**

How did you come up with your pen name if you don’t use your legal name? Also at what point in your author journey did you create your socials? I want to separate my literary socials from my cosplay socials.

This is my first fantasy romance. This isn’t the full first chapter as I’m still writing, but would like feedback on what I have so far.

Oh Goddess, give me peace! The incessant giggling of the drunk Friday night college co-eds coming in for matching tattoos to commemorate friendship. A friendship that will undoubtedly disintegrate in the pounding haze of sobriety. If not for the thoughtful art I put on my clients, I'd question my career choice.

" Vee! You've got a request up front. He's asking for you by name. And when I say name, I mean full government name."

" Thanks Jay, give me a minute to clean up from my last client, then I'll be up."

That's concerning. I've done everything I can to bury Raveena Vaelaris and her trauma. The last thing I need is some dumb ass resurrecting her bullshit. I asked Brigid for peace, not a spoon to stir the pot of shit that is my past. I just want to focus of my art, make enough money to get away this hell hole I call home, and maintain my peace.

Walking out to the lobby, the only person I see is a light skinned man with short, curly hair. I can tell he's an enthusiast by all the large tattoos I see covering his arms and calves, but I don't recognize this man at all.

"Hi, I'm Vee, you were asking for me?"

"Uh... yeah, I'm Terran. We haven't actually met, but I've heard of you and your specialty in the occult."

"It's nice to meet you Terran, come on back and we'll talk about what you're wanting to get done."

As Terran approaches to follow, I notice his tattoos are a blend of celestial and elemental. His left arm is a sleeve of the night sky with the constellation of Taurus over a dark forest. He's conventionally attractive in that frat boy kind of way. He's wearing short chinos and a green tank top. His neatly messy hair sits on a symmetrical face and hazel eyes.

"Alright Terran, come on in and have a seat. Did you have something specific in mind, or are you wanting a custom piece? I assume it is related to the occult, since you mentioned my specialty."

"I do have a specific design I'm wanting to get done. There has been talk around the academy of a prophecy that is soon to come to fruition. It's of a powerful witch that has the ability to wield all five elements. I want to add her representation to my back piece."

"Well, take off your shirt and let me see what I'm working with."

His back is beautiful, the art is enchanting. I can't tell where it starts, the four scenes in front of me all flow together seamlessly, with only a two inch by twelve inch vertical section of untouched skin down the middle of his back, over his spine, from the nape of his neck to the bottom of his shoulder blades. On the upper left of his back he has the sky with clouds and wind blowing to rustle the leaves in the forest sitting atop a cliff on the opposite side of his back. Below the cliff was the ocean crashing into lava from the erupting volcano spilling smoke and ash into the sky. All four scenes blend to purple behind a pentacle in the middle, at about waist level.

"I can do it now if you'd like, but your back is a hymn to Danu and this feels like the final verse. Why not have the original artist do it?"

"It is the final verse, it's powerful, and needs to be done by a powerful witch, and that witch is you Raveena. I can taste it in your aura."

Yeah... this man is crazy!

"You do know that the magic I practice is not the magic where I summon a fireball in my hand, right? I'm no more powerful in my intentions than the next witch."

"Oh, but Ravee-

"Vee! My name is Vee, or you can call me Rae, but never call me Raveena, that bitch has been buried and I'd like to leave her that way, please and thank you!"

"Okay, okay, Vee it is. But you are a powerful witch, and you can summon a fireball in your hand if you want to. You are not of this realm. And this is not your home."

"If you say so Terran. I don't know who you are or where you're from, but if you want me to do this tonight, let's get to it. The shop closes in an hour, and I would like to make it home before last call."

This is my first ever scene that I have written. This will be RH, dark, urban fantasy meets supernatural, romance. I know I need to work on sentence structure, but I’m not sure how this interaction comes across.

Aetheria Chapter 1
Oh Goddess, give me peace! The incessant giggling of the drunk Friday night college co-eds coming in for matching tattoos to commemorate friendship. A friendship that will undoubtedly disintegrate in the pounding haze of sobriety. If not for the thoughtful art I put on my clients, I'd question my career choice.

" Vee! You've got a request up front. He's asking for you by name. And when I say name, I mean full government name."

" Thanks Jay, give me a minute to clean up from my last client, then I'll be up."

That's concerning. I've done everything I can to bury Raveena Vaelaris and her trauma. The last thing I need is some dumb ass resurrecting her bullshit. I asked Brigid for peace, not a spoon to stir the pot of shit that is my past. I just want to focus of my art, make enough money to get away this hell hole I call home, and maintain my peace.

Walking out to the lobby, the only person I see is a light skinned man with short, curly hair. I can tell he's an enthusiast by all the large tattoos I see covering his arms and calves, but I don't recognize this man at all.

"Hi, I'm Vee, you were asking for me?"

"Uh... yeah, I'm Terran. We haven't actually met, but I've heard of you and your specialty in the occult."

"It's nice to meet you Terran, come on back and we'll talk about what you're wanting to get done."

As Terran approaches to follow, I notice his tattoos are a blend of celestial and elemental. His left arm is a sleeve of the night sky with the constellation of Taurus over a dark forest. He's conventionally attractive in that frat boy kind of way. He's wearing short chinos and a green tank top. His neatly messy hair sits on a symmetrical face and hazel eyes.

"Alright Terran, come on in and have a seat. Did you have something specific in mind, or are you wanting a custom piece? I assume it is related to the occult, since you mentioned my specialty."

"I do have a specific design I'm wanting to get done. There has been talk around the academy of a prophecy that is soon to come to fruition. It's of a powerful witch that has the ability to wield all five elements. I want to add her representation to my back piece."

"Well, take off your shirt and let me see what I'm working with."

His back is beautiful, the art is enchanting. I can't tell where it starts, the four scenes in front of me all flow together seamlessly, with only a two inch by twelve inch vertical section of untouched skin down the middle of his back, over his spine, from the nape of his neck to the bottom of his shoulder blades. On the upper left of his back he has the sky with clouds and wind blowing to rustle the leaves in the forest sitting atop a cliff on the opposite side of his back. Below the cliff was the ocean crashing into lava from the erupting volcano spilling smoke and ash into the sky. All four scenes blend to purple behind a pentacle in the middle, at about waist level.

"I can do it now if you'd like, but your back is a hymn to Danu and this feels like the final verse. Why not have the original artist do it?"

"It is the final verse, it's powerful, and needs to be done by a powerful witch, and that witch is you Raveena. I can taste it in your aura."

Yeah... this man is crazy!

"You do know that the magic I practice is not the magic where I summon a fireball in my hand, right? I'm no more powerful in my intentions than the next witch."

"Oh, but Ravee-

"Vee! My name is Vee, or you can call me Rae, but never call me Raveena, that bitch has been buried and I'd like to leave her that way, please and thank you!"

"Okay, okay, Vee it is. But you are a powerful witch, and you can summon a fireball in your hand if you want to. You are not of this realm. And this is not your home."

"If you say so Terran. I don't know who you are or where you're from, but if you want me to do this tonight, let's get to it. The shop closes in an hour, and I would like to make it home before last call."

***ETA: posted the rest of this blurb (763 words total)
I have set out to write my first dark Romantasy. I have struggled in the past with show don’t tell in my writing and not having strong openings. That being said I would like some feedback on this opening.

Oh Goddess give me peace! The incessant giggling of the drunk, Friday night coeds coming in to get matching tattoos to commemorate a friendship that will undoubtedly disintegrate in the pounding haze of sobriety, more often than not makes me question my career choice.

***Extended***
Oh Goddess, give me peace! The incessant giggling of the drunk Friday night college co-eds coming in for matching tattoos to commemorate friendship. A friendship that will undoubtedly disintegrate in the pounding haze of sobriety. If not for the thoughtful art I put on my clients, I'd question my career choice.

" Vee! You've got a request up front. He's asking for you by name. And when I say name, I mean full government name."

" Thanks Jay, give me a minute to clean up from my last client, then I'll be up."

That's concerning. I've done everything I can to bury Raveena Vaelaris and her trauma. The last thing I need is some dumb ass resurrecting her bullshit. I asked Brigid for peace, not a spoon to stir the pot of shit that is my past. I just want to focus of my art, make enough money to get away this hell hole I call home, and maintain my peace.

Walking out to the lobby, the only person I see is a light skinned man with short, curly hair. I can tell he's an enthusiast by all the large tattoos I see covering his arms and calves, but I don't recognize this man at all.

"Hi, I'm Vee, you were asking for me?"

"Uh... yeah, I'm Terran. We haven't actually met, but I've heard of you and your specialty in the occult."

"It's nice to meet you Terran, come on back and we'll talk about what you're wanting to get done."

As Terran approaches to follow, I notice his tattoos are a blend of celestial and elemental. His left arm is a sleeve of the night sky with the constellation of Taurus over a dark forest. He's conventionally attractive in that frat boy kind of way. He's wearing short chinos and a green tank top. His neatly messy hair sits on a symmetrical face and hazel eyes.

"Alright Terran, come on in and have a seat. Did you have something specific in mind, or are you wanting a custom piece? I assume it is related to the occult, since you mentioned my specialty."

"I do have a specific design I'm wanting to get done. There has been talk around the academy of a prophecy that is soon to come to fruition. It's of a powerful witch that has the ability to wield all five elements. I want to add her representation to my back piece."

"Well, take off your shirt and let me see what I'm working with."

His back is beautiful, the art is enchanting. I can't tell where it starts, the four scenes in front of me all flow together seamlessly, with only a two inch by twelve inch vertical section of untouched skin down the middle of his back, over his spine, from the nape of his neck to the bottom of his shoulder blades. On the upper left of his back he has the sky with clouds and wind blowing to rustle the leaves in the forest sitting atop a cliff on the opposite side of his back. Below the cliff was the ocean crashing into lava from the erupting volcano spilling smoke and ash into the sky. All four scenes blend to purple behind a pentacle in the middle, at about waist level.

"I can do it now if you'd like, but your back is a hymn to Danu and this feels like the final verse. Why not have the original artist do it?"

"It is the final verse, it's powerful, and needs to be done by a powerful witch, and that witch is you Raveena. I can taste it in your aura."

Yeah... this man is crazy!

"You do know that the magic I practice is not the magic where I summon a fireball in my hand, right? I'm no more powerful in my intentions than the next witch."

"Oh, but Ravee-

"Vee! My name is Vee, or you can call me Rae, but never call me Raveena, that bitch has been buried and I'd like to leave her that way, please and thank you!"

"Okay, okay, Vee it is. But you are a powerful witch, and you can summon a fireball in your hand if you want to. You are not of this realm. And this is not your home."

"If you say so Terran. I don't know who you are or where you're from, but if you want me to do this tonight, let's get to it. The shop closes in an hour, and I would like to make it home before last call."

What are your thoughts on using chatGPT or other AI to help plot out thoughts into readable timelines? I have ADHD and my notes are as scattered as my thoughts. Is using AI to organize thoughts seen the same way as using it to write the story?