👋 Hi, my name is David! I live in Northern Maine, and I plan on writing Paranormal Shifter novels in a similar vein as T.S. Joyce books. I want to get these 3 things from the community: 1.  I’ve wanted to be a writer ever since I read J.R. Tolkien books when I was a child.  That desire has never left me and I have many ideas that I’d like implement over time.  I’ve never finished anything, although I have written a lot of bits and pieces of things here and there.  My biggest issue in what I’m hoping to get from the community is the progression of beginning to end.  Especially, when it comes to outlining.  I have a library of books along with a plethora of books that I’ve read over the last 30 plus years on outlining and novel structure…  You have no idea.  But it’s getting it to all come together that I’m hoping AI can help me with.  Any help from the community would be greatly appreciated as well.  And if I can pay it forward and help someone else in any way, I’d love to be able to do that as well. 2. How can I use AI to help with structure and Editing. 3. I’ve also got a daughter who’s a fantastic artist, but if I can use some AI to help with Book Covers I’d also love to learn how to implement that as well. For fun I like to do these 3 things: 1.  I obviously love to read paranormal shifter novels, fantasy, romance, self-help books.. 2.  I enjoy all kinds of movies from any genre and love to watch the Hallmark channel. I also enjoy nature and watching the futures markets.

Hi, I'm Miles Trombley and I have been writing for twenty years before AI became big. I am now using Claude to generate my prose and ChatGPT to help me plan my stories. I joined this group to find new skills and useful advices.

I was wondering how everyone who writes Sci-Fi or Fantasy handle World Building. Recently, I've been overdoing it and losing focus. I can spend more time plotting out the world instead of actually attempting to write the book! How much planning do you do for your novels? I saw there are websites like Campfire and World Anvil where you can store information or use in codex's later like with Novel Crafter but unsure if it is just double handling a workload by writing it out, making a site or wiki as interesting as possible before using any of it later.

I am currently gathering "worlds, characters, and peoples." That is ... I am brainstorming different worlds within the universe for a storyline set in the future. I want to have the worlds, economies, religions, etc. set up before I start. I have one major issue that the entire storyline will need to overcome, but each book will also have minor issues to overcome, leading to the final resolution. I am enjoying this immensely, letting AI brainstorm world structure, people content, animal content, economy, and everything else needed for a community. Is this what everyone does, or do they create as they go?

Step 1: Define the World-Building Scope Clarify what aspects of the world you want help with: Setting (e.g., location, time period, environment) Culture (e.g., traditions, language, societal norms) History (e.g., significant past events) Specific locations (e.g., a village, castle, or marketplace) Example: “I need help designing a small English village in 1926 for a murder mystery.” Step 2: Provide Context and Genre Include details about your story’s genre, themes, and tone to guide the AI: Genre: Mystery, fantasy, historical fiction, etc. Themes: Isolation, betrayal, community, etc. Tone: Lighthearted, gritty, atmospheric, etc. Example: “The story is a historical murder mystery set in a foggy, tight-knit English village during the Christmas season.” Step 3: Ask Targeted Questions Break down world-building into specific categories and ask focused questions: Physical Environment: “Describe the landscape and weather of a small English village in December.” “What key landmarks might a 1920s village have?” Culture and Traditions: “What Christmas traditions were common in England in the 1920s?” “How might villagers celebrate the holiday in a rural setting?” Economy and Lifestyle: “What kind of shops or industries might exist in a small English village?” “How would villagers interact with a wealthy landowner?” Community and Social Norms: “What gossip or secrets might circulate in a small village?” “What roles might the church or pub play in daily life?” Step 4: Develop Specific Locations Ask for detailed descriptions of important locations in your story: Examples: “Describe the village pub where locals gather to exchange gossip.” “Create a detailed image of the victim’s grand estate.” “What would the village church look like during a Christmas Eve service?” Step 5: Explore the World’s History Create depth by asking about past events that shape the world: “What historical events might influence this village in 1926?” “Suggest a scandal from the past that still affects the community today.”