Map and Worldbuilding

What do you like to see on fantasy maps?

Major geographic features, I would think, should be labeled.

Cities and locales (to include roadways) pertinent to the plot should definitely be labeled.

IIRC, James Gurney suggested adding places that the reader never visits, to give a greater sense of realism (and invoke the reader's imagination.)

Remember, however, that a finished, high quality, for-the-reader map (as opposed to a for-the-author, so you can track your characters and so the capital city doesn't suddenly move from the east coast to the west between chapters map) is like the garden at the house of your novel; it's pretty and adds color, but it's not something you focus on until/unless the house itself has been finished and is structurally sound.

Do make sure you don't try to show too much. A cluttered unreadable map is worse than one that leaves empty spaces. If it's a political map, focus on cities and national boundaries and don't put in every mountain and hill and little stream. If it's a map of journey, maybe just the opposite. Keep in mind that it may be printed rather small when included in a book (a more thorough version can be made available as a download, if you want to go that way).

What's the purpose of your map?

If it's to help you while you're writing & world building, put in whatever features you find yourself in need of. As insolentlad suggests, you may want multiple versions of the map that include different things for different purposes.

Or is it for the reader to refer to while they're reading your book? In that case you should probably include and label major places & features that are mentioned in the book, and possibly a handful that you know are important but don't actually mention -- but keep it clear and uncluttered.

Also it makes a difference if the book is going to be self-published or go through a regular publisher -- because if there's a publisher involved they may have their own rules about maps, and they may not want your map at all but use something they commission from a professional. If you're not completely in control of the final product yourself, it may not pay to spend too much time, thought & effort on perfecting a map no one else will use.

What Benbenberi said is something I point out in my World Building 101 sessions at conventions. You don't have to draw a magnificent map. You don't even have to draw a professional-level map. You need a map that makes sense to you.

Unless you're a professional artist or cartographer, if the publisher wants to include a map in the book, then they'll hire an artist to produce one based on your work. And if you're self-publishing and really want a map, hire your own artist to do it. Fans seem to like maps, but they're there to embellish the story, not replace it.

99.9% of us are not J.R.R. Tolkien and will never produce maps that nice looking. However, a well-drawn, clear map can be very useful for plotting/planning purposes and if you think it will help you with your work, then I 100% say, "Go for it!". I'm an old map-maker from a long ways back and I've never regretted the time it takes to make a map of the (city/region/archipelago/world) I'm currently writing about, but that's me. But, don't get so wrapped up in your map-making/world building that you forget to sit down and write the story. *grin*

I do find a map for use while writing to be pretty much necessary, and not just for fantasy. I drew out the city streets for my crime novels and even some house plans (or picked them from books of plans I had about the place). It makes it all so much simpler when characters need to move around.

I actually saw something a while back on a way to create maps for your world using some sort of online software. Found it from search:

https://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?324134

Haven't tried it in a while, so not sure if it's still there or working, but....

Some days I'm tempted to start a 'Show us your maps' thread, but I think the inevitably of going over the image size limit holds me back.

The map for my current fantasy WIP I made in Powerpoint, and it consists of rectangles and circles. I labeled them with a few town names, 'mountains', 'sea', 'desert', and in between those are a few essential travel times. The story happens in multiple locations and in multiple POVs, and there is traveling, so this was what I needed to keep time consistent. If I ever get published, I will ask the publisher to hire an artist and draw a map. Maybe. Ultimately for me it would be the publisher's call, for I really have no strong feelings about the matter.

Kjbartolotta said:

Some days I'm tempted to start a 'Show us your maps' thread, but I think the inevitably of going over the image size limit holds me back.

Click to expand...

This would be pretty cool to see.

I've looked for free and or inexpensive map/worldbuilding software and played with a few of the free ones. Most have a medieval feel which might be okay for a period fantasy story, but not good for me. In the end, I made mine freehand using MSPaint. It ain't pretty, and it will never be in the book, but it has been valuable in many ways to me. Knowing relative distances between places keeps travel times consistent since many walk, or travel at slower speeds. Where major POI's are, their entrances and gates, and geophysical elements such as borders and cities provides a baseline for scene descriptions. This helps me maintain physical orientation for the reader, and myself.