Makers of maps and scribblers of prose, count me among you! I dig making maps, I do. The folks over at io9 have put together a list of items to make your Fantasy maps come to life and help you in your endeavors. What's your take on this advice? 1. Understand how your map tells a story. 2. Always keep the viewer (reader) in mind. 3. Study real geography. 4. Pick your palette. 5. Look at the work of real-world cartographers. 6. Break out of the rectangle! 7. Consider embellishments — but don't overload your map with them. 8. Try different types of maps. Not every map has to show a continent. 9. Seek out feedback. 10. Don't rush! Spend as much time on your map as it needs. http://io9.com/10-rules-for-making-better-fantasy-maps-1680429159?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
What a gorgeous map! Probably not for Kindle, but a great asset to a paper-printed book. I love maps.
My answer to #8 is this map. A town map I created - it's still a work in progress - that is part of a WIP. Little of the town will actually come into play, and I will not make my reader flip back and forth to reference the map. It serves simply as a way to imagine the world in which the story is taking place and to help keep the few directional references that are made in the storyline correct and in sync. (Yes, I know that town name needs to go. I chose it long before GoT entered into my world....)
Not very good at them myself, probably because I use paint. Good points though- no point having places that don't feature within the story and no point relying on a map because you're setting is hideously complicated.
I like that there is a river in your town, which makes its placement very logical for shipping/transport to/from the seaside.
