I've never done it, but my current book is set in a very small area. I've started off writing with lots of landmark references and it's obvious I'm going to need a map to keep everything straight. Anyone have any tricks, and suggestions about mistakes you've made? Thanks in advance.
What I usually use is the MyMaps feature on Google Drive. You can go to whatever part of Google Maps that best fits your story and label buildings to keep track of where everything is. You can even add descriptions to the places you mark! (One MyMap I did when I was 12 or 13)
I do historical fiction, but I include a lot of maps because I use period names which few know today. I use maps whenever my group is on the move in a chapter, showing start and end, and anything of interest. I use an old military map maker, Falconview, which is supposed to be available on open source from Georgia Tech Resarch Institute, but I have not had any success locating a download site to update my XP version.
Falconview also allows me to compute exactly how long a route is, and if I have the overlays, zoom down to terrain or aeronautical maps, or zoom up to TIROS maps.
I try to keep the descriptions as vague as possible. Otherwise it's hard to remember what's referred to in the story and what can still be changed. A tree structure with cities, regions, houses and main characters can easily be modified.
It makes sense to have something just so you don't make a 200 mile journey take less time then the character that is taking a cab downtown. That was one of Tolkien's reasons.
I sometimes make small maps just so that I remember where everyone is in relation to each other. I don't make it while I'm writing the first draft though, I write the plot as it needs to be then decide where everything is.
