From Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea to Tamora Pierce's Tortall, there is strong precedent for fantasy writers to produce maps to help the reader orient themselves in the strange new world of the novel. But these maps can also be extremely helpful to the writer, making it possible for them to gain a deep understanding of the landscape of their creations. Here some simple tips on how to put together a fantasy map:
Think carefully about the landmarks of the world being mapped. You should know:
Before Drawing
- Compass Bearings: Decide which way is north. It seems unimportant, but if characters are travelling through this new landscape, it will be instructive to both writer and readers if they are aware of which direction they're going. It also gives the world an anchor to the real, and this is an essential quality for a successful fantasy world.
- Getting From A to B: Where is city A relative to city B? How long should it take to get from place to place? Where landmarks are in relation to each other is crucial; a city can be beautifully described but if it has no strong connection with the rest of the imagined world, then it's not going to be believable.
- Obstacles: Forests and mountains are largely a descriptive backdrop, but they must also be recognised as important barriers to travelling characters, as well as sites for potentially pivotal events. Is there a forest near the protagonist's point of departure? How deep is it? How tall are the local mountains, and how wide the rivers? It's all about making the world function as a space in which the characters move, so it's important to have an eye to the details before drawing the map.
It's Not Necessarily Art
Possessing excellent drawing skills is not a common trait for a writer. Finding a friend or paying an artist to produce a map is all very well and good, but they don't have an intimate knowledge of the imagined world, and neither will the writer unless they work to familarise themselves with it. It doesn't matter if the map is a terrible scribble the first time. Or even the second, third or fourth times. All that is important is that the writer connects with their own landscape. The map is a reference point for the writer, something to go back when it's unclear where a character is going next, or how they'll get there.
Some Useful Methods to Get Started With:
- Research Other Maps: Flipping open the first few pages of a fantasy novel will usually reveal a map, so look at what's been done previously. Le Guin's map of Earthsea is a particularly stunning example; the amount of detail depicted in that example is by no means compulsory. O just a place to get ideas about how the imagined world should be shaped.
- Take it Slow: As mentioned before, writers are generally not artists. So don't rush; experiment a bit first and figure out what works.
- Work From the Inside Out: Start on the outlines of the continent or island first. If there's a bay or an inlet, what shape is it? How big is the landmass? Where does it curve inwards, and where does it thrust out? Then move inland - plot the main places where characters are going to be first, before adding details like trees and rivers.
- Draw Naturally: Create the map in any medium that seems appropriate. A ballpoint pen might not lend much colour delineation to the piece but it'll give a serviceable guide to what the created world looks like. Equally use a whole rainbow of coloured pencils if that's what works; or go for a simple leaded pencil in order to repair any mistakes.
Following these handy hints will ensure a strong connection between the writer, his or her characters and the fantasy landscape, helping to create a great work of fantasy.
Happy sketching!
