So, I’m facing a new challenge this NaNo season. As I’ve only ever written historical, or historical fantasy set in this world, I’ve never had to envision a completely different earth. Until now 😛
My NaNo project for this year is essentially set on a place similar to Earth, since I’m pretty much borrowing aspects of different cultures for my planet. But I had to draw a map to see how the planet’s set up. I’m not an artist by any means so this proved challenging. However I did end up sketching a rough outline of the continents and some of the geological features of the main continent on notebook paper. One continent looks eerily like the Arabian peninsula although I really wasn’t planning it to look that way–it just happened. Then I have some islands that are supposed to be similar to England, with some having the ragged coastline of the Scandinavian countries.
Maybe I’ll go out and buy some graphing paper and attempt to make the countries a little more…realistic looking, rather than blobs on paper. But for now it works.
If you’ve ever come up with a different world, have you ever drawn maps for it or do you just view it in your brain?
BTW, I finally decided on a title. Ready….
Beyond the Dark Divide.
That may change eventually too, but I’m more satisfied with it than I was with any of the other ones I came up with.
Tales from the Writing Front 
Comments on: "World Building" (6)
I’ve never written about a different world, but I see how drawing a map would be helpful. I love the new title. Very nice!
That’s a great title!
I find world building a lot of fun; sometimes frustrating, but in a good way. 🙂
my very early writings (I started when I was 8 :D) were focused on world building for 9 years, and it is still present in my work, so that part is a piece of cake to me.
when I was younger, I drew maps, now I just keep extensive notes about people, names and places and what was and what can`t be because of the things that were 😀
anyway, this is still in my work, I just don`t treat it as a world building, I treat it like my everyday life I just happen to be writing about. the reader needs to be amazed, not you. to you, this stuff isn`t (shouldn`t be) new so don`t make the world too “spectacular”. unless a spectacular world is your point.
am I confusing you? 😀
OMG I’m so nervous about world building. I’m seriously thinking about getting a cartography book from my library.
Good luck to you! Glad to know someone’s nervous about the same things I am!
Great title! I can’t believe you drew a map. That’s so cool!
Drawing a map is actually super important. If it’s an adventure story where they’re traveling around, then you’ll need to know for sure how long it’ll take to get from place A to B. (Make sure you have a legend!) It also reminds you what weather will be like in one area versus another. I actually had a weatherman that I know from high school take a look at my map and give me a fake forecast for each season. It was pretty awesome.