I'm going to be completely upfront, I have zero experience in cartography, and I'm not entirely sure that it's for me. I know very little about it and have no artistic background, either pen/paper or using computer software, so I have a very steep learning curve ahead of me. The few "maps" I've made barely count as a child's scribbling.
But, I'm joining this group nonetheless. I've always been drawn to fantasy stories, and for as long as I can remember I've wanted to write them. As I've grown older, however, I find myself ruminating on the "big picture," creating 70+ page biographies on a country's history while developing almost no actual story.
And when I read a new fantasy story or play a new game, I'm drawn either to stories with an already deeply enriched world (A Song of Ice and Fire) or drawn to maps that allow me to create my own backstory (such as Pokemon maps, heavily based on real world geography but sparse enough for me to headcanon things like Pallet Town's importance as the only port town connecting the entirety of the west)
I love the history and backstory of fantasy worlds, and cartography is an extremely useful way to explore and enrich that. I'm not sure if I will be able to develop the skills I'd like, it'll be a long, long road until then, but I'm excited to learn nonetheless.
Any tips for a beginner would be greatly appreciated!