Another newbie, dreaming of strange lands.

[entropyblues]

Hello all,

I'm an aspiring writer who is working on an adventure-fantasy-sci-fi novel, and I'm starting to make rough maps to keep my places and names accurate. I know absolutely nothing about how to make maps, other than pencil lines on paper, so I'm hoping to learn a few things about style as well as geological and geographical consistency, or perhaps find a talented cartographer-collaborator who can help me make more presentable maps when I start looking at submitting for publication.

If you're interested in seeing any of my short fiction, you can read some of my unedited rough drafts at my blog:
thejosefkstories.blogspot.com
Most of it tends towards horror and dark fantasy, but I'd like to practice at map making with "The Watcher".

I'm reading the quickstart guide at the moment, but I'd appreciate any further advice you have.

Thanks!

[BurningChrome]

Welcome to the Guild

[Rythal]

thats really good stuff! ya got a spelling mistake in the blues though:

"With customary grace, King plucks it out of the air, and never arresting the motion of his hand, hurls it a small window on the second floor"

missing an at.

really good read though, very dark, slightly humourous

Oh yaeh, and Welcome to the guild!

[NeonKnight]

Welcome to the Guild!

[mearrin69]

Wow. Welcome to the Guild. You know, I'm a pretty picky reader and let me say that I made it through "The Blues" with nary a blink. You might be able to tell from some of my posts that I'm a big fan of post-apocalyptic fare, so the story sat pretty well with me. That's some pretty darned good stuff. You have a little Stephen King in you I think. Anyway, nice stuff - especially for unedited stuff! Have some rep for sharing your stuff. Now, let's talk maps!
M

Edit: And speaking of impressive writing...think I could have used the word "stuff" more times in that post My stuff *always* requires editing.

[redstar_fangrrrl]

Hi I'm new as well. I just registered for this account like, maybe 20 minutes ago. I'm interested in learning how to create maps, but more specifically i'm interested in learning how to use design software in general. I tried learning Gimp, but the machine i was working on crashed and burned...literally...it wouldn't start up again after that. That was my last attempt at graphic design. :-) Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated.

[mearrin69]

Heya and welcome to you too. As entropyblues noted in his post the quickstart guide is a good place to start:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...antasy-Mapping.
I'd suggest to you both that, after you check out the guide, you start up a work-in-progress thread on whatever you want to map (in the appropriate sub-forum) - I know a bunch of us will jump in to help out.
M

[redstar_fangrrrl]

"I know a bunch of us will jump in to help out"
Thank you! I look forward to the cartographic collab!
-R

[Steel General]

Welcome Aboard!