I have no idea what I'm doing

[sarkadark]

Hey all. I'm Sark, aspiring author, and making fantasy maps terrifies me. I worry about tectonics a lot. I try not to even think about what kind of rocks would be found (and used for building materials) in different areas. Then I start thinking about climate, soil types, historical geology and climate, and I run in terror. And don't get me started on scale. The closest thing I have to a map for my current project is a list of geographical features and material culture elements (cotton, rice, etc) I want to fit in, plus some very hesitant polygons drawn in an office suite.

In short, I have no idea what I'm doing, and while I'm not too worried about making the prettiest maps, I would really like to be able to describe the fantasy locations I'm writing about in more detail than "rocks," and to stop panicking every time I try to map them out.

Any tips on which tutorials to start with for this sort of thing specifically?

(I also GM RPGs, mostly Apocalypse World derived ones. I like to cheat and use the map drawing game The Quiet Year to trick my players into developing the setting with me.)

[Deadshade]

Concerning climate and biome types, you can click on the link below for my climate tutorial.
I am not sure there is a tutorial for plate tectonics but this wouldn't tell you much about rock types. But some short lecture about geology (volcanic and sedimental types) would bring you a long way.

[sarkadark]

Thanks! I'm taking a look now.

[Gerof]

Hy! im new to this site too!, but after reading your concerns and as an architect myself i would recommend to read the "Barefoot Architect", it is a very simple guide to build houses from what you have at hand, and how to do it according to the environment you are in. People build their places according to the way they live, and they live according to the way they can interact the best with nature and geography. Maybe if you know how you would build your house in the desert, you could describe a desert house the best and most believable way.

This is the book im talking about: http://www.amazon.com/The-Barefoot-A.../dp/0936070420

Have a nice week!

[sarkadark]

Thanks for the tip!