Happy to Have Discovered You!

[ColonialPunk]

Hey folks,

I first came across the forum while searching for travel distance information (how far can a horse travel in a day?) and found such clever and invaluable notes I had to keep coming back!

Right now I'm writing a fantasy novel and creating maps that document this new realm has been part of what has helped me understand things like my character's backgrounds, regional resources, and how to get my characters from point A to point B in a way that makes sense. To be honest I thought the map portion would be the easiest part but my nagging desire to make this world as realistic as possible has often left me revisiting minute details over and over again. I've been working on the map by hand and it's a bit large so I'm trying to avoid having to make a fourth or fifth draft before finishing it off with watercolors... but we'll see.

Apart from that I have a background in living history and am a third generation historic reenactor within my family of both the Colonial/Revolutionary War period and the 1840's-ish Rendezvous/Fur Trapper period. I've always been interested in history and I think that plays a part in my writing (and might also be why I feel compelled to make my details and maps as plausible as possible). Needless to say I like old maps (especially ones that show details like population/resource/sovereignty change over time) and I feel very lucky to have access to a wealth of information through the other reenactors, as well as the chance to see some old maps and old map making tools firsthand.

I've been really impressed by the maps I've seen on this forum and a lot of the research I've read others sharing so I am looking forward to having a chance to get a closer look and ask the questions I have when they come up. Thanks for having me!

[ChickPea]

Hi, welcome to the Guild. We've got quite a few writers as members, and I think creating a map really helps to 'solidify' a world in your head. Feel free to post your map in one of the Work-In-Progress threads if you're looking for advice and tips. Looking forward to seeing some work from you.