Settings & worlds · Tip 38 of 82 · 5 min read
Draw a Map of Your Story World
Grab a pencil and map out the forests, rivers and hideouts where your adventure will happen.
Lots of famous adventure stories begin with a map. Drawing one is fun, but it's also a clever planning trick. Once you can see your world, you'll know exactly where your characters are and how far they have to go.
Step 1: Start with the big shapes
Is your world an island, a valley, a city or a single enormous tree? Draw the outline first. Then add the big features: mountains, rivers, forests, lakes or deserts.
Step 2: Add places that matter
Mark the places where important things will happen. Your hero's home. The villain's lair. The bridge that might collapse. Give each place a name that tells you something about it.
Puddleford (a sleepy village that floods every spring), the Whispering Pines (where the trees gossip about travellers), and Grumble Peak (a volcano that hasn't erupted for a hundred years, yet).
Step 3: Draw the journey
Now draw a dotted line showing the route your character will take. Look closely. What gets in their way? A river with no bridge? A swamp? A town where strangers aren't welcome? Every obstacle on your map is a chance for an exciting scene.
- A compass, so you know which way is north
- A key that explains any symbols
- At least one place that's marked but unexplored
- Tiny pictures: a skull for danger, a star for treasure
Your map keeps you consistent
If the castle is two days' walk from the village in chapter one, it can't be a five-minute stroll in chapter five. Check your map whenever your characters travel.