MisterVanOsten

Hello all.
I was wondering, if any of you have written a story taking place in a town you have made up yourself, and if you ever made some sort of a map of said town in order to help you get a better picture of it, if that makes sense. If you have, was it helpful? A waste of time? And if you have not, does this sound like a good idea or am I just crazy?

Thanks,
Tom

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I'm looking for story ideas. If anyone can help I would deeply appreciate it... I'll be your best friend!

*Angel

right now i'm making a sort of world map for my story, it's been a bit tough because i'm working on as much realism as i can fit, but it's really helping me organize events and the world itself.

personally i like doing this, cause it feels more like i'm fitting the story to the environment.

booker41

My current novel revolves around a fictional village. Iv'e never thought about the idea of mapping it? I might do now

lilacstarflower

Tolkein (spelling?) done a map of his different regions for LOTR. I think its a good idea to get readers more involved in the story - gives them a sense of realism

Non Serviam

There's basically two kinds of fictional town. The first is where it's based on a real town, but re-named for fiction, in which case don't worry about it. The second is where it's a genuinely fictitious town, not based on any real place, such as China Mieville's New Crobuzon--in which case drawing a map isn't a bad idea.

Don't expect the map to be published with your work necessarily. But drawing a map gives you a new way to think about the setting, which can't be bad.

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Born naked, helpless, unable to care for himself and completely open-minded, Non Serviam has subsequently surmounted all these difficulties and gone on to become a decently-clothed, self-sufficient, close-minded sod.

Carl

I have never made a map of a town but I have of a house. One of my drafts centers around a house and I had to know it inside out, including garden and the surrounding area. I drew it and even created it with home planning software.
It wasn't a waste of time and helped me. After visualising it, it even helped me come up with many paragraphs of new text.
Although mine was for a house and not a town, the principle is the same, so I would say "do it."

bryndavis

Oh, I have never even thought of this despite writing in fictional towns and cities often. It actually sounds like a pretty good idea. Thanks I'm gonna give it a try.

MisterVanOsten

Thanks all for your advice, and I'm glad that you all thought this was a good idea. I think it may help my writing, and keep it on track. I have not yet started but if this one goes anywhere, I will let you all know. Thanks again.

__________________
I'm looking for story ideas. If anyone can help I would deeply appreciate it... I'll be your best friend!