Most fantasy stories benefit from a great map. But is it really ok to draw upon real-world geography as inspiration? Well, yeah! There are certainly some do's and don'ts when it comes to mirroring real locations, but it usually comes down to when and how you start thinking about your setting as a living, breathing, world. Not just an abstract idea.

So today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, I talk all about maps for your fantasy setting and how they can actually make your narrative even more unique and original. I take a look at some examples from popular fantasy novels as well, so all you aspiring authors can find practical ways to make your map more convincing and true to you.

Email your show feedback and/or advice prompts to fantasywritingforbarbarians@gmail.com or join our Discord. You can find the discussion prompt we referenced on the show right here.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.