The Map of Stakhlian
Some of the great writers of our age start by making a map. They take a large piece of paper, a nice thick pen, and start drawing.
They may start with a city or a continent, but the end result is always the same. The map creates an environment with history, with actual people, who live and breathe, and are heroes of their own story.
Hence Stakhlian was born. It is a place of ordinary men and women, a land of nobility and tearers*, and a continent being devoured by The Grey Wall. With the Bastions of Humanity pushing back the corrupting influence, the populace has grown complacent and lax. It is no longer a place, where Renar Tamlow, the Ko’s Scholar, can conduct his research in the open. To listen to the Prophecy and decipher its meaning before it’s too late.
*tearers are slaves, that have from one to four tears tattooed on their shoulder. The tears represent their indenture.
The map was difficult to make, and could only come into existence after the first draft of the book. But I’m glad I did it. It wasn’t until the map was done, that I realized how many things I wanted to change in the draft, how big and beautiful and chaotic Stakhlian really is. If I were to go back and change one thing, it would be to make this first. It could’ve saved me so many headaches while writing.
If you’re writing Fantasy, make a map. Even if your Photoshop skills are bad, you can always use external tools such as Azgaar’s Fantasy Map Generator or Inkarnate. Hell, take a napkin, a pen and go wild. You’ll feel much more at ease when you know where everything goes, and more importantly, what exists in your word.
Peter