I Make Up Worlds


Fantasy and science fiction writer Kate Elliott.
I'm interested in writing, reading, culture, history, social media, outrigger canoe paddling, schnauzers, and obviously in science fiction and fantasy in all its forms. Plus this is the short version of my actual interests which are multitude. I welcome questions. I have a lot of questions, myself.

Ask me anything

16th August 2011

Maps, Fantasy, Culture, & Boundaries

Over at Orbitbooks.net I write about a mapmaking seminar I attended that was run by the fabulous writer, geographer, and teacher Russell Kirkpatrick.

The writer is in a constant process of determining what is important enough to be visible.

Think about visibility. If a place isn’t on the map, then you can’t go there on the map. If a place isn’t on YOUR map, the map in your mind of what matters about the world you want to write about, then you the writer can certainly not go to places you’ve never thought about, places you think don’t matter enough to warrant notice. Matters that aren’t visible to you.

I believe that it is crucial to pause and reflect on what may be invisible in your own personal map as well as the map you are creating. What do you want readers to see? What do you want to see? What are you seeing? What could you be seeing that isn’t visible to you right now?

  1. kateelliottsff posted this