My biggest hurdle in creating A Royal Mind was creating an entire world. I felt like I had magic as I was creating Veridi and the entire kingdom of Ignis. I of course turned to Pinterest for tips, and I found a couple great websites to help me in my quest.
To create a world, you need a map- and I found the best software is Inkarnate. I don’t know if I do it exactly like it’s supposed to be, but I had fun with it, and I did my best to learn how to create maps by looking at maps already created. Even just a simple U.S map helped me figure out how best to shape my own world’s map.
By making random weird shapes.
Now, I did make mine resemble certain shapes, if you look very carefully, but I did that for to add to the story and the meaning of each land.
It was hard for me to focus on one simple land at a time, and not go over the top when I just needed a basic outline for the first part. Honestly though it helped me with the overall story because I came to know the land and people better, and I had a good idea on how to lead them through their journey.
I also used maps from my own favorite stories and looked at how they led their characters through the land as the story progressed. But I think my biggest reference was all the times I read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. She created a world called Frell and not just Ella’s story but more books with characters living in the same realm. It stayed cohesive and it kept the reader in the world she created. That’s how I wanted it for my readers and as they travel through Ignis not just in A Royal Mind but the books to follow as well.
Here’s an example of the workflow space in Inkarnate. I really like how similar it is to software like Photoshop and Indesign. It makes it easy to learn how to use it- though learning how to make an accurate fictional map is another thing. Especially for someone who is geographically challenged like me. I’ve had to do a lot of research on map making to help me in this process.
When you’re creating a world keep these tips in mind:
- Keep it real
- Keep it creative
- Know your geography (or at least look up how things are supposed to be)
- Think about your characters
- Think about the overall story
Abigail Elizabeth Black 