Russell Kirkpatrick's Journal
Posted At : 3:47 PM
| Posted By : Russell
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Book release
Mood: Happy
Now reading: Elizabeth Moon
You’ve probably noticed by now that many fantasy novels come with a map, or maps, in the front.
Over the next few weeks I’m going to blog about why this is so. I’ll talk about good and bad maps, and suggest how to make and map your own world. I’ll blog about other things too, but every now and then I’ll slip in my thoughts about maps.
At the most fundamental level, writers ought to know how their universe (their world/land/whatever) works. What its boundaries and limits are, how it ‘feels’ to be in this universe. So every author ought to think carefully about their setting. Thinking about setting just as important as plotting and characterisation and writing style.
So, here’s a statement you might not expect from me. Not every fantasy novel needs a map. My favourite reminder of this is my signed copy of K.J. Bishop’s The Etched City, which she personalised for me by putting an ‘insert map here’ note on the title page. This novel is rich with baroque detail, but it’s not necessary to see a map to enjoy it. The one significant geographical feature in the novel is a sudden transition from a desert to a lush setting. That’s all one really needs to know.
However, other novels require a clearly mapped setting to enjoy them fully. OK, not everyone is map-minded. But for those (usually epic) fantasy novels involving journeys, or political machinations between warring kingdoms, those who are map-minded can more easily shake all the facts into some sort of relationship in their head. A map can really help.
Here are some other ways a map can enhance a novel:
• a good map gives a prospective reader an idea of the scope of the story. I always check the first few pages of a new fantasy: if it has a continent-sized map or larger, I usually buy it. I like large-scale stories.
• the names on a map can give the reader a feel for the culture and history of a region. But only if they’re done well.
• the reader can follow the characters across the map.
• a great map makes the reader feel that there is much more going on in this world than the author is telling them about. This fires up the reader’s imagination, and they claim the world as their own. I love hearing from readers about their experiences of Faltha.
Enough for now. I’ll talk about maps some more another time.
Oh yes, my latest novel, Path of Revenge, is now out in New Zealand. It’s always a thrill to see your own book on the shelves. With my surname, my books often end up next to Mr. King’s. Esteemed company indeed.
Awesome! Can't wait to hear more (specially as you know how much of a map fanatic i am...is that a good word....anyway...) Make sure you include "geographical things" as well....well of course your gonna include that but what i mean is like....e.g rivers go from mountains into the sea lol (of course that's a bad example but maybe you understand what i mean lol) but seriously...it was only a few years ago that i learnt that...i used to think both ends of a river led to sea....sad i know. And that meant i had to change things on my map...which was frustrating but also better....ill stop rambling now...
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 2/8/07 8:09 PM
Something off the topic....cos lets face it this topic is too hard to answer...Jo, do you live in Melbourne?
Posted By Linda / Posted At 2/9/07 5:02 PM
Too hard to answer? What's too hard about maps? Even a donkey could read maps.
Posted By Russell / Posted At 2/9/07 5:24 PM
Who's Jo?
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 2/9/07 7:10 PM
A map reading donkey - now that's something I would like to see!!! Being a female donkey, map reading would be a spatial thing, it would need to be turned the right way around... (yes, I can be a traitor to my sex if there is a joke to be had). Russell, I like maps in my books, it's always handy to be able to visualise the localities and relationships especially when the novel covers a large scale, as you said.
Linda, how could you suggest such a thing, I'm a Queenslander, living in the wonderful city of Brisbane where a bit of rain would be a fine thing!
Hi Aaron, that would be me :)
Posted By Jo / Posted At 2/9/07 11:08 PM
Hey Jo, Brisbane is a great place. I recently came across a lady Jo from melbourne, thought it would be a small world if it was you.
Russell, donkeys don't need to read maps. They have their masters lovingly steering them in the right direction....towards the temple of Johnny Depp :-0
Posted By Linda / Posted At 2/10/07 7:27 AM
Maps aren't a hard thing to discuss. Not when I want to ask Russell (for the fourth time - one day I'll get an answer I'm happy with and stop asking, or maybe when it doesn't amuse me to ask) if he teaches his cartography students all about fantasy-writing to balance teaching his writing friends all about maps.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 2/10/07 8:32 AM
Much as I hate to admit it Linda, we Jos are pretty common...only in numbers though, not common in quality!! Speaking of small worlds - if Aaron is the same one from Brisbane who posts in Katherine Kerr's discussion group, then it really IS a small world.
Peace be upon you all, go in the name of DEPP!
Posted By Jo / Posted At 2/10/07 12:24 PM
Oh dear. If this blog becomes a Johnny Depp appreciation forum, I'll write him into my next novel as a slug and have someone stand on him ;)
And Gillian, I do lecture on Geographies of the Imagination to first-year students, but not specifically about fantasy writing.
Posted By Russell / Posted At 2/10/07 4:59 PM
Sorry Russell, I just had to let Linda know that we were both part of the Sisterhood :).
Posted By Jo / Posted At 2/10/07 6:02 PM
Never apologise to Russell, Jo. There are always consequences. I was going to tell you all about the consequences but then realised it was a secret. A dangerous secret. So there are consequences to apologising to Russell and consequences to knowing why one should not. And if he wants to, he can cut your electricity off, long-distance. He did it to me, this very afternoon.
I am beginning to think that Russell needs to be classified as a state secret.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 2/10/07 6:36 PM
Russell a State Secret!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahah
Posted By Linda / Posted At 2/10/07 7:03 PM
The best way to remain a State Secret is have those who know you ridicule the very idea. So thanks, Linda, for keeping my cover going.
Posted By russell / Posted At 2/11/07 11:19 AM
I was thinking Russell you were not a State Secret but a
"National Treasure" :-)
Posted By Linda / Posted At 2/11/07 5:14 PM
A National Treasure? I need to think deeply about the implications of this. In particular I need to think deeply about the implications of being across a narrow sea from a country which thinks that Lego, maps and imaginary friends create national treasures.
[pause]
I have thought deeply. I was entirely confused. It's obviously men called Russell who have imaginary friends who are NZ national treasures and has nothing to do with Lego or maps.
Posted By
Gillian / Posted At 2/11/07 6:20 PM
I'm trying to work out how being called a national treasure is an insult - because if Linda calls you that Russell, there has to be a catch somewhere! I think that is the first time I've seen her write something nice about you, which in the Australian vernacular means that she obviously likes you quite a lot :).
Posted By Jo / Posted At 2/11/07 11:06 PM
Yeah Jo, I think you might be right. I'll punch her on the arm when I see her next.
Posted By Russell / Posted At 2/12/07 3:46 AM
I was meaning a treasure like an ancient relic....you know something the maoris discovered in 5AD....that make you feel better Jo?
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