Miller J. Alexander

Anthea sat at the window of the Tower of Zian, looking out over an expansive city. Zian was the highest point in Newlin, a marvel of architecture yet to be rivaled. It reminded her of the mountains she only knew in her mind, the feeling of bracing wind in her face. In her heart, she was there, among a people so long before her time eradicated and displaced. Below, the denizens of the city looked like ants, working away at their individual unhappy lives. The colony was diseased. They worked not in the interest of the whole but of the self, never truly looking at the people beside them. This infection had spread to her own life. 

Her son was away, as he typically was. She had been assured that his work was important. He was a representative of the people, working for peace and equality. Perhaps, years ago when he was a young man, she might have believed him. She recalls the fire that once burned in his eyes, a man that demanded change. Now, she knew he merely played the game to get ahead. He was a eunuch of the machine that used him to maintain a status quo. Her once sensitive and critical son was now hardened to light, going so far as to openly deny his bloodline. His Driag blood, something that was once a sense of pride for him, was now a secret embarrassment. 

His wife, a young woman named Karliah, now sat in a rocking chair across the room from Anthea, a newborn in her lap. Karliah looked down at her third-born child, face totally expressionless. In was only a few months ago that Phillip had sent for Anthea. He had told her that his wife had come down with a case of melancholy following the birth of their daughter and that he needed her to assist with the children. He assured her it would only be a few weeks until Karliah ‘got over it’. She had been in Newlin city for four months at this point, baby Alvera still somehow full of colic and Karliah full of a quiet apathy.

Anthea did not mind helping, as she feared that this would be her only opportunity to see her grandchildren. In her philosophy, children were the light in which we all lived after death. They were wiser and older than she, a fountain of possibly spilling over. Yet, they were so unburdened by the world. She wondered how her son saw them, as he rarely saw them at all. 

At her knee, the middle child sat, quietly. Felia was always a subdued child, though only five years old. Her sister Telia was an untamed spirit, never one to be reserved in voicing her opinion, truly of her father’s blood. Felia always watched, observing the world with questioning analytical eyes. Anthea could feel something in her spirit, a displacement slowly coming into alignment. She feared for the hardships she sensed in this child’s future, but for now, she merely reveled in Felia’s presence, as it was one of immense calm. 

“Aba, can you tell me a story?” she peeps, soft as a newborn chick. 

“Anthea,” Karliah warned from her seat, voice never really expressing her emotion fully. She felt for Karliah, having to deal with her opinionated son on top of everything. Philip disliked it when Anthea told the children stories of the old country. The more they knew about their heritage in his eyes, the worse off they were. Anthea also knew that she held the power, as she could simply leave him to deal with his depressed wife and attention-hungry children alone. She wouldn’t, of course, but she could. Honestly, she should. He needed to learn to care for the family he formed in a way that mattered. Still, she stayed, but she did as she pleased and dared him to say anything about it.

“Of course, hneleh,” This was the Driag word for a species of flower, sweet in smell and vibrant in color. Karliah groaned, knowing she had lost. “What story would you like to hear?”

“Tell me about the ocean,” she requests, looking back at her mother. Karliah looks tired, more so than usual. 

“Ah yes. A good choice, darling,” Anthea clears her throat. “Millions of epochs ago, the world was full of nothing but darkness and cold. Within this expanse of nothing was a being, who was as old as the world itself named Mela. They lived for many years alone in the void and grew sad. For all Mela wanted was someone else to be with, a friend to share their time with. They wept great tears of melancholy in their loneliness.”

“That’s sad,” Telia says from beside the fireplace where she had been scribbling on a piece of paper. “I can’t imagine not having anyone at all, even Alvy even though all she does is scream and cry.”

“You mean you don’t want to sell her to the traveling circus in Filar Square anymore, Telia?” Karliah says, chuckling softly. It was a rare thing to see any light in the woman’s eyes.

Telia thinks about this, scrunching up her nose in deep contemplation. “I’m still debating. I’ll get back to you.”

Karliah rolls her eyes, and Felia sits silently, waiting for Anthea to continue. 

“It is sad, Telia. Don’t worry about Mela, though, children. For something amazing was about to happen. Their tears filled up the space in the abyss, creating a great sea of clear blue. The sea became to sway and froth, sending sea spray up into the dark sky, creating the stars. From the depths of the sea below rose four figures in the four corners of the world. They vowed their eternal love to Mela, and asked how they might assist them. Mela asks for them to help fill the void with something beautiful, so they would be lonely no longer. Sympha rose into the sky and created the moon, giving light to their work. They breathed a heavy breath, creating the breeze. Dianah rose mud and sand from the depths of the endless ocean, creating the land and the mountains. Conah carved lines and valleys into the earth, creating the expansive rivers and lakes of the land. 

Mela, in the flurry of creation, gathered up the stars of the sky and scattered them throughout the world, creating the beasts of the land. Within them was the primal flame of creation. Nehan presented the beasts with fire, for them to use and keep warm in the cold winter. He rose into the sky, becoming the life-giving sun. Among the beasts of the land where those who Mela favored above all else, although they loved all of the creations of the new world. To them, they gave their eye, presented to them as an azure stone. In the eye of Mela was a power---”

“That’s enough, mother,” Phillip says, having entered into the living room. 

“Daddy!” Telia shrieked, running to attach herself to Phillip’s leg. He places a hand on her raven curls but says nothing. He has his gaze fixed on Anthea, a steady rage behind his eyes. She meets it head-on, backing down to no one. 

“Son, you’re home early,” she says, evenly. 

“Dismemberment seems a bit harsh before bed, mother. Off to bed, children,” he says, not taking his eyes off of Anthea.

“I want to listen to Grandma’s---” Felia pipes in, timidly.

“Enough,” Philip replies, sternly. “It’s late. Go to bed. Now.”

Grumbling, the sisters dragged their feet off towards the stairs. Felia ran back, grabbing her grandmother into a fierce hug before running off. Karliah followed suit, shooting her husband an apologetic look as she took Alvera away to the Nursery. Philip crosses the room, looking out the same window as Anthea had, but up into the stars and moon that hung overhead. 

“I work hard to provide for my family, mother,” he says, his voice far away. 

“I understand that---” 

“You do not,” he cuts in, sharply. ‘If you did you would not fill my children’s heads with tales of gods that are long dead.”

It stufng Anthea to hear her son speak that way of their religion, of their culture. He was a man of no faith, a man of no morals. 

“The people of this nation look upon our people as if they are vermin. They see our blood as sullied. I don’t want that shame on my children.”

“Most people in the city are our kin, Philip,” she retorts, and it was true. The people of Newlin are almost entire descendants of Driag nomads fleeing their homelands. Philip shakes his head, sadly. 

“We have no kin or kind. Our people died out long ago. It would be in your benefit to accept that and to respect the way I choose to raise my children. We are Newlin, we and Mesari, nothing else.”

Silence hung heavy in the air, and it broke Anthea’s heart. 

“You have no convictions. The god you believe in is one of your own making. Do not expect your family to bow before you forever,” she says, tears welling up in her eyes. 

First of all, under what circumstances should you spend your time on this? If you’re writing, say, a contemporary novel set in New Jersy, you probably don’t have to worry about this. The genres that benefit from this type of planning are:

-Science Fiction

-Fantasy

There are probably exceptions to this rule, but these two genres require a certain amount of worldbuilding. Worldbuilding is the process in which you develop the system, rules, and landscape your novel takes place in. In some instances, a novel may fall into these two genres but be set in a familiar setting. The landscape in these instances is still something I think you should give some degree of thought to. Consider how the landscape has changed or will change based on the parameters of your story. 

An example of this is Panem from The Hunger Games. 

Panem exists in a dystopian world in which the country of the United States has not only been divided, but rising sea levels have changed the coastline. This is an example of a familiar landscape that has changed because of the events of a novel or the rules of the world in which it exists. Even if you’re not starting a world from scratch, take into consideration what might alter your world.

Let’s say you are writing a novel set in a different world. Do you need to make a map?

Of course, you don’t NEED to do anything. I’m not your dad, I can’t tell you what to do. Do I think it’s incredibly helpful? YES.

Why? It will give you the same benefits it will give a reader. A more in-depth layout of the world you’re creating. 

If your characters are staying in the same place throughout the duration of the book, maybe creating a full map of the entire planet isn’t necessary. But maybe making a map of the city could help you. What does you’re city look like? What is the architecture like? What is the economy of your city like? What in the landscape influences that? 

If your characters are going on a Tolkien level journey across your world, you probably need to consider the landscape. Mapping is a good visual way of doing this. It’s also really fun, in my opinion.

“But Miller,” you may be saying. “Why would I go to all that effort if my characters don’t even go to most of these places?”

That’s worldbuilding for you. You will come up with a TON of details over this process that will never make it into your novel. However, the more detail YOU have in your brain, the more detailed your world will feel. 

“Okay, sure.” I hear you say. “But I’m a terrible artist!”

Me too. I’m not saying that the draft of the map you make has to be in your book. In fact, I encourage against that. If you think a visual aid will help your reader gain something or would just be a fun perk, you can refine it or hire a professional cartographer (yes, they exist) when your book is closer to publication. If you’re at that point, I’m not talking to you. I’m encouraging map making as a world building exercise to those of you who are trying to flesh out your worlds before you even commit anything to page. 

It can be an intimidating task, creating a whole world from scratch. I’m happy to tell you that it doesn’t have to be hard.

The first step is to consider the scope of your map. Like I said, only create what you feel you may use. Does your character never leave their home town? Do a map of the town? Does the country your story takes place in come into play during your book? Do a map of the country. Does your character make a grand journey across the world? Make the world. My RECOMMENDATION is to make at least the country your novel takes place in. You probably won’t use every location, but less is not always more. 

Then, consider the context. Are cities in your world trade centers? What are their major imports and exports? What type of climate does your world have? What is the political climate like? Are there physical boundaries that cut one part of your world off from another? These are things to keep in mind before you start making your map because the landscape of a world could have a profound impact on the daily lives of its residents. 

Next, we need to outline. I find countries or continents to be the easiest to do, and you’ll probably see why. Coastlines are honestly really easy to do. This is probably the part you’re freaking out about but worry not. There are some easy methods to get natural-looking coastlines and borders.

A prefer traditional paper and pencil art, so we’ll start with that. By all means, if you just wanna go crazy and come up with something all on your own, I won’t stop you. However, some of you may be intimidated by the idea of just DRAWING A WHOLE COUNTRY FROM NOTHING. There are a couple of things you can do if this is you.

Look at some reference pictures. 

Look at an atlas or a globe. Find borders and coastlines that look cool or fit into some of the ideas for your world and copy ‘em. To some people, this doesn’t feel “creative”. Someone will always look at your map and tell you that it looks like Russia or Italy, so don’t stress too much about it. 

BEANS. 

This will sound weird, but a tried and true method to get nice looking coastlines is to just dump a few handfuls of dry beans or rice onto a piece of paper and move them around until you like the look of it. Then you trace out the masses of beans until you got yourself a country, huzzah!

If you’re working in photoshop, a method I’ve seen used is to import a few images of different countries into it and move and transform them around until you you have a brand new landmass you like, then trace around that. 

Next, we need to fill the world with stuff. This sounds simple, but keep in mind that things don’t happen in a vacuum. 

If you’re building a forest or farmland, consider where a water source would be. 

If you’re adding a lake or rivers, consider how it would flow to the ocean with the force of gravity, starting in mountain ranges.

If you have mountains, consider how shifting tectonic plates would form them. You have to at least know the rules before you can break them. Your world has to make some type of sense and, if it doesn’t, you need to explain why. 

Take a look at the styles of maps to get an idea of how to indicate this on your map. Some maps take a very simplified approach to denoting landmarks, some are very complex. It’s up to you.

Once you know where your forests, mountains, and lakes will be, you can place your cities. 

Your cities should be placed in locations on your map that make sense. Is your city’s major export fish? Put it by the ocean. Is the climate cold? Put it at a higher elevation. Is your city isolated? What type of physical barriers could illustrate this? 

If you didn’t take any of these things into consideration before this exercise, you have now. Let’s say you have a protagonist who needs to get from one town to another, but you need to spice up the journey a little. You made this map, you look at it, there’s a river in between the towns. BOOM! Now your protagonist needs to cross a rushing icy river. Mini conflict, a setback. All because you considered the landscape of your environment.

Obviously, this works on a lot of different scales. How long will it take your protagonist to get from point a to point b? What stands in their way? How do the features of the landscape impact the world as a whole? Now you know. 

Finally, slap some labels on that bad boy. 

If your working on paper, it’s a good idea to do this ALL in pencil first and leave some space for labels. This will make referencing where things are and what they’re called easier. Get creative with it, use crazy fonts. It just needs to be LEGIBLE for your own sanity. Trust me. 

Honestly, doing this at some point in the worldbuilding process has done worlds of good for me. It really gets your creative juices flowing and it’s just another step to a well-rounded world. You can skip it if you’re not a visual person, but I definitely am and I’m sure some of you are, too. 

I just want to reiterate, this is for YOUR benefit only. No one else has to see it, its reference for you. However, if you want to add a map into your published works, consider talking to a professional artist/cartographer unless you, like, are one. Then I’m not sure why you read this much of my post. 

Thanks for reading! I post a wide variety of content on my blog every Friday including writing advice and book updates. Stop by and say hi!