#fantasy map

After a long hiatus, I’ve started writing blog posts again. The first one is a meditation on map-making:
kakleckyillustration.com/blog/2021/6/3/the-story-of-a-map

I’ve been posting some reel tutorials over on the CDI Instagram! I call this method “drop a pile of dice and see what happens”. If you’re not a dnd player or otherwise don’t have a hoard of dice lying around, you could try this with any small objects, like coins, dry beans, or even pebbles!

So, I felt like I needed to do a post but did not feel like thinking too much. So I’m going to do a quick walk-though of the paper journal I’m using for my current WIP. 

My current WIP is a standalone Young Adult Fantasy that popped into my head one night, I thought, “I’ll add it to the list and probably never come back”… it had other plans and now I’m kind of in love again. 

So, I thought I’d start a little journal to help me let out some of that love and creativity without it evading my other WIP’s space too much. 

FIRST PAGE: The working title, obviously and an otherwise blank page. There’s a reason for this and it’s not the typical skip the first page many artists face. It’s where I throw random post-its with ground-breaking ideas. “So and so is totally the bad guy’s daughter in disguise” “they’re adopted!” “insert emotional scene here” and so on so on. 

It’s a blank canvas, just like my new book. 

SECOND PAGE: The list page. Right now it’s a list of character names and location names. Because if I can’t remember my own name there’s no way I’m remembering all of theirs. 

THIRD PAGE: The badly drawn map with literally only four towns on it. The four relevant towns. I’ve done a post on maps, I believe in the act of adding as it happens, blank canvas. So many blank canvas’ (glances guiltily towards the literal pile of canvas’ I purchased but never felt secure enough in my abilities to use)… moving on. 

FOURTH AND FIFTH PAGE: A quick explanation of the two important kingdoms with bullet points relative to the narrative and some adorable watercolours titles. 

UP UNTIL PAGE THIRTEEN: Character sheets. One page per each important character. I have their full name, some bullet points and a watercolour first sketch I plan to compare to a later designs when I actually get a feel for each character. 

PAGE FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN: “Things I google while writing (minus grammar or synonyms).” Because I find this absolutely hilarious to look back on later. Like seriously, it won’t make your writing any better but as a writer tip, do this. You’ll thank me in a year’s time when you’ve forgotten the silly stuff that goes into a book. 

LAST PAGE FOR NOW: A quick scene written in pen in an old notebooks ripped out and glued in, inspired by a random writing prompt on TikTok because writing short stories or AUs can be really good for learning more about your characters. 

So that’s my current writing journal. Does it make my writing better? Honestly, not much. Most of my important bits and bobs I keep digital because I can lose my own hand if I really put my mind to it. But the creativity is fun. Writing a book is more about the journey than the outcome so why not make that journey as fun as possible? 

My writing journal is about combining my passion for writing with my others passions such as scrap-booking and watercolour. It’s about stepping away from the screen for a second because although I love the digital era and all it’s done for me, sometimes my eyes just need a break. 

So this is me telling you to start a writing journal not for others, not even for your writing, just for you. 

I hope you’re having lots of fun writing whatever your current project is! 

As usual,  check out my book, stories I’ve written plus other social medias: here.

What have you done that involved your writing without being your writing exactly? Any other fun ideas to make writing a part of your other hobbies?