There are a ton of exceptional assets to use. You don’t have to sit there and draw every single little building in your world.

Its intuitive interface makes it simple to pick up and start producing right away. On the other end of the spectrum, you have something like Wonderdraft. If you need to create several maps, and can dedicate the time to learn it, CC3 is a superb choice. The site isn’t easy to navigate and tries to steer you into far more expensive bundles, rather than the $30 price tag for just the software. Once you master it, you can make some beautiful maps. Budget several hours to go through YouTube video and do some practice on minor projects. Campaign Cartographer 3 (CC3) has a wide variety of options, but a steep learning curve to go along with it. Like many things in the world of software, there’s a proportional relationship between how powerful a software is and its learning curve. These run the gamut of functionality, price, and ease of use.

Let’s look at four popular options for map-making software. Is there a giant mountain range between them and your Mordor? Is there a lake or ocean they must cross before they can scale the Cliffs of Insanity? Maps help us in every stage of writing, from where our characters need to go, to the obstacles they face.

As we create new worlds, one of the best ways to make them real to us and eventually to our readers is with maps. World building is a critical part of any speculative fiction work.

Best fantasy map creator