Resources for Geofiction

Three Resources for Geofiction
Lately, one question often asked by hobbyists - both new and old - has been, "How do I get into geofiction?" The question is understandable - geofiction is a very interesting hobby that can be whatever one wants to make it. You can spend a few minutes a day, or hours on a weekend, engrossed in this hobby, trying to get your created world as finely tuned and detailed as you want it to be.

Often, though, people do not know how to get into geofiction, or what resources there are out there for the hobby. There are actually quite a few resources available, for anyone from the casual fan to the experienced hobbyist. Many of these can be found online, but as I will show, the best resource often is a fellow geofictioner.

Resources for Geofiction: Literature
One of the best ways to learn more about geofiction as a craft is to read. But, reading just any book, while good inspiration for ideas, is not necessarily the best way to learn. There are certain genres that are more helpful than others, especially fantasy, adventure, and science-fiction. This is because these often incorporate worlds and alternate universes that are highly developed and idealized.

One example I always cite when talking about geofiction is Lord of the Rings. To me, there is no better example of geofiction at its finest than these three (actually six) volumes written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien is a superb example of a master geofictioner because of the extraordinary level of detail that he put into his works. For instance, the language spoken in the book by the Elves, Queyna, is an actual language that he wrote from scratch. Also, the books contain maps and charts that were drawn by the author himself to give a realistic, physical and visual dimension and depth to his stories.

Resources for Geofiction: An Online Community
Another great source is to get in touch with fellow geofictioners. They can often give you answers you may not find elsewhere, like what materials you can use, good habits to adopt, and resources that they themselves use in their hobby. You can also share ideas with other hobbyists and perhaps coordinate with someone else on a geofiction project.
The best way to find such a community is to search for geofiction communities, lists, or groups. Yahoo! remains a good source for finding groups dedicated to geofiction.
Resources for Geofiction: Hobby Stores

Yet another resource is a store that caters to hobbyists. Online sites (such as this one!) are also terrific resources. Typically you can find resources that will help, even if you think they wouldn't. For example, even if you are not making a project for a role-playing game, handbooks for Dungeons and Dragons can be incredibly useful in creating your universe because of the guidance they offer.