Maps and The Value Of Being Lost In The Act Of Creation

This newsletter, written by Simon, argues that a map is most useful when it stays a mini-map that keeps a person in the experience rather than pulling them out of it, a principle he applies to games, life and writing. He cites Tears of the Kingdom as handling this well, since its mini-map shows relevant nearby information and landmarks visible in the world, and the game does not punish veering off-path. Applying the idea to his novel, he says that too much plotting leaves the story stuck, while too little lets the world dissolve, and he describes his own writing progress and a half marathon he is preparing for.