One big continent or two?

[JBryden88]

So, while I near the end of my first draft and I gradually refine my world as needed, I've been planning my climax scene, as well as what I think should happen with my world.

Adding a few new cultures, fleshing out existing etc.

Anyway, here's the new dilemna.

Right now I'm operating on two known continents that have a storied history. I'm trying to decide if I want to continue with that, or to combine them, and maybe add a bay that makes it still require sea trade to get to one or the other (unless you want to make a dangerous jump through some mountains.)

That seems to be the best way - from my POV making the big empire a threat alot of the rest of the kingdoms, rather then being on some far off continent where they occasionally send ships.

But still, I'm just curious as to what others would do or think in this case.

 

[Garolsh]

I don't know the context of your story, if the world needs to be big or small, but what I've done with mine is to meld a "need to know" world, where the expanse of knowledge regarding the world only goes as far as the reader needs it to. I have a large map drawn up of everywhere I've created, but this is expandable and certainly is not the whole world. If one of the heros needs to escape and sail far away, I don't want to create a one-dimensional world. I also don't want to smash the reader with information about continents and countries I will never expound upon.

 

[JBryden88]

Yeah, I mean... I've already decided there's at least five or so overall continents. Uncharted/undiscovered by the one I focus on? Yeah. The decision was whether or not to merge the two "known" lands. I am tentatively going to try it right now, if only because it might solve an important issue regarding a very conquer-heavy Empire.

 

[Ghost]

Go with whatever fits the story. Even if they're technically two continents, there's no reason to have them far apart. A small straight would be enough to have separation while still having tangled histories together. Try looking at them merged and see which way feels more natural to the plot.

 

[Garolsh]

Another thing to consider may be to consider an ice age in the far north or south of the continents, creating a bridge of ice that can melt later on if you need it to. Or water levels can rise covering a landbridge.

IDK, just ideas. Great thing about fantasy fiction (I wrote historical fiction for a while) is that you can make up the lore as you go. Nothing is off limits, really.

 

[Centerfield97]

In GRRM's Game of Thrones series, the Narrow Sea separates the Free Cities from the larger continent of Westeros. It's still able to be traveled, but it prevents easy intermingling/conquering.

 

[Thursday]

How close to the end of writing are you? If you start to merge and then need to go back and change a whole lot of things that might set you back further than you want to be. I'm not trying to look at the lazy way, just I know from experience if I start changing things then I get really messed up.

 

[SeverinR]

Two known continents allows for expansion if needed.

I have three continents not sure if I want a sea or an ocean between my enemy countries. It took several days by ship to get across. I picture more of a Greece Turkey conflict, rather then a Europe-America conflict.
Traveling months at a time just to get close enough to attack, makes it tough for resupply or reinforcements.

Our world has what 7 continents? N & S America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antartica, Australia.

(I think I put a frozen continent in the north in my world.)