Purpose. What is my goal in creating a map? Maps usually inform people about a particular aspect of a place: the roads, the terrain, the restaurants and tourist attractions, the immigration patterns, and so on. Some maps, such as“RAEvN LAND” by Kim Rae Nugent, convey a personal, imaginary world. What do I want my map to do? Inform people? Make a statement? Express an opinion? Illustrate a fantasy world? Something else? How do I think people will use the information I give them?

Audience. Who will use my map? What will they need to know? What will they want to know? What is interesting about the area I am mapping, but probably a distraction from the point of view of my audience?

Rhetorical appeals. How will I establish my authority as a mapmaker? How will I convince my readers that my map is reliable? I need to use a consistent scale to appeal to readers’ sense of logos.

Modes & media. Will readers use my map in print form or digitally? If digitally, will they expect an audio component?

Elements of the genre. How can I use labels, symbols, color, and a title to quickly and efficiently convey information to my readers?

Style. How will I keep my tone neutral and objective? What level of detail will I include in my map?

Design. What colors do I want to use for my map? What symbols do I want to use? Will readers instantly associate my symbols with whatever they represent?

Sources. Do I need to do any research to find out about relative populations (to determine font size of places), distances, or anything else?