Dear Cartographers,

Anytime we make a map, we do the impossible: we make a sphere flat. Think about it–the earth is round, yet maps are always flat. How do humans do it? We do it, quite simply, by making distortions. While trying to be as accurate as possible, cartographers (the fancy word for map makers) have to make choices about how they’ll change the land.

Anytime we make a map, we make choices about what’s important, what’s relevant, and what belongs where. When you make your personal maps, you’re going to make similar choices. As long as you can offer a reasonable explanation for your decisions, they are the right ones, but you have to really think about what distortions are important to your world.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck