Let’s start by designing the island landmass. Using a pencil or drawing program, begin by sketching out the perimeter of your island. As for scale, imagine this is an island you could reasonably walk from one end to another in a matter of an hour or so. Don’t worry if your coastline isn’t perfect, this is a first attempt. You can always refine it or add additional details later.

As you create your coastline, consider adding a few of the following elements:

Element	Icon	Description
Archipelago		A group of islands
Barrier Island		An island formed by tidal action adjacent to a mainland coast
Bay		A recessed body of water connected to a larger lake or ocean
Channel		A narrow and long body of water
Fjord		A narrow inlet with cliff sides
Isthmus		A narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses
Lagoon		A shallow body of water separated from a sea or ocean by barrier islands or reefs
Peninsula		An area of land bordered on three sides by water
Sea Stack		A pillar of rock emerging from the water near the seashore

Elements (in worldbuilding terminology) are any detail or thing that has been added into a setting. They are the building blocks of creating a fictional world. These could be geographical elements, like in the above example, or could be some other detail. Religions, languages, histories, etc. are all elements that are commonly used in worldbuilding.

Finished with your island outline? Let’s continue!