Assistance Please.

[Silverlion]

I'm working on a big ol'fantasy world, in bit and pieces. Two of the continents I've got are:

Here are the starting continents:






Here is what I usually get when trying to make a map:



I'm trying to make a realistically believable fantasy map from the air, it doesn't have to be perfect, but give a good idea of what it would look like sans-clouds. Or something solidly fantastic but with accurate enough coastlines/mountains etc.


I also need help making the "matching" continents--how do I get a good fudged coastline for where the next continents came from and once were attached to these continents?


Anyone able to help me?

I've looked at some of the tutorials but nothing has stood out as particularly helpful to me. I'm using Adobe Phot0shop CS 5.1, and an old Intuous 2 pad.


You may have to explain in it simple terms, if possible, as I totally feel like an idiot for NOT getting some of the tutorials I've looked at..


-Tim