I chatter on about it too :p

I suggest trying your own maps as much as possible - get the world straight in *your* mind. ..At least enough to know where you can and cannot compromise.

For example...

I have in my world a small valley area surrounded on 1 1/2 sides by the base of the mountains, and on all other sides by the river. In the valley is a village, with a crescent-shaped forest on a small plateau to the west, and a little lake to the east. The village is really small, but prosperous, because there is no bridge nearby. (except a small one leading into the village proper). If you want to get to the other side, you have to pay a villager to get you across, or go the long way around the huge bend in the river, or around the mountains. So all the traders and messengers stop there. They have to.

There's lots more, but the surroundings are important. If you don't know enough to TELL someone that..

At the same time I've learned (just from reading here!) that you can't be *too* uncompromising. These guys know more about how nature works... I've seen maps that looked perfect to me picked apart by the people here and the parts that are *flawed* are always things the author wouldn't budge on. Readers will pick things apart too.

Anyway, you'll learn a lot here, whether you decide to do your own map or commission it. I know I have.