Well, hello there!
I'm a brand new member to these forums and have only known about this site for a very short while, which is a shame because I would have greatly appreciated all the maps and tips/learnings that is found here going back several years. I have never tried to make a graphical map, but I've spent years drawing on paper. No matter how many maps I make I never seem to be satisfied with the result, but I'm hoping that that'll end know that I've found this site! Who knows, maybe I'll even post one of my maps here some day.

One thing that's been on my mind ever since I found you guys is, how many of you take into consideration tectonic plate movement, the mountains created thereof, ocean currents, climate and if you take the curvature of the Earth in consideration when making continent sized maps? In short; how realistic do you try to make your maps? Because this is the part that always makes me do and re-do my maps...