Campaign Cartographer...Virus Words

[j_cheney]

I'm naturally prone to World Builder's Disease,* so I generally have to guard against it. However, I think I've gotten over the worst of it (I had a serious case back in college....don't ask).

I have some lovely map-making software. (Campaign Cartographer) I learned how to use V1, but have never figured out V2**. The company sent me an e-mail today, to give me a heads up warning that their newest was about to come out. No chance I'm buying it.

I haven't given my expensive map-making software a thought in a couple of years now. I just sketch little maps on spare bits of paper and tuck them away in my multitudinous files. I did have one map that I slaved over...which unfortunately disappeared when I lost my last computer's hard drive (the only file I lost).

Perhaps I should just sell the software. I don't have the patience for it anymore.

*From Plot by Ansen Dibell...this is when you spend all your time creating the setting and never get around to writing.
**Actually, it's a matter of 'not investing the time', not stupidity or poorly written software. It's actually got a great manual, and is menu driven with tutorials and all....I haven't bothered to spend the time to learn it.

I need to work on getting 'just', 'really' and 'actually' out of my vocabulary.

Comments

[namelessarchon.livejournal.com]

Ugh Virus Words! I am finally starting to see 'hads', but 'that' is my next frontier. Then I move onto 'ing' words.

I love maps and world building! I think I will also post about it today. BTW, I would so love to see your Touching the Dead world...

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

That's one of those terrible hand-sketched maps.

The only one I have in fancy form is for the King's Daughter world...but I don't have the file anymore.

[kara-gnome.livejournal.com]

I've never been a world-builder, as mostly my characters tend to say in one area. I can see that the software would come in handy, though.

It's funny the things we think we need software for, though, and then discover that plain paper and pencil is fine, too. Heaven forbid we ever get glitches in the wetware!

Yeah, about just, really, and actually. I've been noticing that with me, too, lately. And seems. That's a new one, thanks to NA. *sigh* always something.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

You know, you work ti eradicate one word, and another word slips into its place. ::rolls eyes::

When the wetware goes, I'll be in real trouble....but I won't know it, so I'll be fine.

[namelessarchon.livejournal.com]

Gah! Seems, say it isn't so *wink*

[justin-pilon.livejournal.com]

Seems. That's a nasty one. I've been trying to kill it but it keeps spreading!

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

like kudzu...

[justin-pilon.livejournal.com]

Ha! I had to wiki that. I should have guessed it was a plant!

Or mesquite. ;-)

[justin-pilon.livejournal.com]

Also:

She thought. She watched. She looked. etc.

I read in a Writer's Digest article these can be killer if
used too much. You should be getting into the characters
perspective and these kind of descriptions are like calling
to the reader "I'm the writer! I'm writing this story! I'm
here!" when they should be getting fully immersed in the
character's vision. Still, kind of hard to completely eliminate
them. Need a balance I suppose. If I can find the link to that
article I'll put it up here.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I use the 'find' function for these. I shrink the page down to 10% and then highlight all within the text....then I can SEE where I have clumps of 'thought's or 'sense's. If I see too may per page, I go to that page and work on it. ;o)

Techonology can help...

[justin-pilon.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... Sweet! I'm gonna try this on my next submission.
Thanks for the tip!

[david-de-beer.livejournal.com]

would you recommend that Dibell book?

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I like it, but I don't spend a lot of time reading 'how to' books. (Because that's also a variant of WBD)