j_cheney: (Hidden Away)
J. Kathleen Cheney ([personal profile] j_cheney) wrote2008-06-02 07:44 am

Campaign Cartographer...Virus Words

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.

[identity profile] justin-pilon.livejournal.com 2008-06-02 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
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.

[identity profile] j-cheney.livejournal.com 2008-06-02 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
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...

[identity profile] justin-pilon.livejournal.com 2008-06-02 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmmm... Sweet! I'm gonna try this on my next submission.
Thanks for the tip!