Dramatica Software Tips

Introduction to the Dramatica Structure Chart

by Melanie Anne Phillips

Dramatica theory is not just a bunch of words about writing. It is also a very specific model of the elements that make up all stories and the manner in which they can be arranged to create each unique story.

Now, most writers are not theorists, and don't want to be. Still, an understanding of the way stories work can help support a writer's instincts to make sure a flawed structure won't get in the way of the creativity.

If you own the Dramatica software, you've probably noticed it comes with chart that looks something like a Rubik's Cube on steroids, or a super-complex 3-D chess board. If you don't have the software, you can see a representation of it at http://storymind.com/mental_relativity/model.htm

That chart is a map of the elements that make up stories. If you were to twist it and turn it like a Rubik's Cube, you would be "winding up" the dramatic tension of your story.

The Story Engine at the heart of the Dramatica software tracks all of those elements to make sure no dramatic "rules" are broken. What's a Dramatic Rule? As an analogy, you can twist and turn a Rubik's Cube, but you can't pluck one of the little cubes out of it and swap it's position with another little cube. In other words, you can create all kinds of patterns, but you can't break structure. Similarly in stories, you can create all kinds of dramatic patterns, but you can't just drop story elements wherever you want - they have to MOVE into place.

When you answer questions in Dramatica, you are expressing your dramatic intent - the dramatic pattern you want to create for your audience. That says something about the final arrangement you want with some of the "colors" in the Rubik's Cube of your story.

Every time you make a choice, you are saying, "I want my story to look like this, as opposed to that." You are choosing just as much what you DON'T want in your story as what you do.

The choices are cumulative - they pile up. The more you make, the more Dramatica's Story Engine winds up. Your future choices start to become limited, not by arbitrary and rigid rules, but because you can't do everything at one time in one place. Some choices or combination of choices simply prevent other options from being possible in that particular story.

Imagine - what would happen if you put anything you wanted into a story? Then anything goes. That means there is no good structure or bad structure, in fact there would be no structure at all.

What is structure? Structure is nothing more than making a point, either logistically or emotionally or both. Many stories don't need structure because they are not about making a larger point or having a message, but are designed to be experiences without specific overall meaning.

That, in fact, is the difference between a Tale and Story. A Tale relates a series of experiences, a Story brings those experiences together to create an overall meaning. In other words, each experience is part of an overall pattern that becomes clear by the time the story is over.

There is nothing better or worse about a Tale compared to a Story, but authors of Stories take upon themselves a more demanding rigor. When your purpose is to have the sum of the parts amount to a greater meaning, the Structural Chart and the Story Engine can ensure that meaning is consistent and does not contradict itself.

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*Try either or both for 90 days.  Not working for you?  Return for a full refund of your purchase price!

About Dramatica and StoryWeaver

Hi, I'm Melanie Anne Phillips, creator of StoryWeaver, co-creator of Dramatica and owner of Storymind.com.  If you have a moment, I'd like to tell you about  these two story development tools - what each is designed to do, how each works alone on a different part of story development and how they can be used together to cover the entire process from concept to completion of your novel or screenplay.

What They Do

Dramatica is a tool to help you build a perfect story structure.  StoryWeaver is a tool to help you build your story's world.  Dramatica focuses on the underlying logic of your story, making sure there are no holes or inconsistencies.  StoryWeaver focuses on the creative process, boosting your inspiration and guiding it to add depth, detail and passion  to your story.

How They Do It

Dramatica has the world's only patented interactive Story Engine™ which cross-references your answers to questions about your dramatic intent, then finds any weaknesses in your structure and even suggests the best ways to strengthen them.

StoryWeaver uses a revolutionary new creative format as you follow more than 200 Story Cards™ step by step through the story development process.  You'll design the people who'll inhabit your story's world, what happens to them, and what it all means.

How They Work Together

By itself Dramatic appeals to structural writers who like to work out all the details of their stories logically before they write a word.  By itself, StoryWeaver appeals to intuitive writers who like to follow their Muse and develop their stories as they go.

But, the finished work of a structural writer can often lack passion, which is where StoryWeaver can help.  And the finished work of an intuitive writer can often lack direction, which is where Dramatica can help.

So, while each kind of writer will find one program or the other the most initially appealing, both kinds of writers can benefit from both programs.

Try Both Programs Risk Free!

We have a 90 Day Return Policy here at Storymind.  Try either or both of these products and if you aren't completely satisfied we'll cheerfully refund your purchase price.

 

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