Story Drivers, Signposts, and Journeys

[wlloydw]

I am having difficulty understanding the connection between the Story Drivers (IE, 3 Turns, CE in the Dramatica Art Structure image below), Signposts, and Journeys.

My confusion rests in the difference between the 7 points on each Throughline in the Plot Progression from my current novel (image 2) and the 9 points in the Dramatica Act Structure (assuming that the Story Driver Act Turns are NOT equal to the Journeys.

I could find nothing in the book or website that discussed these.

Are there 7, 9, or 12 important structural points for each throughline?

DramaticaActStructure.png

PlotProgression_800x188.shkl.png

[phillybudd]

I think your confusion comes from the fact that the chart from the book you show is a visually "condensed" version of the plot sequence chart from the software, since it doesn't include blocks for the journeys but rather shows them as little dotted lines. In the chart from the book, the text above the chart is describing the signposts, the text below describes the inciting incident, the 3 journeys, and the resolution. So the overall structure is indeed 7 steps for each throughline -- 4 signposts and 3 journeys.

[wlloydw]

If journeys are separate story points: there are 12 point per throughline, correct? Why are the drivers not considered story points? How are they included in the journey? Journeys seem to be more like a sequence of scenes and not a scene itself. Since each of the drivers (events and turns) is a scene itself.

[Chris Huntley]

Drivers are instances of a Plot Dynamic story point, and they really only occur as part of the Overall Story throughline, even though they are associated with the natural act turns of the entire story.

Though you can look at a story as having both signposts and journeys, most writers tend to gravitate toward signposts OR journeys in emphasis.

The signpost-emphasized approach sees the journeys as transitions between the signposts, like hinges holding together separate story pieces.

The journey-emphasized approach sees the signposts as markers indicating borders as the story flows from one journey to another, like state line markers on an interstate highway.

I recommend using the approach that works best with your writing style and story senses. Both approaches are valid.

[wlloydw]

Chris would signpost-emphasize approach also be four act and journey-emphasized approach be three act?

[Chris Huntley]

Yes and no.

Yes, based on our original description of signposts and journeys.

No, if you look at the act patterns with "bumps" and "slides" described in my White Paper located here:
http://dramatica.com/theory/addl_materials/dact_structures/index.html

Cheers,

[wlloydw]

Thanks I will read that.

Chris are you conducting any workshops in the LA area between now and March 2011? We are staying in the area for the winter and would love to attend. Thanks