Same StoryForm all the time

Discuss the practical use of Dramatica. Have questions about how throughlines should be used, how to create Complex Characters or even the various combinations of the 12 Essential Questions and how they will affect your story go here.
JRFrogman

Same StoryForm all the time

Postby JRFrogman » Dec 26, 2009 6:02 pm

I keep getting the same Storyform when I use the Story Guide. When I answer just a few questions, it picks everything else for me and then I end up with this rigid story structure that I don't understand and does not resemble my story at all. This theory doesn't seem that flexible.

I have tried to use the Plot Progression panel from scratch but that does not get much better. If I had an idea why it was so fixed in these combinations, I might be able to make better selections to better match my story idea. I get better results just doing, what I think the method of the theory is, on paper.

I don't need to make all the selections line up with what I want. I can roll with smaller changes as long as I understand how they relate to the whole story. It just does not make sense.

I have been working with this for over three months and it is really getting frustrating. I got the book Dramatica for Screenwriters but I am having trouble following along the book with the software.

Reading the theory it sounds really good but I can't seem to get any practical use out of it. I am usually really good with software. My main issue is that I need a better understanding of the theory before the software can become useful.

I don't know what to try next. Help????

Arrrrrrrrrrg! :cry:

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Chris Huntley
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Re: Same StoryForm all the time

Postby Chris Huntley » Dec 30, 2009 10:40 am

Try picking the storyform elements using the Story Engine. It allows you to see the effects of your choices as you make them. It is easy to "unmake" choices as well in the Story Engine.

The other way to shake things up a bit is to use the "Spin-the-model" brainstorming tool. It randomly makes choices for you, which should show how flexible Dramatica really is.
Chris Huntley
Write Brothers Inc.
http://dramatica.com/
http://screenplay.com/


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