Question about developing the Overall Story Goal

[willgirl]

Hi,

So I've just started using Dramatica and I am on Level One of the Story Guide. It's been helpful so far but now I find I am stuck.

I'm on the Overall Story Goal and it asks me to revise and expand and give examples about how all the characters try to reach the same specific goal as it relates to Impulsive Responses.

But my problem, is they don't all try to reach the same goal. The goal I've listed is about the protagonist and what she is trying to achieve. All of the other characters have their own goals, some of which are achieved and some of which are thwarted. I'm writing a historical romance novel, if that helps. Does anyone have any suggestions? Should I be listing something more inclusive to all the characters as my overall story goal?

[BobHopeFan]

Hey there Willgirl,

I just started using Dramatica too, so this advice is bordering on worthless but, I am reading through the big Dramatica book and it seems like when your picking something that holds all the characters together, they use the example "obtaining" than all the characters should be trying to obtain (or get rid of) something. The important thing is that it isn't the same thing. One could trying to obtain pirate treasure, another could be trying to obtain a diploma, the point is that a common idea runs through all of them. Since they are all representing different sides of the argument, it's important that they are trying to do similar things in order to see how their approach effects the outcome.

So, you just have to look at each of your characters and see how Impulsive Responses are effecting their lives.

Again, I may be TOTALLY wrong here. I'm a total Dramatica noob.

Good luck! Have fun!

-BobHopeFan

[Chris Huntley]

The Story Goal and the Overall Story Concern are going to be the same structural item. This means that your Story Goal is Impulsive Responses and the Overall Story Concern is Impulsive Responses.

The OS Concern is what you have described, where everyone has their own issues concerning impulsive responses.

The Story Goal is what everyone, though primarily the protagonist and antagonist, see has a shared concern.

So, put your descriptions of the individual (and different) dealings with impulsive responses in the OS Concern topic rather than the Story Goal topic.