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Hi all!

I have completed and thoroughly tested my storyform for a character-driven novel. I'm having difficulty in the Build Character section. I'm trying to assign elements to an MC who is angry, demoralized and disgusted with the intense backlash against him after blowing the whistle on big corruption. He is very vocal and not afraid but his faith has collapsed. His Crucial Element is Trust. All the characters are slated to be complex.

I wish there was a Whistleblower typecast set up to study as a point of departure. Any ideas? I appreciate your help! Story Engine Settings to follow.

Suzanne


Story Engine Settings

MC Character Dynamics

Resolve: Change
Growth: Stop
Approach: Do-er
PS Style: Logical

OS Plot Dynamics

Driver: Decision
Limit: Optionlock
Outcome: Failure
Judgment: Good

OS Themes

OS Throughline: Activity
Concern: Doing
Issue: Skill
Problem: Test

Additional OS Story Points

Story Goal: Doing
Consequence: Playing a Role
Cost: Impulsive Responses
Dividend: How Things Are Changing

MC Story Points

Problem: Test
Solution: Trust
Symptom: Unending
Response: Ending
MC Throughline: Situation
MC Issue: Fantasy
Unique Ability: Fact
Critical Flaw: Worth

As the MC, your character has all 64 elements to explore in HIS personal, MC throughline. No lack for material there.

When Building your Objective Characters for the Overall Story throughline, get away from your MC's personal stuff and only think of the character as "the whistleblower." It's easier to be "objective" about the player in that context, which is appropriate for the big picture throughline. If your whistleblower is the prime mover for stopping the bad behaviour, he might have elements of a protagonist in him (such as Consider or Pursue, Proaction, etc.). If someone else is closer to a protagonist and the whistelblower is a little off to the sidelines, pick characteristics from the sidekick, emotion, or reason (or anywhere, really).

I find building characters useful if I don't know what to do with the players I've created. Assigning them characteristics gives them a reason to be in the story (structurally-speaking). You can also just go ahead and write and then come back and assign these characteristics when you have a better idea what you want them to do in the story.

Unlike storyforming, adding character functions to your players doesn't have the same kind of ripple-effect if you decide to assign or reassign them at a later point.

Chris, thanks for your time. I appreciate all your efforts in helping the Dramatica comunity!

Suzanne

Susan,

Don't you mean "creating the Dramatica community"?

MWoll