Consequence of Memories

questions
#1

I’m working on my storyform for my book 4 of a 13 part series. From my overarching storyform the OS Concern is The Past, which I guess fits - in this book, my MC is on trial for a capital offense and everyone’s focus is on the past horrible thing that happened.

I’m coming up with an OS Consequence of Memories, though, which I don’t understand how to interpret. If she fails to win this case she’ll be dead so her memories will be gone? Or she’ll be remembered as the person who did the crime? I feel confused.

Thanks for your help :slight_smile:

How do you explore Character Elements with the Plot Sequence Report?
#2

Without knowing much about your story, this one feels more like a consequence.

The Consequence can already be in effect, and since it’s an OS static point, it can affect everyone in the story. So for example, your MC’s mother might be ostracized back home: “Debbie who? Oh wait, I remember. The one with the daughter on death row.” i.e. the legal trouble becomes the single point by which she’s remembered, currently and forever, unless the Goal is accomplished.

This is assuming that The Past is the correct OS Concern.

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#3

In the fine print of Dramatica, it says that whether the Consequence is already in effect depends on Stop vs. Start:

A Start story is one in which the audience will see the Consequences as occurring only if the Goal is not achieved. In a Stop story, the audience will see the Consequences already in place, and if the Goal is not achieved the Consequences will remain.
(Dramatica: A New Theory of Story, p. 177)

I don’t know if writers and analysts always worry about this nit-pick, but it’s interesting to think about. What’s your MC Growth (or Domain), @pattyloof ?

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#4

Since I’m still working with the storyform, I’m not sure. But from your description, a Stop story feels more accurate. Just about everyone believes the MC to be guilty already.

If you need more detail on the story I can certainly give it. :slight_smile:

Edited to add: I misread what you wrote. The AUDIENCE knows that the MC is not guilty. So I’m not sure which it is.

#5

Well, this book is the second of two books in the OS Journey The Present -> The Past. I’ve been working with both to see what fits best.

#6

Actually I think you were good the first time. The Audience would just have to see that she’ll only ever be remembered by her legal trouble, as @LunarDynasty put it (or some similar Memories-based consequence). It’s okay if they know she’s innocent – that’s separate from the Consequences.

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#7

This makes sense. Thanks.

#8

There was this Run for your life TV series plot once, where he was trying to save this man’s life who was on death row but was innocent. I guarantee you when he got the guilty person to confess, but it was too late and the man was executed, that show stayed in the memories if everyone who saw it. I know it’s stayed in my memory all these years. I could see a consequence of memories being everyone in this story would have to live with the memory of this person being executed however they’ve been involved with the scenario.

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#9

If it feels like the consequence is already in place, then it maybe it could just be that everyone has to remember this horrible past event as they go through the court case giving testimony and such. Failing to resolve the issue of the Past means every continues remembering the awful events, but success somehow helps them all to move on.

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#10

Would it help to formulate the Concern more as an OS Goal (ie what about the Past is the Protagonist pursuing? What about this is the Antagonist trying to avoid?) Maybe that would help figuring out the Consequence.

Just a thought.

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#11

First off, the Consequence isn’t about the MC but is about the Overall Story throughline, so think of the OS characters instead of just the player that is also the MC.

Here are a couple of random possibilities:

  • If the cause(s) of the past event is/are not discovered fully, the trial will be remembered as a miscarriage of justice

  • If the causes of the past events are not discovered fully, people may forget about the perpetrator’s involvement and leave him free act again

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