I just finished reading this children’s book, Frindle, to my daughter and thought I would take a crack at storyforming it as I thought I could see some of the story points while reading it. (Didn’t realize until including the wikipedia link that it won so many awards!)
Boy am I glad I did – I think maybe a short children’s novel / “chapter-book” may be easier to storyform than other mediums because, if it has a solid storyform, there’s not a lot of room for other fluff. This book had very strong and obvious 4 throughlines.
I’m extremely happy with how well all the story points seem to match up – i.e. all the Dramatica “predicted” stuff, even the signposts. Although I did set one signpost to determine the MC Problem-Solving Style, since he seemed holistic with a lot of the crazy stuff he tried in his throughline, (“I think I will help the failing businesses in town by getting all the kids to start bringing their lunch to school”), but I never really trust myself on seeing Holistic properly.
STORY ENGINE SETTINGS: "Frindle" CHARACTER DYNAMICS: MC RESOLVE: Steadfast MC GROWTH: Stop MC APPROACH: Do-er MC PROBLEM-SOLVING STYLE: Intuitive IC RESOLVE: Change PLOT DYNAMICS: DRIVER: Action LIMIT: Optionlock OUTCOME: Success JUDGMENT: Good OVERALL STORY (A town affected by a 5th grader's new word) THROUGHLINE: Situation CONCERN: How Things are Changing ISSUE: Fact vs. Fantasy PROBLEM: Non-Accurate SOLUTION: Accurate SYMPTOM: Unproven RESPONSE: Proven CATALYST: Threat INHIBITOR: Enlightenment BENCHMARK: The Future SIGNPOST 1: The Present SIGNPOST 2: The Past SIGNPOST 3: How Things are Changing SIGNPOST 4: The Future IMPACT CHARACTER (Mrs. Granger, infamous 5th grade teacher) THROUGHLINE: Manipulation CONCERN: Playing a Role ISSUE: Knowledge vs. Thought PROBLEM: Non-Accurate SOLUTION: Accurate SYMPTOM: Cause RESPONSE: Effect UNIQUE ABILITY: Desire CRITICAL FLAW: Worth BENCHMARK: Changing One's Nature SIGNPOST 1: Developing a Plan SIGNPOST 2: Playing a Role SIGNPOST 3: Changing One's Nature SIGNPOST 4: Conceiving an Idea MAIN CHARACTER (Nick Allen) THROUGHLINE: Activity CONCERN: Doing ISSUE: Wisdom vs. Enlightenment PROBLEM: Hunch SOLUTION: Theory SYMPTOM: Unproven RESPONSE: Proven UNIQUE ABILITY: Experience CRITICAL FLAW: Fantasy BENCHMARK: Obtaining SIGNPOST 1: Understanding SIGNPOST 2: Gathering Information SIGNPOST 3: Doing SIGNPOST 4: Obtaining MAIN VS. IMPACT STORY (Clashing attitudes about the value of the dictionary) THROUGHLINE: Fixed Attitude CONCERN: Impulsive Responses ISSUE: Value vs. Worth PROBLEM: Cause SOLUTION: Effect SYMPTOM: Unproven RESPONSE: Proven CATALYST: Worry INHIBITOR: Thought BENCHMARK: Innermost Desires SIGNPOST 1: Contemplation SIGNPOST 2: Memories SIGNPOST 3: Impulsive Responses SIGNPOST 4: Innermost Desires ADDITIONAL STORY POINTS GOAL: How Things are Changing CONSEQUENCE: Impulsive Responses COST: Playing a Role DIVIDEND: Doing REQUIREMENT: The Future PREREQUISITE: Innermost Desires PRECONDITION: Changing One's Nature FOREWARNINGS: Obtaining