I’m new to Dramatica and just attended Jim Hull’s seminar on it in Boise, Idaho last weekend. I’m using it because I want to be able to write highly focused stories without having to write a zillion drafts to get to the one that works. In the 90s I won two playwriting contests in Denver. In each case, I wrote and workshopped several drafts before I had an epiphany to the effect of, “Oh! Here’s what my play’s about.” After that point, I wrote a completely different play that was highly focused on an idea and was, unlike the previous drafts, stageworthy. I wrote numerous drafts despite being very familiar with writing theories. Louis E. Catron’s books on playwriting were instrumental in helping me.
I’ve read the book, Dramatica, and have watched all the online videos. Now I’ve taken the introductory seminar. I’ve begun plugging my first Dramatica-assisted play into the app. A few weekends ago, I holed up in a hotel room where no family member could pester me and just wrote. I felt way more focused than ever and cranked out 19 pages, the most I’ve ever done in two days.
However, I do still feel like I have a ton to learn. The program has a steep learning curve. I’m only willing to invest a bunch of time learning it because I see a big payoff in the form of my best writing. I’m a member of a small writer’s group here in Idaho that’s learning Dramatica.
So far, I’ve written plays, short stories, travel articles, erotica, and technical writing. I’m branching out into copywriting at the moment and am considering screenwriting.
That’s me. This is my intro. I look forward to participating in this group.
cheers, Tom