PSR which issue is explored when

writing
#1

I just (re)discovered the Plot Sequence Report, which I have tried to use month ago but couldn’t figure at this time the purpose at all.

For any one interested I can recommend to read on this topic Jim Hulls post on narrativefirst.com and the book Jim is mentioning from Armando Mora. Using the PSR its really enlightening and gives you a much better grip on a scene having an outside (plot) and inside (theme) view.

But as usual with dramatica, if 1 question has been answered a bunch of new ones pop-up:

If I am using the concern “Doing” as in “OS 1, Scene 1: Doing as it relates to Fate:” as plot e.g. “a class writes an exam” then “Fate” is the theme

If have got…

"OS 1, Scene 1: Doing as it relates to Fate: "

“Doing” for the Plot (outside view), e.g. “pupils write an essay at school”

  • Experience - some have lack of experience on the given topic
  • Skill - some have a spelling weakness
  • Wisdom - some doesn’t know how to handle the topic efficiently
  • Enlightenment - some believe “waffling” will help

“Fate” for theme:

  • Jack had a big party last night and has difficulties to focus
  • Lisas brother past away tow weeks ago and she has difficulties to concentrate
  • …

To my understanding to explore the Issue “Fate” as theme … this is the scene to do so. But when do I explore Skill, Wisdom… this Issues are used in this scene “only” for illustration (for the objective view) and the issues are not explored at all (at least not in this scene)?

Plot Sequence Report ... Getting Under the Hood
#2

Just my two cents (take it with a grain of salt)…

I would just focus on the Doing and Fate, and not consciously worry about the quad of Variations under Doing. You’ve got enough to worry about as it is.

Unless one of those Variations is actually the OS Issue, then you might want to bring that in as a source of conflict as well (along with OS Problem/Symptom/Response of course).

Now, maybe because of the focus on Doing, its Variations (Experience, Skill etc.) will happen to come in automatically when you write it, and that’s fine, but I don’t think you need to focus on those Variations purposely.

P.S. your Fate ideas are great but seem to be missing the last step where the characters are like “I’m doomed to fail because of X!” :slight_smile:

#3

It’s kind of hard to say much, because your signpost is taken out of context, but maybe you can think of it like this?

  • Surprise test in the morning. It is unwise to have a big party on the night before a school day, but the students just see it as a cruel twist of fate, like being brought down after having so much fun was just inevitable. (This in the larger context of the student’s approach to school/education)
  • Jane shows great social skills, but her peers think she’s popular simply because she was born pretty. (This in the larger context of understanding and interpreting body language)

I don’t know if these make sense at all. I tried to look at the PSR Variations as how the characters see the context, whereas the static Variations as how you can look at the subject objectively.

In general I agree with @mlucas. The Variations underneath the signpost type will naturally appear.

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#4

Thanks, just realized today as soon as you change one choice you have made before in your story form it changes the PSR too. Somehow logical but how you deal with it if you are in the middle of a story and realize one or more choices have to be changed again? You continue writing and changes afterwards, or you change and rework? For first draft I usually finish first and don’t care until I have finished it.

For my case I have finished the 1st draft and working right now on the 2nd draft.