Reading Dramatica Book

Did any of you find it difficult to go through the book? I find myself stuck often, and then feel discouraged…

Difficult, but rewarding. I still have to keep the Dramatica Dictionary handy, and still have a lot of questions, but using this forum and reading the Narrative First blog has helped a lot, and I think my writing has improved thanks to it.

I also found the “12 hour story structure course” on storymind.com very helpful.

I’d suggest if you get stuck with something ask here, it’s a wonderful community.

Alejandro, thank you. Is there any other book that helps to translate the theory? Also, it would be great to have on audio. I tried to download it, but didn’t work. I like to listed to books in my car.

@Jenya: I was fortunate enough to read Armando Saldana’s “Dramatica for Screenwriters” online when it was available for free. It’s also a very good book to help you understand Dramatica.

For the videos I’m able to watch them using Chrome. What browser are you using?

The storymind website also features a “Secrets of Structure Audio Program”. I skimmed through it because the content is pretty much the same of the 12 hour structure course, which I had already watched.

Alejandro, thank you. I did go through some of the videos, and I use Chrome. I am doing MFA and have to read nonstop, but still manage to find time (not often) for Dramatica book. I have to go back into the book a lot–to digest previous concepts, again and again. I find that James Bonnet’s Stealing Fire from the Gods is somewhat similar to Dramatica concepts.

@Jenya: I forgot to tell you… one aspect that confused me a lot in the beginning was the change in terms. Sometimes a book/site refers to the “Obstacle Character” and another to the “Influence Character”.

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I found it helped to go through the story examples of the Dramatica Pro software program, especially of movies I had seen. I wish they would put examples for every point, but there are quite a few.

Prish,

Thank you. Examples help, very much so.

Glad it helped. I am always scrolling through them for some clues.

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The best thing to do here is to bring direct questions to the forum.

The book is not an easy read. I have a feeling that making it easy would quintuple its length. So, just come here and ask.

Thank you for your encouragement. I really need it :slight_smile:

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It should be a fun experience to listen to the Dramatica.com podcasts and/or youtube audio parts, also. They do discuss applying the theory to stories that capture our imagination. Something will stick. It’s like listening to movies in a language one is learning, with some things understood and new things beginning to be grasped.

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Just read the parts that you like, the parts that your mind is inhaling. You will, eventually, understand the other stuff too, and the interest will come. I dragged the husband with me to a Burbank workshop in the 90’s. I went to three, and dragged him along for the second one. He knew nothing about the theory book and/or computers, however, he has a natural comic genius (Stanislavsky said some are born with the ‘talent’…that’s him) After two days of workshop, he blew my mind as I was drowned in info and notes struggling to figure things out, by popping out with, “Oh, I understand now!” And he really did. It was clear to him, at that time. I realized he was just open, and I wanted to be applying everything. Maybe, your mind wants to be working on writing story and dialogue, instead of reading theory, when “stuck”. Just New Year’s thoughts, here.

Thank you, @Prish! This is a lovely advice. I finally came to this very realization :slight_smile: I am just finding that instead of writing, I am studying Dramatica :wink: Was ever a problem for you?

My guess is that everyone on this forum has realized they were doing this at one point or another.

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Happy New Year, @MWollaeger! What did they–you–do then? Go back to writing?

I doubled down and became a story expert. Then I went back to writing. :wink:

I still spend a lot of time studying stories, why they work and how to tell stories.

Happy New Year, Jenya,

An answer is forming, floating together from so many experiences, all jostling for dominance. When a hierarchy manifests, I shall write an answer.

You can also triple-down and completely put writing aside and start your own story consulting business based on Dramatica. :slight_smile:

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