Serialized approach to dramatica

writing
#1

Hi there,

My writing partner and I are working on a comic series and we want to try an experiment with dramatica. Our idea was to use the stroyform as the outline and road map for our series. We’d then tell it in serialized episodes. We thought it would be a good way of learning dramatica, and also improving our storytelling. Our goal with the series is to tell a single big story over the course of the comic. Yet, still have each episode have a sense of completeness to it.

Our approach so far has been to create a loose outline for the series. Working through the main events we think we want to happen. We decided to structure each storypoint based on a single signpost. For instance, episode 1 - Main Character Signpost 1, Episode 2 - Impact Character Signpost 1 etc. We then figured out that we could use the plot sequence report as a guide for the episode act structure (not dramatica acts, more like TV act breaks).

Currently, our first episode looks like this:
Main Character Domain: Manipulation - Concern: Playing a Role
Signpost 1: Developing a Plan
Progression: Attitude>Approach>Self Interest>Morality

We wanted to see if we were on the right track with how we’re breaking down the story. If anyone has any thoughts of where we might fall into trouble. Or any useful parts of the theory that could help we’d really appreciate it.

#2

When I bought Dramatica V.1.6 in the 1990’s, we were able to call Screenplay Systems to talk over the theory and software with our current work. Those early days were fun and cozy. The world was a smaller place, wasn’t it? Later, I found working with a Dramatica consultant was just as helpful applying the theory and software to practical work. The one I worked with shared the different ways the software and theory were used, like living history and applied psychology coming together. It is a good way to work out practical application kinks. They would be a good source to pick brains for what has been done in the past.

#3

What kind of comic? Western style, manga, comic strip?

Also, focus on your drivers, that is, the events or decisions that force act changes. Try and see if you can get them to affect as many throughline as possible – it’s okay if your storyline doesn’t have them together, but it is eminently fascinating in storytelling when individual events have multiple interpretations.

#4

I think this is a pretty good plan overall. It will give you specific chunks to focus on, and that’s always helpful with Dramatic, since it can be unwieldy at first.

Here are my thoughts:
• Stay away from the PSR. Yes, really. It’s a venus flytrap for people who are new to Dramatica, and is best left for later. Approach your design through character wants and obstacles.
• Recognize going in that stories are fluid, and rarely broken up into discrete chunks the way you are talking about doing it. There is going to be overlap, and you should let there be overlap. Keep this idea of “It’s about the IC this episode” as a guiding principle, but be relaxed about it.
• Most serialized things have to do something at the end of the chapter/episode (commonly a cliffhanger) that whets the audience’s appetite to return. This is not part of Dramatica (by which I mean, it’s not part of the storyform) and if you rely on Dramatica to keep people interested, you will probably not hit your mark.

Minor detail:
• You’re not focusing each “storypoint” on a single signpost. You’re focusing each episode on a single signpost. Storypoints are details about the storyform.

#5

??

Drivers don’t belong to the OS, though this is how they feel sometimes and are most easily applied. They shift the focus of the entire story, so in a sense they must affect all four throughlines. Put more softly, a good driver will affect all four throughlines no matter what; you don’t even have to try to make it do so.

#7

There are just so few resources dedicated to that particular kind of storytelling that I doubt the history of this.

#9

This is a great plan and somewhat similar to the same approach I’ve used with professional writers developing TV series or serialized novels.

You can read more about it here:

Outlining a Television Series with Dramatica or here:
How to Write a Television Series

Personally I think following the Plot Sequence Report is a great approach to finding applicable story material for each episode. I used to be against it, but having it used it several times with many different writers I find it a great resource for planning out a multi-issue series.

1 Like
#10

It is a great way to find material. Is it a great way to find material and learn what Dramatica is all about simultaneously? Is it a great way to find material and structure a show without the helping hand of someone like you along the way?

#11

Yes to all of those. Depends on the writer and their level of motivation.

#12

That’s good to know. I tend to want people to focus and master, then move on to the next part when I work with them. Of course, as a student, I like jumping into the deep end…

#13

Most of the people I know who are into it are more interested in just getting the work done rather than learning Dramatica…so it’s kind of a nice way in, plus it gives them tons of ideas, plus it shows how rad Dramatica is at predicting narrative.

I totally flipped (Changed) my perspective on it over the past year