TL;DR
Using Dramatica, even if you understand it is difficult and Dramatica itself even explains why: It’s a transition through a bump. Thank you Jim, and Jassnip and everyone else, for showcasing different ways of making this transition.
I think I’ve noticed something interesting in the major set of questions that come about when working with Dramatica. And, I think that, on analysis, Dramatica itself may actually illustrate why a certain set of these questions often seems more difficult to answer than others.
First, there are questions with an eye toward understanding the concepts, usually dredged up from one’s time studying the theory. Next, there are questions about how to use the theory, generally sourced from a desire to produce a finished product. Finally, there a number of questions more about how to take one’s understanding and use it in the actual writing process. That is, how to transition from having “learned” the theory to using it in one’s writing.
The first set is quite clearly the dynamic between Understanding and Learning. The second set, which is the dynamic between Doing and Obtaining, is almost as clear. Either of these types of questions involves, per Dramatica parlance, a slide. That suggests a similarity that makes either type of question easy to answer.
That last set, though, to take one’s understanding and use it in the writing process, is different, and often seems to be the most difficult to answer. These questions can be seen as a transition from either Learning to Doing or from Understanding to Doing. In either case, the transition involves a bump, and I think that’s the reason there is more difficulty in answering such questions.
Even the layperson’s terminology for such questions, often has similar phrasing:
- How do I get over that hurdle?
- I just can’t make that leap…
- etc.
Thus, I venture to suggest that the most difficult part of Dramatica is neither Learning, nor Understanding the theory. Don’t misread this; those pieces are difficult aspects, definitely. But, I think the most difficult part for Dramatica users is making that bumpy transition from Understanding (or Learning) to Doing.
Thus, I seriously appreciate seeing various processes of this transition. For example, @jassnip’s recent workshop post, or @jhull’s work with the Subtext video courses. Thank you, so much, everyone, for sharing your processes thereof. It really does help.