# Choosing the right concerns **URL:** \ **Category:** Writing\ **Created:** [June 9, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841 "2018-06-09T21:49:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rachel\_Blot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/rachel_blot/32/1482_2.png) [@Rachel\_Blot](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Rachel_Blot)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/1 "2018-06-09T21:49:04Z")
Usually I find it hard to choose the right concerns when writing a story (same with the throughlines from time to time). So I try to brainstorm the “feel” of this story to see which quad of concerns would be better for what I intend to create. If it can be of use, or if you want to put your opinion out there… Here goes ! **Past - Understanding - Conceptualizing - Memory :** stories about burdens. Guilt and obsession, finding relief and moving on or getting consummed by one’s demons. Skeletons in the closet ; shining the light on something from the past, figuring how things fit together, finding the truth or entertaining a lie. **Present - Learning - Conceiving - Conscious :** stories about survival. Finding ways to get by or getting swallowed whole, abilities against limitations. Observing, deliberating, innovating and reinventing. Bettering or worsening current situations through action or inaction. **Progress - Doing - Being - Preconscious :** stories about evolution. Moving forward, backward, or being plain stuck ; finding a new direction is enough (=/= price). Battling forth against others and oneself, action without rest, effectiveness over results, impulses. Having control, struggling to keep it or completely losing it. **Future - Obtaining - Becoming - Subconscious :** stories about loss and gains. Tangible thing at the end of the road (=/= direction). Construction or destruction, opportunities to seize. Deep desires / fears and complete transformation of world and characters. Life-changing, inability to go back. ---
**Author:** ![jhull](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/jhull/32/3_2.png) [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/2 "2018-06-09T21:49:43Z")
Incredible collection!! Thanks for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![YellowSuspenders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a6a055/32.png) [@YellowSuspenders](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/YellowSuspenders)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/3 "2018-06-09T22:13:58Z")
> [@Rachel\_Blot](#): > > t hard to choose the right concerns when writing a story (same with the throughlines from time to time). So I try to brainstorm the “feel” of this story to see which quad of concerns would be better for what I intend to create. If it can be of use, or if you want to put your opinion out there… Here goes ! > > Past - Understanding - Conceptualizing - Memory : stories about burdens. Guilt and obsession, finding relief and moving on or getting consummed by one’s demons. Skeletons in the closet ; shining the light on something from the past, figuring how things fit together, finding the truth or entertaining a lie. This is really awesome and I’d love to see more! ---
**Author:** ![Lakis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/lakis/32/1816_2.png) [@Lakis](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Lakis)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 10:55pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/4 "2018-06-09T22:55:58Z")
This is fantastic. Extremely useful! Bookmarked! ---
**Author:** ![GetSchwifty](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/getschwifty/32/2581_2.png) [@GetSchwifty](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/GetSchwifty)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/5 "2018-06-09T23:00:19Z")
You have to keep going with this. ---
**Author:** ![HaroldLloyd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/haroldlloyd/32/405_2.png) [@HaroldLloyd](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/HaroldLloyd)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:22am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/6 "2018-06-10T02:22:24Z")
My cynical guide: Past, etc - Every supernatural horror movie (or movie about unresolved grief). Present, etc - Every movie that wins awards from the 1950s or 2000s. Progress, etc - Every movie with a boy, man-child, or competition on the poster. Future, etc - Every movie that makes money. ---
**Author:** ![GetSchwifty](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/getschwifty/32/2581_2.png) [@GetSchwifty](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/GetSchwifty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:28am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/7 "2018-06-10T02:28:24Z")
oh go back to climbing that building. ---
**Author:** ![RailwayAdventurer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@RailwayAdventurer](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/RailwayAdventurer)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/8 "2018-06-10T02:40:00Z")
Wow, this is amazing! I’ll be coming back to this post often. ---
**Author:** ![mlucas](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/mlucas/32/275_2.png) [@mlucas](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/mlucas)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 12:50pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/9 "2018-06-10T12:50:23Z")
Wow this is great! Thanks Rachel. Here is a list I made a while back of how the concern quadrants “feel”. Not sure how much of this feeling is personal and would differ between people, so YMMV. - Bottom-left: “powerful” - Bottom-right: “golden” / “inner light” - Top-right: “light-hearted” / “playful” (I’m still working on this) - Top-left: “heavy” Does anyone else have a way to describe these commonalities of feeling? They’re almost like a colour you can see in your mind when you think of the story. ---
**Author:** ![Prish](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/prish/32/33_2.png) [@Prish](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Prish)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/11 "2018-06-12T21:39:47Z")
> [@mlucas](#): > > Bottom-left: “powerful” > Bottom-right: “golden” / “inner light” > Top-right: “light-hearted” / “playful” (I’m still working on this) > Top-left: “heavy” ``` • Bottom-left: BASIC • Bottom-right: IN SYNC • Top-right: WARM FUZZY • Top-left: BAGGAGE ``` ---
**Author:** ![Lakis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/lakis/32/1816_2.png) [@Lakis](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Lakis)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/12 "2018-06-12T22:23:28Z")
@mlucas and @Prish You started making me question my (pretty dark) top-right story with your “light-hearted/playful/warm fuzzy” metaphors but then I realized that _Silence of the Lambs_ is a top-right story – am I misunderstanding which quad is where? (Or am I just reading into it too much?) ---
**Author:** ![jhay](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/jhay/32/1944_2.png) [@jhay](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhay)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/13 "2018-06-12T23:27:04Z")
> [@mlucas](#): > > Does anyone else have a way to describe these commonalities of feeling? They’re almost like a colour you can see in your mind when you think of the story. That’s a beautiful way of saying it. I definitely think of it as though the story is tinted a certain way. I think they’re probably different for everyone, too. For me: Obtaining, etc.: I struggle to describe this one. I have a clear feeling for it, but I can’t think of a word that fits. Doing, etc.: bubbly (this one always has an indie movie vibe to it in my brain) Learning, etc.: cerebral Understanding, etc.: reflective Worth noting, I don’t write much drama. I stay in the lighter end of things, so mostly work with the obtaining/doing areas. Didn’t think about that until now. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Prish](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/prish/32/33_2.png) [@Prish](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Prish)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/16 "2018-06-12T23:49:42Z")
> [@Lakis](#): > > (Or am I just reading into it too much?) Definitely! Consider this improv…no science just fun flow. ---
**Author:** ![mlucas](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/mlucas/32/275_2.png) [@mlucas](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/mlucas)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 4:32am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/17 "2018-06-13T04:32:07Z")
No, I was finding the top-right the hardest to pin down in words and still working at it. I was trying to find a commonality of feeling between _Star Wars_, _Breaking Away_, _Iron Giant_ and _Being John Malkovich_. Didn’t consider _Silence of the Lambs_, it’s been a super long time since I saw that. Maybe there is some playful vibe in how it treats such a dark subject? Don’t recall that though. I agree with Prish though, these are only generalities, and maybe don’t fit so well in every case. ---
**Author:** ![Lakis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/lakis/32/1816_2.png) [@Lakis](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Lakis)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2018, 12:09pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/18 "2018-06-13T12:09:55Z")
> [@mlucas](#): > > Maybe there is some playful vibe in how it treats such a dark subject? Hm, interesting - there is something playfully twisted maybe in the way Lecter and Clarisse interact in that movie. A dark comic vibe. But anyway it’s s weird one because it’s an OS Universe story. ---
**Author:** ![Emm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/emm/32/915_2.png) [@Emm](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Emm)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 12:25pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/19 "2018-09-30T12:25:45Z")
“Past - Understanding - Conceptualizing - Memory : stories about burdens. Guilt and obsession, finding relief and moving on or getting consummed by one’s demons. Skeletons in the closet ; shining the light on something from the past, figuring how things fit together, finding the truth or entertaining a lie.” Rachel, please, p!ease me, yeah, and post some more! For a fledgling like me, this is priceless help. I’m a kinesthetic too, so diagrams and visual aides added is a bonus. Thanx. Emm. ---
**Author:** ![Emm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/emm/32/915_2.png) [@Emm](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Emm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/20 "2018-10-02T12:23:31Z")
“moving on” would that be “Undersatanding?” and if so, would this apply to a character trying to overcome a dependancy? ---
**Author:** ![Rachel\_Blot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/rachel_blot/32/1482_2.png) [@Rachel\_Blot](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Rachel_Blot)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/21 "2018-10-02T19:23:39Z")
“Moving on” would be in regards to something that happened before - the death of a loved one, a mistake creating guilt… Which, for a MC, would be a concern of the Past usually. Take Cobb from _Inception_, for example. A character overcoming a dependancy would probably be in Psychology (the change in attitude and psychological damage), in Mind (being stuck in the same old habit/pattern) or even Universe (being physically dependant on something, although I doubt it was your intent). It would be harder to fit into Physics. ---
**Author:** ![Emm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/emm/32/915_2.png) [@Emm](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Emm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/22 "2018-10-02T20:16:21Z")
Thank you Rachel! So, then, if the OS were one of dependency (where all of the characters are trying to either feed a dependency or overcome one) would that, then, make the OS Domain one of Psychology? ---
**Author:** ![Emm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/emm/32/915_2.png) [@Emm](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Emm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841/23 "2018-10-02T20:54:23Z")
Thank you Rachel! So, then, if the OS were one of dependency (where all of the characters are trying to either feed a dependency or overcome one) would that, then, make the OS Domain one of Psychology? [Next page](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/choosing-the-right-concerns/1841.md?page=2)