MC Throughline, Story Weaving

questions
#1

To what extent can MC Throughline Scenes be explored, in terms of character interaction, without dipping into the other Throughlines? Can other characters inhabit some of the MC elements even though the MC Throughline is still seen through the lens of the actual Main Character?

Put another way, I want to explore the MC Throughline as the “I” perspective, and I also want other characters to contribute to the MC Themes and Elements - the argument/perspective - WITHOUT using the IC, RS, or OS Throughlines … like a therapist who’s trying to uncover things about the MC, for the MC’s sake, without telling the character what to change and how to do it, or loosely “influence” the MC to make the decision for himself.

For example, say I’m exploring Desire while How Things Are Changing:
The MC wants to visit his girlfriend back in the States, yet developments on the warfront distance him.
The other character(s) converse about his Desire and respond to How Things Are Changing, but only do so through the Elements not used by the MC.

The issue really comes down to Story Weaving. I feel the more I try to distinguish the Throughlines the more bleak my writing becomes. Conversely, the more story weaving I employ, at nearly microscopic levels, micromanaging the Throughline hand-offs, the writing becomes a convoluted and overwhelming undertaking.

How do you blend the Throughlines into your works?

TLDR: How does character interaction play into the MC Throughline?

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#2

You have to trust the brain to keep things on track. The brain wants all of it in a story, and as you write a story that is FUN for you to write, it will all be there, somewhere. Maybe, not in the exact place as you anticipated, but existing in the story, somewhere.

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#3

Some brains want a little sketch to start off with, hence Dramatica and other writer tools. Then the brain wants to be let loose to play in the back yard sketch you built. At least the right side of the brain…haha.

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#4

Number one is to trust what @Prish said. Basically, to trust yourself and your own instincts.

But I think those (good) instincts are why you asked this question…

It was a big breakthrough for me to realize that other characters can contribute to or exist “in” the MC throughline. You can do this as much as you want. The key thing is that it’s the MC himself who has the “I” perspective and is experiencing the personal issues and conflict. But the other characters can make that conflict apparent, make it happen, make things tough for the MC.

A lot of the time these other characters will also exist in the OS, and it’s possible some of their interactions with the MC may do double-duty. But sometimes they may just serve the MC throughline. (I think @MWollaeger suggested at one point that Andie’s friends in The Devil Wears Prada were almost entirely MC throughline characters.)

Here’s a funny example from my own writing:

  • In my current story, my MC’s two best friends and his parents all contribute to his throughline.
  • Back in the beginning of Act 2, I had identified my MC’s friend Eric as being the Skeptic character in the OS. I thought that was kind of cool as I had never tried to make that happen, yet he was clearly Opposing and Disbelieving left and right especially with anything related to the Goal.
  • Then suddenly I had this scene where Eric was being all supportive of the MC. For a while I thought I was doing something wrong, but it really felt right for him to be supportive at this point. (“Dude, you’ve never had a better chance to get with this girl!* Come on, I’ll drive you.”) Then I realized his Support was entirely in the MC throughline! In fact, later on when the OS stuff starts to intrude again, his support evaporates and he gets all Oppose/Disbelief again. “This chick is involved in what?! No, she can’t borrow my truck!”
  • Elsewhere in the story, Eric helps illustrate the MC Symptom of Logic with his attempts to get Devin (MC) to follow this proscribed, logical way of picking up girls, which Devin can’t stand.

* His actual words were a lot more crass

Now, your specific questions and example sound a bit complex for me:

Honestly the Element-level stuff I would mostly just leave up to the subconscious and do by feel, at least on the first draft. Rather than thinking about who’s using what elements, think about pushing the MC on his personal issues.

Same with Story Weaving. Just do what comes naturally. I find it helps to know that any particular “thing” in your story (event, beat, action, line of dialog, entire scene, whatever) can serve any number of throughlines.

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Hand-off of entire Throughline, or not?
Short Stories with Dramatica and the Snowflake method
#5

I’ve been meaning to ask a similar question for a while.

One example I wanted to revisit was in Ex Machina. I can’t remember the details (I have to go back and listen) but there was a DUG analysis in which someone pointed out a scene where Ava (the AI who is the influence character) has a conversation with Caleb, the MC, in which she touched on almost story point in his throughline (I think?).

So from the sound of it, she was exerting influence on him but doing so in terms of his throughline. Maybe someone else will remember the specifics. If not I’ll go back and listen again.

#6

It’s around the 20-22 minute mark on the video. [quote=“okcthunderx, post:1, topic:2141”]
How do you blend the Throughlines into your works?

TLDR: How does character interaction play into the MC Throughline?
[/quote]

The project I’m currently working on has very clear separated throughlines. To those familiar with Dramatica, I’d think it would be very clear when my main character is a Main Character and when he’s an OS character. Only toward the end do I have multiple Sign Posts showing up in one scene. Any time he’s dealing with his personal issue, it’s pretty much all MC throughline. I don’t worry about making sure all 64 elements are showing up in his throughline, but I’d say if I were
Going to be concerned with that, I wouldn’t give another character an MC element so much as suggest that the MC is placing that element on the other character. For instance, character B wouldn’t be driven to Avoid in the MC throughline. Instead, MC would be driven to look for Avoid and would see what another character was doing as Avoid whether that was the case or not.

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#7

Hi @okcthunderx The way I do mine is to use the Scene and Sequel approach.

For me most of the OS is rendered in Scenes, and the MC Throughline is rendered as a Sequel.

Sequel here being the MC’s reaction to what is going on in the OS. It gives a time for the MC to reflect on what’s going on. How it all matters to him/her personally. Fortunately they also have their specific throughline concern and so i render that portion together with the context of the OS. This makes the MC feel like they have a life outside the PLOT.

That’s my approach.

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#8

Why do you want to do this?

FWIW, if you are finding your writing vacillating between being “bleak” and being “convoluted” , I would guess that the writing skill you need to work on is the writing craft, not anything to do with Dramatica.

#9

The upmost reason involves keeping all things Dramatica manageable and natural to the flow of storytelling as I go along writing.

If I have a dialogue exchange within the MC Throughline, I find it helpful to think of this “I” perspective as a home, where any other characters who contribute to the Throughline represent visitors. Whatever topic is being said in the home, the other characters can discuss it. As for this particular home, the topics center on the owner, the MC.

If other characters, including the MC, visit the IC home (“your” home), the IC topics dominate.

Writing this way keeps the story points focused rather than bouncing around throughlines and micromanaging perspectives at a word, phrase, or sentence level. Chunking each point, whether it’s related to theme, plot, or static points, allows me to more fully explore the topic before moving onto something else. Generally, 100-200 words satisfies the subtext before advancing the story. The word count is not important, however. Some encodings may only require 50 words, or quite possibly 500.

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#10

I think that sounds like a reasonable goal. I do wonder if forcing too tight a grip might be working against you, though.

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