Has anyone attempted to write a story from a dead stop by just picking a story form at random? I see that choice in the Dramatica software under Brainstorming. I’m considering experimenting with it mainly because I just finished NaNoWriMo and don’t have any new ideas at the moment. I guess it would be similar to what is going on over at the Story Assembly thread.
Exactly. I was going to simply post a link to it 
I do it all the time for fun. What you’ll find is that, as you illustrate the different story points, you’ll begin to develop a passion for the story that will be just as strong as if it was an idea that began in your own head.
Strongly suggest.
@Writegeist - I do that a lot, but I always give up (too much other things I do). Melanie A Phillips just told me (through her video series I bought) that @chuntley is a Structural writer and this is what he would do, but she is an intuitive writer and it is doing it the hard way for her. I think I am more of an intuitive person. But, I am also tenacious, so keep doing it. Congratulations on finishing NaNoWriMo
@jhull - In the vein of structuralist / intuitive, does your “strongly suggested” apply to both? I really enjoy doing it for fun as well, but nowhere near comfortable with it. Is your “fun” derived from a tendency toward structure or is it not what you do normally as an intuitive writer and just do it for “fun”??
Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and hold on tight for the ride at the end of the semester (students) and the holiday season (retailers) and everyone in-between.
I recommend it for both – for one because it’s satisfying, for the other because everyone needs to work on their weaknesses. Probably more than they need to encourage their strengths.
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Coincidentally, our next Dramatica Users Group meeting (next Tuesday, Dec. 9) is one in which we will do just this. I call it Story Embroidery, because we randomly choose a storyform and set of eight character archetypes using the brainstorming tools. We then do a round robin where each person gets to choose a story point to illustrate, so that we build the story one story point at a time. Within two hours we have the basis for a robust narrative ready for someone to write (should he or she wish to do so).
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I really look forward to doing that at some point. The energy of many minds working together is one of my favorite environments.
I think it requires an invite and I live in a location two hours later than the start. But I have a camera and laptop with Google+ capability and look forward to being able to participate. If tomorrow, then great. My appointment with the surgeon tomorrow will either free me to be active again or lock me to this computer for longer. Either way, I should be available. 
Chadwick, regarding the Story Embroidery tomorrow, simply click on the link below —
http://dramatica.com/community/users-group/online
— and you will see directions for how to watch (doesn’t require a Google+ membership) or participate (does require you to be a member of the Google+ Dramatical circle, which I think you already).
Hope to hear/see you there!
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I don’t invite anymore. Too much of a pain to setup. But I will keep my finger on the EJECT button if the conversation deteriorates.
I’ll try my best to be there. It certainly has helped to be a part of the Story Assembly thread… And who wouldn’t want an internet EJECT button?
Thanks @keypayton.
I have so many in my Google+ Dramatica circle, but I am not a member of the Google+ group.
I could use the experience with you guys to share in the story embroidery. How can I get in on that?
I think there is a moderation and the moderator has to invite me or something.
You have me in circles and many others do too. I am easy to find on Google+ so if someone can connect me, I’ll love participating and probably getting only a couple appreciations illustrated, but that is where it is fun trying to think of ways to weave a story together with multiple minds. I used to do this with friends adding sentences to a story one at a time. The things multiple people come up with is often more than any one person could have imagined.
Chadwick, I just added you to the Dramatica circle at Google+. Now you can go to the link I gave you before –
http://dramatica.com/community/users-group/online3
– and follow the “Joining the Circle” and “Where to Watch” instructions. And do that “joining” right now, because there’s a four-hours-in-advance requirement!
I think I’ll watch this time.
Again, you don’t have to be part of a circle or be invited to participate. I have it open to all, you just need to show up at the right date and time.