The New Experimental Category

The Dramatica theory of story encourages deep thinking about the nature of narrative. In an effort to keep the noise level down for those new to the theory, I created a new category on the forums, Experimental.

In the past, I would simply boot those who insist on overcomplicating the theory for newbies (which for some reason always happens in July). Recognizing my own drive to develop the theory through Subtext and realizing that not everyone has access to their own blogs or app development, I’m opening this Experimental category as a bit of an experiment.

This category is for Regular members, those who consistently post and keep up-to-date with the latest conversations in Dramatica. The gate is automatic and completely dependent on your interaction with the forum. If you post a lot, then disappear for months, you will lose that status and will have to start all over again.

If you don’t see the category and feel compelled to offer your own ideas on the theory, become a more active member. Engage and visit often, and you can contribute to the possible development of the theory there.

The core mission of this forum is to keep Dramatica as effortless for newcomers as possible. As always, if you can’t wait to become a Regular member, you can always start your own blog or podcast and let everyone know about it here.

7 Likes

Booting

I hope you continue to boot Dramatica Story Engine hackers and Dramatica Story Theory Deniers. As well as for repeated irrational behavior, or for repeated demonstrably false misinformation campaigns—especially for profit.

Rebooting

I don’t recommend ejecting members for overcomplicating or oversimplifying as it denies someone else’s reality while the offending diagnostician ends up living in a denial world of their own making ignorant of potential; AKA gaslighting

Note: Even published math proofs often fall short of perfect simplification. And, it should go without saying, but Dramatica shows us why a GAS requires further complication than a tale.

Proper Simplification

Ockham’s Razor

Note: necessity trumps plurality simplification before the razor justifies the shave.

Proper Complication

Hickam’s Dictum

Note: Hickam’s Dictum is sometimes referred to as the Theory of Narrative Causality and trumps the razor so we can storyform.