From what I can tell, this email course is no longer available. Is this correct? @jhull ?
If it’s not available, I’m pretty sure I still have the emails saved.
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I’m making it an integral part of Subtext.
Until then, I’m more than happy to send you a PDF eBook of all the lessons. DM me here and I’ll send it along!
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Ah, I didn’t think about that! Maybe I will next time before I go offering to send things out!
You wrote this awhile back, but reading it made me wonder what you meant. Could you please explain?
So the idea here is that in order for Dramatica to be useful, you have to look at each of the story points as a source of conflict, as opposed to just something that happens.
So if I’m encoding an MC Signpost 1 of the Future by saying “Mary thinks about her future,” I haven’t really accomplished much. Why is Mary thinking about her Future cause a problem?
“Mary, a young single mother in a dead-end job, learns that her employment is ending. Terrified of what will become of her and her young child, she agrees to a risky, illegal caper in order to ensure her future.”
Okay that might not be the best example. But the point is, you have to use the story point as a way to create problems for your characters.
Jim had a number of podcasts episodes and articles on Narrative First that were really helped me understand this. (The articles are great, but I found that listening to the podcasts even more helpful).
Then take a look at how @jhull illustrates the example stories in his playground exercise series. Actually, if you have time to do the exercises, they are invaluable (in my view).
The other resource I highly recommend is Armanado Saldanamora’s Dramatica for Screenwriters. I don’t think Armando expresses the “source of conflict” directly, but he has lots of examples in there of how to encode and illustrate different storyforms.
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The article on “The Main Character Playground” suggests using Gists, which I believe is only a feature in the Apple version of the program. I am in Windows-Land. What are Gists, anyway? Aren’t they just examples of the story point, like “Finding the lost treasure” instead of Obtaining?
Oh, I’m sorry to hear that! I forgot they’re only available for Mac. Yes, you’re correct, they’re examples of the story point.
I actually have found gists to be invaluable to both understanding the “area” that the actual term points to and brainstorming storypoints.
The other way to get access to all of the gists is to subscribe to @jhull’s Subtext service. It’s an investment, but I do recommend it and not just for that. Subtext’s outlining feature alone is worth it – and it works as a way to apply Dramatica without actually needing to understand all the storypoints.
Otherwise, does anyone know another way to get access to all the gists without a mac?
I just re-read it. Great article and it’s finally making sense in my head. Dramatica is complicated and you just have to keep plugging away at it, reading, re-reading, More Investigate and less Doubt which will lead to Senses and an Interpretation. Or something.
My flashcards are working. Now everything looks like a quad.
Wait till you start seeing quads in the way people interact all around you…
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Perhaps a way to avoid lulls in conversation is to characterize (in yourself) the missing element… If you realize that the theme of the conversation is Security and your conversation partners have already presented cause, effect and result, that leaves “process” to complete the quad, er, conversation.
It’s started!!! On occasion I go around to give health talks at various Multinationals. Total, Chevron etc, and I structure the information in quads. Actually have the Universe, Physics, Mind and Psychology quad up most times. They watch and listen like I’m some prophet. Haha… Reviews have been super positive. Thankful for Dramatica thinking people!
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Just wait until you start using them subconsciously, and then realizing it after the fact!
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