The Dramatica Theory Tip of the Month for February 2007 concerns using Dramatica to write children’s stories. Having used the theory to write three short stories and two screenplays for children, I’ve got a word or two to add.

Chris’s tip for this month (well, technically last month since today is March 1!) has some great thought starters for using Dramatica to help write children’s stories:

Dramatica can be used for grade school stories if you treat them like short stories (limited breadth) OR limit the depth of the story’s exploration. You won’t need the many of the tools in the Dramatica software, but the StoryGuide Level 1 covers most of the children’s story elements you need.

He then goes on to explain the difference between a tale and a story, and if you don’t quite understand that you might want to read his tip for a more in-depth explanation. Personally, I’m much more inclined to use Dramatica’s definition of a story, and therefore used it in my own writing.

I found using Armando’s Instant Dramatica technique to be most helpful in writing those children’s stories. While his book Dramatica for Screenwriters has an updated version of the technique, the one I used for years can be found here - the original version of Instant Dramatica.

If you follow his process - replacing his examples with your own storyform - you’ll find that you pretty much have done the bulk of writing a children’s story. It will be so chock full of dramatic goodness, that you’ll find there’s barely enough room for your own storytelling (i.e., all the imaginative visual stuff that excited you in the first place). How can you write a short story, yet make sure that it is still a complete story?

the deeper you go the less articulate your storytelling will be

You can’t really. An argument takes as much time as it takes to voice all sides. Leave out one side and you can always question the conclusion. Two hours seems to be the minimal amount of time you can spend and still include everything.

You’ll note that while most animated films come in at around 80 minutes, most of Pixar’s films clock in at over an hour and a half! Finding Nemo comes in at 100 minutes, while Cars and The Incredibles reach live-action feature length at a whopping 115 minutes! How can they get away with films that long?

Because at that place, story is king - even if it means the kids have to sit in their seats just a little longer. They take the time to tell complete stories.

So what are you supposed to do if you don’t have the time, but still want to make as complete an argument as you can? How can you be sure that you have room enough to throw in some imaginative storytelling?

What to Use and What to Throw Out

(I’m assuming you have a working knowledge of the terms used in the Dramatica theory of story. If you don’t, a link to the Dramatica Dictionary exists to the right) 

In writing simpler stories (e.g., animated features of approximately 70-80 minutes), I’ve found that you really only have space for the top two levels of the Dramatica structure - the genre and plot. You can try to incorporate the Theme level, but you’ll have a hard time finding room to show Expediency vs. Need as they relate to Permission and Deficiency (don’t click away just yet!).

The first 8 questions Dramatica asks you are a must - you cannot leave these out (Main Character Resolve, Growth, Approach and Problem Solving Style, and Overall Story Driver, Limit, Outcome and Judgment).

You’ll definitely want to illustrate your Main Character’s quad (Problem, Solution, Symptom and Response) and to a lesser extent your Impact Character’s. For the Impact Character, it’ll be enough to address those elements that really challenge the Main Character (Symptom and Response if the Main Character Changes, Problem and Solution if the Main Character stays Steadfast).

As for the Overall Story, I found simply illustrating the Problem and Solution are enough. Same with the Relationship Throughline. You’ll probably spend way less time on this last one - but definitely don’t leave it out!

Don’t bother with the Additional Story Points (Prerequisities, Preconditions, Costs, Dividends) - although the Requirements and the Forewarnings might help give you good ideas for plot points.

Oh! And don’t forget the Main Character’s Unique Ability. This is very important as it gives a reason for your Main Character to be in this story in the first place! This term represents what ability your Main Character has to see the overall story through to a successful conclusion. Very important.

I think thats it. Any more and you’ll find yourself spending way too much time playing with the theory instead of writing a coherent story. It can be fun seeing how all these terms work together to form a complete story, but the deeper you go the less articulate your storytelling will be.

Trust me, I’ve been there. Use Armando’s Instant Dramatica to get the structure right, then close down that software and let the storytelling flourish.

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Somewhat related to this article

• The Short Lived Life of a Story Project→

• dramatica can help break you out of a rut→

• using Dramatica to write short stories→

• Start Writing→

• Story Diversion: Deadwood’s Unlikely Reworking of the Past→