Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t crack the code of a story. Whether it’s a film you are analyzing or a spec screenplay that you’ve been working on for weeks, the storyform can remain frustratingly elusive. There is a technique I’ve found that works, and although it’s not revolutionary, it might help you get over that Dramatica-imposed writer’s block.

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Everyone wants to know “Do any professional screenwriters use Dramatica?” Well, I’m here to tell you that I’ve found irrefutable evidence that the answer to that question is “yes.” The proof lies in one of the better episodes of The X-Files - “Milagro.” And like Mulder used to say, “The truth is out there,” you just have to know where to look for it…

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The hardest part of the Dramatica learning curve is the language. The overall concepts of the Main and Impact Character and their relationship together (Subjective Story) are easy to comprehend. It’s those terms found at the bottom of the chart - Non-Accurate, Un-Proven, Reduction and yes, Induction and Deduction - that can give one reason to pause. Here’s a short explanation of Induction and Deduction that may be useful.

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When it comes to the Crucial Element, Change Main Characters have it easy. They restore balance to the story by either giving away or receiving an element. Makes sense to most authors. But Steadfast Main Characters are a different story entirely. In these kinds of stories, what element is moved? And if the story is about a hole to be filled, which element do we write about?

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Out of all the Domains your story could reside in, perhaps the most difficult to understand is the Psychology, or Manipulations, Domain. Most authors have no problem describing problematic situations, or activities, or even problematic fixed attitudes like prejudice or racism. But problematic ways of thinking? That one is usually the big stumper. Luckily, ol’ Yertle the Turtle is there to help explain…

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The relationship between the Main Character and Impact Character provides the heart of a story. Unfortunately, this emotional connection is often overlooked in many a screenplay. The heap of forgotten films teems with stories that made the simple error of not engaging their audiences passionately. It seems strange then, that Deadwood, a series often referred to as vulgar and crude, should present us such a successful attempt at this essential relationship.

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The Problem Solving Style of your Main Character can be more than just the last choice you make in a storyform. It can also be a strong indicator of how much power your Main Character has over the Objective Story.

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There are elegant ways to introduce the Subjective Story in your screenplay…and not so elegant ways. Examples of both can be found in two films from last year: Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and Notes on a Scandal. Care to guess which one handles this important introduction in a beautiful and artful way?

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Daily Dramatica has exploded over the past couple of months, nearly doubling the amount of subscribers since the first of the year. Most of this is due, I’m sure, to the fact that posts appear practically every day of the week. In addition, a sincere attempt has been made to provide really valuable information when it comes to structuring a screenplay (or any story for that matter). There were, however, some helpful posts that appeared years ago when the interest was not as great…

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Little Children, directed by Todd Field, provides an insight into modern parenting that some would say hits a little too close to home (especially for those of us directly experiencing this role!). The film thrives on wonderful performances by both a dowdy Kate Winslet and a believably creepy Jackie Earle Haley. Unfortunately for us lovers of fiction, the film fell victim to a little glitch in storytelling right near the end.

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