There are several different ways one can figure out the unique Dramatica storyform for a story. The straight ahead linear approach presented in the software’s StoryGuide, while helpful and ultimately necessary when first learning the theory, can actually be quite cumbersome to work with later on in your understanding. Your best bet is to use a combination of the Theory Browser, the Story Engine Settings Panel, and yes, even the Plot Progression Panel.

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Nowadays, photographic evidence isn’t enough. With the advent of Photoshop and digital photography, anyone can claim ownership of the truth. In order to convince someone that a conspiracy exists, even one related to something so inconsequential as story theory, the whistle-blowers of today need cold hard facts and an airtight case.

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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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Most screenplays take a turn for the worst at around page 60…and no, I’m not referring to the quality of writing! Rather, this is the time when things go really sour for the principal characters. Often referred to as the midpoint of a story, this moment can either be really obvious or really subtle, depending on the author’s preference and the structure of the story. Dramatica has little to say about the former, but much to say about the latter.

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In Children of Men, rich thematic elements of hope play out against despair in a dystopian vision of the future. Many have commented that while they found the film highly entertaining, they felt cheated at the end. They often go on to complain that the movie was half-finished. I disagree. I would say it was 3/4 finished…

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An interesting thing happened this week as I began a rewrite on a screenplay.
I was going through Dramatica for Screenwriters, working step-by-step to get a quick look at the story I was developing. Halfway through I realized that I wanted my story to end in a Success, not a Failure. I reset the Story [...]

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