Dramatica Basics

This page provides a brief overview
of Dramatica Theory and Software

Structure vs. Passion

What IS Dramatica?

What is the Dramatica Theory?

What is the Dramatica Software?

Dramatica's 12 Essential Questions

Take a Free Class in Dramatica Basics in Real Audio

What IS Dramatica?

Dramatica is two things: a new theory of story and a line of software products which implement the theory as story creation and development tools for writers.

What is the Dramatica Theory?

The Dramatica theory is based on a concept called "The Story Mind."  Dramatica contends that a story is really a model or map of a single human mind.  Characters, Plot, Theme, and Genre are different categories of thought which go on in the Story Mind as it tries to come to terms with a problem.

Characters are the drives of the Story Mind (which often conflict), Plot represents the methods the Story Mind uses to try and resolve its issues, Theme illustrates the conflicting value standards considered by the Story Mind, and Genre describes the Story Mind's overall personality.

Dramatica sees stories as a means of looking at the internal processes of our own minds made tangible, so we can see them from the outside looking in and thereby gain a more objective insight into ourselves.

What is the Dramatica Software?

The Dramatica software is a line of story creation and development tools for writers.  The Dramatica software takes a project from concept to completed sequential treatment.

Each version of the software is built around an interactive Story Engine.   The Story Engine was created by programming all the dramatic relationships among characters, plot, theme, and genre described by the Dramatica Theory.

A writer answers questions and/or makes multiple choice decisions about the kinds of dramatics he or she wants in the story.  The Story Engine cross-references the dramatic impact of these choices and can then actually predict the other dramatics necessary to make the story well-rounded and complete.

The Story Engine is so revolutionary it has received a patent from the U.S. government.  To learn more about the Dramatica software or to download a demo, visit The Dramatica Store on the web.

Dramatica's 12 Essential Questions

There are 12 Essential Questions every writer should be able to answer about his or her story.  Four deal with Character, four with Plot and the final four with Theme.  These 12 questions form the cornerstones of a story, and ensure that the rest of the structure works as a whole.

Answer the 12 Essential Questions for YOUR story

Index of Dramatica Theory Materials

Storymind.com is pleased to present this collection of materials about the Dramatica Theory of Story. We hope you find it both useful and through-provoking.

This information is divided into three sections:

The Dramatica Theory
A complete exploration of the theory in every detail

Historic Documents
The development of Dramatica from the beginning

Speculations
Dramatica applied to psychology, physics, religion and more

The Dramatica Theory

Dramatica Theory Book Online
Free online edition of the 400+ page book, Dramatica: A New theory of Story, in which Melanie Anne Phillips & Chris Huntley originally documented their work.

Dramatica Dictionary
Official definitions of all terms in the Dramatica theory and software.

Dramatica Writing Tips
Useful and informative articles on how to approach and employ both the Dramatica Theory and Software.

Constructive Criticisms
Practical illustrations of how applying the Dramatica theory could have made some well-known successful story's even better!

Dramatica Q & A
Answers to questions from users of the Dramatica Theory and Software.

Instant Dramatica
Even more directly practical essays on using Dramatica for real-world writing situations and problems provided by noted screenwriter Armando Saldaņa Mora.

Historic Documents

Dramatica - The Lost Theory Book
Early attempts to document the theory, including many unfinished conjectures and false starts.

Dramatica Development Archives
Early documents created during the development of the foundations of Dramatica.  Often later discarded, they show the roots of the thinking that ultimately evolved into the theory as it stands today.

Speculations

Deep Theory
Transcript of a class on the outer fringes of Dramatica Theory I taught as part of a now-defunct Dramatica Certification course.

Dramatica Math
A mathematician takes a stab at describing the Dramatica model in terms of dimensional distortions.

Mental Relativity
An exploration of the theory of psychology modeling which grew out of the development of Dramatica.

Dramatica I Ching
Several of our users have noticed a similarity between the character grid in Dramatica and the elements of the traditional I Ching.  Though unintentional, perhaps all models that look deeply into the mind will resemble each other.

Our Most Popular Products

StoryWeaver Story Development Software

By far, our most popular product, outselling all of our other products combined!  StoryWeaver takes you step by step through the entire process--from initial inspiration to completed novel or screenplay.  At just $29.95, StoryWeaver is affordable for any writer.  (Details)


Movie Magic Screenwriter

is one of two industry standard word processing screenplay formatters, the other being Final Draft.  Each of these programs offers a complete suite of screenwriting tools to make your next script a breeze to write.  (Details


Dramatica Pro

Unlike any other story development product, Dramatica Pro uses a patented Story Engine to interactively help you build a structure, find and fix dramatica holes and inconsistencies.  (Details)


20 Hour Writing Course on CD ROM

This intense program features 20 hours of video documenting the entire college-level course in creative writing given by Melanie Anne Phillips, creator of StoryWeaver and co-creator of Dramatica.  Just $19.95  (Details)

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