Software |
StoryWeaver
$29.95
A step by
step approach to story development, from concept to completed story for
your novel or screenplay. More than 200 interactive Story Cards guide
you through the entire process.
Details
and Demo
Dramatica
$149.95
The most
powerful story structuring software available, Dramatica is driven by a
patented "Story Engine" that cross-references your dramatic
choices to ensure a perfect structure.
Details
and Demo
Movie
Magic Screenwriter
$149.95
The most
advanced screenwriting software available, Movie Magic is deemed a
"preferred file format" by the Writer's Guild. An industry
standard, MMS is used by professionals and studios around the world.
Details
and Demo
Throughline
Index Cards
$9.95
Interactive
index cards - Name them, add notes, titles, colors, click and drag to
re-arrange, adjust font, save, export and print. An essential tool for
every writer.
Details
Academic
Discounts
on Select Products
Are you a
student, teacher, or academic staffer? Get the very best price on select
products with these manufacturer sponsored academic discounts!
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A Writer Asks...
Dramatica requires authors to make specific decisions about their story. In
contrast, most great artists prefer to keep things ambiguous so that the audience is left
with a richer experience. Doesn't this indicate a limitation of Dramatica?
Melanie Replies...
According to Webster, "ambiguous" means, "having more than one
meaning":. By this definition, Dramatica would agree that ambiguity is a hallmark of
great art. Please note that "ambiguous" does NOT mean "unclear",
"cloudy", nor "obscure". Most artists do not desire to create a work
that holds no meaning because no one can figure it out. If the audience doesn't get ANY
feeling from the piece, then why create it in the first place? However, if the audience
experiences CONFLICTING feelings, we have not only moved it, but created a potential
within it that forces it to address an issue of interest to us as authors. The audience is
forced to consider all sides of the issue logistically and/or emotionally. We, as authors,
have then accomplished our intent.
If the point of "great" art is to create multiple meanings, then first we
must build single meanings. Next, we combine them together - some on this side of the
fence, some on the other. In this way, we temper the "emotional argument" of the
work so that it falls somewhere in the range between one-sided and evenly balanced,
thereby creating an overall ambiguous meaning. This is one of the concepts upon which
Dramatica is based.
The choices an author makes in working with Dramatica have been designed to represent
these essential or "elemental" meanings that can be combined to create more
complex meanings. This is not unlike the periodic table of elements in chemistry. Similar
to the scientific chart, in stories there are "families" of emotions. Some react
together, some do not. And just like elements, they all have individual identities. Lead
is very stable. Gold is chemically inert. Both are malleable. One is dull, the other
shiny. Both are heavy. But place Hydrogen and Oxygen together and they will quickly form
water, which has properties that don't resemble either parent. Sometimes catalysts are
needed and other times inhibitors will slow down reactions. Both "catalysts" and
"inhibitors" can be found in the terminology of Dramatica, and these story
equivalents provide much the same function.
The questions asked of authors in Dramatica that have the greatest impact on a story
(and therefore limit out more alternatives) were placed so as to come right up front in
the software where the new user can see them before anything else. They are designed to
let the new user become familiar with Dramatica concepts while having some powerful tools
to use right off the bat. But there are HUNDREDS of other much more subtle, sophisticated
and complex questions later like "Subjective Story Catalyst" and "Objective
Story Inhibitor". Experienced alchemists (authors) who understand these concepts,
even intuitively, can jump right in and create magic. For the novice, like the Sorcerer's
apprentice, he or she will need to work up to that level of sophistication.
Just as with the great masters, it is not only in their subject matter that we
appreciate their work, but in the nature of the brushstrokes as well. The brushstrokes are
the storytelling, the creative, intuitive, organic part of communication. Although
Dramatica offers some insights into this part of the creative process, it is specifically
designed to focus on the exploration of the rational or emotional topic of a work and
provide a "periodic table of story elements" from which to fashion complex and,
yes, "ambiguous" meanings.
Why would a master storyteller have an interest in such a program? Because not all
works by a great master are great masterworks. It is not that intuition fails or skills
diminish, but that each of us carries our own biases, givens and preconceptions to the
creative process. If our purpose is simply to document these, then there is no need for
Dramatica. But if our intent is to impact our audience in ways we can predict, then
Dramatica is an extremely valuable tool for creating both complex and ambiguous meanings.
Visit
the Dramatica Theory Home Page
Try Dramatica & StoryWeaver Risk
Free*
$179.95
$29.95
*Try either or both for 90 days. Not working for you?
Return for a full refund of your purchase price!
About Dramatica and
StoryWeaver
Hi, I'm Melanie Anne Phillips,
creator of StoryWeaver,
co-creator of Dramatica
and owner of Storymind.com. If you have a moment, I'd like to tell you
about these two story development tools - what each is designed to do, how
each works alone on a different part of story development and how they can be
used together to cover the entire process from concept to completion of your
novel or screenplay.
What They Do
Dramatica is a tool to help you
build a perfect story structure. StoryWeaver is a tool to help you build
your story's world. Dramatica focuses on the underlying logic of your
story, making sure there are no holes or inconsistencies. StoryWeaver
focuses on the creative process, boosting your inspiration and guiding it to add
depth, detail and passion to your story.
How They Do It
Dramatica has the world's only
patented interactive Story Engine™ which cross-references your answers to
questions about your dramatic intent, then finds any weaknesses in your
structure and even suggests the best ways to strengthen them.
StoryWeaver uses a revolutionary new
creative format as you follow more than 200 Story Cards™ step by step through
the story development process. You'll design the people who'll inhabit
your story's world, what happens to them, and what it all means.
How They Work
Together
By itself Dramatic appeals to
structural writers who like to work out all the details of their stories
logically before they write a word. By itself, StoryWeaver appeals to
intuitive writers who like to follow their Muse and develop their stories as
they go.
But, the finished work of a
structural writer can often lack passion, which is where StoryWeaver can help.
And the finished work of an intuitive writer can often lack direction, which is
where Dramatica can help.
So, while each kind of writer will
find one program or the other the most initially appealing, both kinds of
writers can benefit from both programs.
Try Both Programs
Risk Free!
We have a 90
Day Return Policy here at Storymind. Try either or both of these
products and if you aren't completely satisfied we'll cheerfully refund your
purchase price.
Our
Complete Catalog of Products
Get
the Writer's Survival Kit Bonus Package
FREE with ANY purchase!
A $300 Value!
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StoryWeaver
- $29.95
Our
Bestseller! A
step by step approach to story development, from concept to completed
story for your novel or screenplay. More than 200 interactive
Story Cards guide you through the entire process.
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Dramatica
Pro - $179.95
Includes
2 Exclusive Bonuses! The
most powerful story structuring software available, Dramatica is driven
by a patented "Story Engine" that cross-references your
dramatic choices to ensure a perfect structure.
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Dramatica
Writer's DreamKit - $49.95
Little
brother to Dramatica Pro, Writer's DreamKit is built around the same
patented Story Engine - it just tracks fewer story points. So, you
develop the same solid story structure, just with fewer details.
Perfect for beginning writers or those new to Dramatica.
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Power
Structure - $149.95
An
all-in-one writing environment with built-in word processor that helps
you organize and cross-reference your story development materials.
INCLUDES DVD SET BONUS!
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Power
Writer - $99.95
The little
brother of Power Structure includes the essential organization and word
processing tools writers need the most.
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Throughline
- Index Cards (Mac) - $19.95
Interactive
index cards - add notes, titles, colors, click and drag to re-arrange.
An essential tool for every writer.
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Movie
Magic Screenwriter - $149.95
The most
advanced screenwriting software available, Movie Magic is deemed a
"preferred file format" by the Writer's Guild. An
industry standard, MMS is used by professionals and studios around the
world.
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Final
Draft - $199.95
Like Movie
Magic Screenwriter, Final Draft is an industry standard, used by many
professional screenwriters and studios around the world.
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Between
The Lines (Macintosh) - $29.95
The lowest
cost automatic screenplay formatter for Macintosh includes high-end
features such as interactive index cards linked to your script.
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12
Hour Writing Course - $19.95
Everything
you need to know about story structure - twelve hours of video on a
single DVD - presented by Dramatica Theory co-creator, Melanie Anne
Phillips.
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Dramatica
Software Companion - $19.95
More than
four hours of video demonstrations of every key feature in Dramatica,
narrated by the co-creator of Dramatica.
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StoryWeaving
Tips Book - $19.95
170 pages of
eye-opening essays on story structure, storytelling, finding inspiration
and a wide variety of writing techniques.
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StoryWeaving
Seminar 8 DVD Set - $99.95
14 hours of
video from a live two day course taught by theory co-creator Melanie
Anne Phillips covering Dramatica story structure and StoryWeaver
storytelling.
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StoryWeaving
Seminar Online - $49.95
The same 14
hour program presented in streaming video that you can view online or
download for a permanent copy.
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Dramatica
Theory 2 Hour Audio Program - $19.95
Every key
concept in the Dramatica Theory of Story is fully explained in this
double-CD set.
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Writing
Characters of the Opposite Sex - $29.95
A three-hour
audio CD set that explains everything you need to know to create
characters of both sexes that ring absolutely true (and maybe even gain
insight into the communication problems in the real world!)
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Master
Storyteller Improves Your Writing - $29.95
Become a
better writing with this series of interactive exercises.
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How
to Create Great Characters DVD - $19.95
A 90 minute
video program recorded during Dramatica co-creator Melanie Anne
Phillips' live in-person seminar on story structure and storytelling.
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Structure
vs. Passion - Audio CD $19.95
The Story
Mind approach to writing uses your own passions to create your story's
structure. It focuses your efforts, clarifies the direction of
your story, and triggers your imagination.
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Writing
with the Story Mind - Audio CD - $19.95
Learn how to
psychoanalyze your story's "mind" to uncover and treat
problems with characters, plot, theme, and genre.
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Academic
Prices - Discounts on Select Products
Are you a
student, teacher, or academic staffer? Get the very best price on
select products with these manufacturer sponsored academic discounts!
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Package
Deals - Starting at $49.95
Get deep
discounts with these bundles of our most popular writing products.
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Writer's
Survival Kit Bonus Package - FREE!
Free with
ANY purchase - Writing software, online writing workshops, writing
seminars on video, story theory book, and much, MUCH more!
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