I decided to have a chat with AI about the Dramatica theory as a means of sharing information about the central concepts with more people in a more conversational tone.

Here’s the transcript of our first conversation:

You said:

I’d like to have an ongoing conversation with you about the Dramatica theory of story that I can share with my followers in order to convey information about Dramatica concepts and how they relate to narratives both in fiction and in the real world. You up for this?

ChatGPT said:

Absolutely! I’m up for it. We can discuss Dramatica concepts in depth, explore how they apply to storytelling, and even analyze real-world narratives through the Dramatica lens. Do you have a particular format in mind—like a structured Q&A, casual discussion, or guided walkthroughs of specific topics? Also, would you like to start with an overview for new audiences or jump into more advanced concepts?

You said:

I was thinking that, at least initially, a casual discussion would be best, but including questions from you about anything where you’d like more depth or clarity, and also requests from you to explore side topics that you see as being linked to what we’re discussing at any given time. What do you think about that approach?

ChatGPT said:

That sounds like a great approach! A conversational style will make it more engaging, and I can prompt deeper exploration or suggest related topics as we go. Where would you like to start? Would you prefer to introduce Dramatica in broad strokes, or dive into a particular aspect that you think is foundational or often misunderstood?

You said:

I think we need to begin with some basics overview information for those who are unfamiliar with the Dramatica theory. My notion is we ought to begin by exploring what to me is absolutely the central concept of Dramatica from which all else derives, and that is “the story mind.” Thoughts?

ChatGPT said:

That makes perfect sense. The “story mind” is the foundation of Dramatica, and understanding it unlocks everything else.

To kick things off, how would you introduce the concept of the story mind to someone who has never encountered it before? Would you frame it in terms of how a story functions as a single mind solving a problem, or emphasize its structural implications—like how characters represent aspects of thought? I’m curious how you personally explain it when introducing Dramatica to others.

You said:

My thoughts are that we need to begin at an even more basic level than a single mind solving a problem or that characters represent aspects of the story mind. Those other lines of inquiry are certainly important and each should eventually be explored as we go along. But to start with, I need to convey several things, rather all at once, since each one almost requires a pre-knowledge of the others in order to really get a sense of what the Story Mind concept is all about. How about if I list those key sub-concepts in no particular order, and you help me arrange them for the best presentation to someone new to Dramatica?

ChatGPT said:

That sounds like a solid plan. Go ahead and list the key sub-concepts you think are essential to understanding the Story Mind, and I’ll help arrange them into an order that makes them as clear and accessible as possible for someone new to Dramatica.

You said:

Thanks! Okay, here we go. Let me start with one concept first, have you write a conversational explanation, and then we’ll add more concepts one by one, rewriting the conversational explanation each time until we arrive at a final version that includes all the points we’d like in there. Here’s point one: Every story has a mind of its own, as if it were a real person – a “super-character” in which characters, plot, theme, and genre represent different aspects of the Story Mind’s psychology. Please give this a whirl in more conversational terms, then we’ll add another concept and rewrite to include it.

ChatGPT said:

Got it! Here’s a conversational take on that first concept:

Think of a story not just as a sequence of events, but as if it were a single mind—a kind of “super-character” with its own way of thinking. Just like a person has different mental functions—logic, emotion, desires, doubts—a story has different elements that work together to form a complete psychology. The characters, plot, theme, and even the genre aren’t just separate parts of storytelling; they all represent aspects of this larger Story Mind. In a way, a story is like stepping into someone else’s thought process and watching it play out from the inside.

Does this feel like the right tone? Once you’re happy with it, we can add the next concept and refine it further.

You said:

Not bad! Let’s go with that and add the next concept. Please shorten what I’m about to write and fold it into a new piece of text that incorporates both the section you just wrote and this new concept as well: How did a model of the mind end up as the structure of a story? Why would that be so? The short answer is that in the process of spinning tales, early storytellers found that certain pieces needed to be there for the story to feel complete and also compelling. Over hundreds of generations, and through hit-and-miss, these necessary pieces became the conventions of storytelling. As it turns out, without thinking about it, those pieces were necessary because they are the same issues and techniques we all explore as human beings when trying to grapple with a problem or figure out our best way forward in life. So, without any intent behind it, narrative structure became a model of the common architecture of problem solving shared by every individual. So – please rework this for clarity and brevity, fold it into what we have already, and let’s see what we get.

ChatGPT said:

Here’s the revised version, incorporating both concepts smoothly:

Think of a story not just as a sequence of events but as a single mind—a “super-character” with its own way of thinking. Characters, plot, theme, and even genre all represent different aspects of this Story Mind’s psychology, working together like thoughts and emotions inside a person.

But why does story structure take this form? It all goes back to early storytellers. Over generations, they discovered—through trial and error—that certain elements had to be present for a story to feel complete and compelling. Without realizing it, they were mirroring the way we, as humans, grapple with problems and make decisions. In other words, narrative structure naturally evolved into a model of the way we think.

How does that feel? If it’s working, we can add the next concept and refine it further!

You said:

Hey, that’s pretty good. Let’s go with that and move on to another concept: Armed with the understanding of how narrative structure came to be and what it represents, Dramatica was able to discern and refine that model of the Story Mind, adding missing pieces and moving things into alignment. Previously all other narrative theories tried to understand structure by looking for what worked with stories in their finished version, in which narrative is often obscured by the storytelling that surrounds it. This resulted in story techniques that didn’t work in for all kinds of stories and often were missing pieces as well. But the Dramatica theory, based on the core structure of narrative, was developed so that it works for all stories to create narratives that are consistent and complete, to form the strongest and most powerful foundations for stories. Let’s revise our text to include this, edited and reworked for brevity and clarity, and perhaps to change the tone a bit so it doesn’t sound so much like a sales pitch.

ChatGPT said:

Here’s the revised version, now incorporating the new concept while keeping it clear, balanced, and informative:

Think of a story not just as a sequence of events but as a single mind—a “super-character” with its own way of thinking. Characters, plot, theme, and even genre all represent different aspects of this Story Mind’s psychology, working together like thoughts and emotions inside a person.

But why does story structure take this form? Over generations, storytellers discovered that certain elements had to be present for a story to feel complete and compelling. Without realizing it, they were mirroring how we, as humans, grapple with problems and make decisions. In other words, narrative structure naturally evolved into a model of the way we think.

Dramatica builds on this idea by refining that model, aligning its pieces, and filling in the gaps. Traditional storytelling theories have often looked at finished stories, where narrative structure is intertwined with style, genre, and personal expression. This approach led to techniques that worked some of the time but lacked consistency. Dramatica, in contrast, was developed by examining the core structure beneath storytelling, ensuring a complete and internally sound foundation that works for any story.

This keeps the tone more objective while still making a strong point. How does it feel to you? Ready to add another concept?

You said:

Very nice! Let’s conclude this session here and I’ll return soon with another area of the theory for us to explore. And thanks for your help – I couldn’t do it without you!

ChatGPT said:

You’re very welcome! This has been a great start, and I’m looking forward to diving deeper into Dramatica with you. Just let me know when you’re ready to explore the next area of the theory. Always happy to help—this is exactly the kind of discussion I enjoy. See you next time!