Dramatica Simplified

July 19, 2005

The reason the definitions are so complicated is because it’s the only way they can be accurate. If they were simpler, they might be easier to understand - but they would distill down the power of Dramatica - it would be just like every other story theory.

But if you’re just starting out - this may help you:

• There are two major characters in your story. One who will significantly change his world view and one who will stand his ground.
• One of these characters will like to build things, use their hands, and get things done. The other would rather change themselves or act a different way.
• One will want to find how things fit together, while the other would prefer to solve problems.
• In your story you will have good guys and bad guys. In some stories the good guys win. In other stories the good guys lose and the bad guys win.
• The people you are rooting for will feel like they are running out of time or running out of options. Again, it doesn’t matter, just keep it consistent and don’t change it halfway through.
• Your story will either have major events that happen to these characters or they themselves will decide to take action. Both will be in there, but one will feel stronger than the other.
• The character you care about the most will either be at peace at the end of your story or he/she will still feel at odds with the world around them.
• This same character will grow throughout the story by trying something new or by discarding an old trait.