Acknowledgments

FOREWORD

Preface

Dramatica and the Creative Writer

•Communication

•Grand Argument Stories

•How This Book Is Arranged

Section I: The Elements of Structure

•Foundations

•Central Concepts

•The Story Mind

•The Four Throughlines

•Summary - The Grand Argument Story

Character

•Objective and Subjective Characters

•Objective Characters

•Archetypal Characters

•Players and Characters

•Protagonist

•Antagonist

•Reason & Emotion

•Sidekick & Skeptic

•Guardian & Contagonist

•Complex Characters

•Drivers and Passengers

•Splitting Archetypes Into Action and Decision Characteristics

•Grouping the 16 Motivation Elements

•Complex Motivation Characteristics

•Rules for Building Characters

•Complex Dimensional Patterns

•Subjective Characters

•The Crucial Element

•Deep Theory: Problem Solving and Justification

•A Simple Example of Problem Solving

•Defining the Problem

•Building Paradigms

Theme

•What Exactly Is Theme?

•Describing The Story's Problem

•Throughlines and Beyond

•The Dramatica Structural Model

•Concerns

•Variations

•It's Elemental!

•The Thematic Argument

•Additional Story Points

Plot

•Plot vs. Storyweaving

•Plot Story Points

•Story Goal & More...

•Plot Progression

•Acts

•Dramatica Act Structures

•Act Patterns And The Dramatica Throughlines

•Sequences

•How Sequences Relate To Acts

•Scenes

•Events

Genre

•Modes of Expression

•Grid of Dramatica Genres

Section Two: The Art of Storytelling

•Foundations

Stage One: Storyforming

•Introduction to Storyforming

•Audience Impact

•Character Dynamics

•Plot Dynamics

•Selecting the Domains in your story

•Selecting Plot Story Points

•Acts

•Selecting Thematic Story Points

•Selecting Character Story Points

Stage Two: Storyencoding

•Introduction To Storyencoding

•Encoding Objective Characters

•Four-Dimensional Characters

•Encoding Subjective Characters

•Encoding Mental Sex

•Encoding Theme

•Encoding Plot

•Encoding Genre

•Medium and Format

Stage Three:  Storyweaving

•Introduction To Storyweaving

•STORYWEAVING and STRUCTURE

•Storyweaving Static Story Points

•Storyweaving Characters

•Storyweaving and Storytelling

•Tips for Short Stories

•Tips for Episodic Television Series

•Tips for Multi-Story Ensemble Series and Soap Operas

•Tips for Novels

•Tips for Motion Pictures

•The Rule of Threes

•Handoffs

Stage 4:  Story Reception

•About the Audience

•Writing for Oneself

•Writing for Groups

•A Quick Lesson in Propaganda

•A Word About Adaptation

Epilogue: The Leftovers

•Is That All There Is?

•Constructive Criticism: Analysis of Jurassic Park

Reference Part 1: Vocabulary

•Dramatica Dictionary

•Synonyms

Reference Part 2: Semantic Items

Reference Part 3: The Dramatica Structural Model

•Situation (Universe) Class

•Activity (Physics) Class

•Manipulation (Psychology) Class

•Fixed Attitude (Mind) Class

•64 Characteristics of Overall Story Characters

•Characteristics of Archetypal Characters

Dramatica Resources