Dramatica - It MAY NOT work for you because it sucks

"I see, okay, so this must be how human psychology works!" - Robot using Dramatica to understand stories.

I joke!

But seriously, do you really need to breakdown how your own mind works in order to do what it does naturally?

You're not a robot are you?


No.  You're a human.  And humans are composed of intellect(logic) and emotion(feelings and desires)

Dramatica works the intellect(logic) and ignores the emotion(feelings and desires, the pain of the second Act, pain of making choices)

IN fact any screenwriting book, software, guru who wants to help you make the writing process easier will be working your intellect.

They help you suppress your emotions and as a result water down your story.

Emotions!  Reactions! Like the ones you feel when you get home from a long day of work and you're reminded that you planned on exercising every other day but you're just too tired and just don't feel like it.  Those fucking emotions baby.

OH IRONY - of these self help books, software programs, and gurus lies in the fact that they try to show you ways to make the screenwriting process easy....BUT if writing a story is EASY the story will be BORING.

WHY?!

Because in order to add emotion to a story, you must hit Writer's block walls and infuse your characters with those feelings of being stuck, unhappy, feeling like the goal is unattainable, feeling that loss of romance for your idea.

Wait?  Toss out the books, the software, the stupid ARCHETYPES, and wave goodbye to your goddamn guru because you're going to start writing and infusing your screenwriting with emotion, with reactions, with a character who wants to prove something!!!

YES!  I have a NEW HOPE just for YOU!

Embrace the painful feelings and let them come out through your characters actions and dialog.  Hit the writers blocks and the feelings of being stuck in the second act with no where to go.  Forge the fires within the heart of your main character and allow them to overcome their hard internal battles.

STRIKE OUT FRIENDS!  BE BOLD!  Write well.  BE HUMAN.


Let me leave you with this:
When it comes to the hard choices you encounter - you can make the choice and become unique, become a voice...or you can allow a program to make them for you and create mumbling averageness.  Be someone or be no one, friends.