Do you know what these three have in common?

Dramatica does.

In each of these stories decisions drive actions. Dramatica refers to this concept of story structure as the Story Driver. Plot flows by virtue of actions following decisions following actions, and so on. One of these, however, always takes the wheel as the reason for the other, thus working as the driver of the plot.

Is your story driven by Actions or Decisions?

Not sure?

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Say hello to your new writing partner.

Dramatica Story Expert

for Mac & Dramatica Pro for Windows

Dramatica is the only writer's tool that can tell you things about your story you didn't tell it. You provide the idea—maybe a character sketch or two, perhaps even a hint of theme—and Dramatica helps you pull it all together into one cohesive powerful work. By offering you suggestions that mesh thematically with what you already have, Dramatica helps plug plot holes, solidifies character interactions and helps complete your story in such a way that it will resonate with your audience long after they've left the theater or long after they've put your book down.

(P.S.—We know Shakespeare didn't use Dramatica, but it sure seems like he did!)





Dramatica Pro for Windows not pictured.

Develop characters

Identify conflict & make every character count

Dramatica moves beyond three-dimensional characters, offering you an opportunity to develop your characters in four dimensions. In addition to figuring out why they do the things they do (Motivation), you'll get a chance to identify how they go about doing things (Methodology), how they evaluate how things are going (Evaluation), and to what ends they hope to aspire (Purpose).

By looking at characters this way you can easily identify the greatest source of conflict among them (Hint: they're the ones diagonally across from each other).

Pinpoint Structure

Access Dramatica's powerful Story Engine to determine your own unique story structure

Think there are only a few basic plots? Dramatica sees well over 30,000 unique and individual forms of story structure! With the new Master Story Engine, storytellers can quickly pinpoint those areas most important to them.

Balance Theme

Discover what it is you want to say & argue it effectively

In order to craft an effective thematic argument, storytellers need to address all sides of an issue. One can't argue the benefits of doing what is best for the whole world without first also addressing the plusses of doing what is best for one's self. Leave out one side of the argument and the story has a very identifiable "hole".

Personalize

Make Dramatica's sometimes difficult terminology more accessible

Dramatica sees story in a completely new light. In order to account for this new level of accuracy, terms and concepts foreign to many a storyteller (Induction, Prerequisities and the Preconscious to name a few) find their way into the structure of a story.

With Story Expert's new "Gists" feature, storytellers can easily replace Dramatica's vocabulary with their own.

Reports

Generate insightful documents to help you ease into the writing process

While Dramatica can help you better understand story, it can't actually write the story for you! After you've determined your story's structure, export one of several key reports and open up your favorite writing app.

The rest is up to you...

Stuck?

Brainstorm a new direction while still keeping the bits you love

Writer's block got you down? Lock the parts of the story you like and then spin Dramatica's unique model of story. In seconds you'll have a potentially new and exciting path for your characters to take.

Still not happy? Spin it again! There's no end to the thousands upon thousands of stories just waiting to be told.

  • "Dramatica has added a new, grander dimension to my craft. These are power tools no storyteller should be without."

    Tracy Hickman, Writer
    DragonLance (series), Rose of the Prophet (series), Deathgate Cycle (series)

  • "...the most comprehensive and useful theory and software for understanding what makes good stories work that I know of. I highly recommend it as a resource for all writers."

    Erik Bork, Multiple Emmy and Golden Globe-winning screenwriter
    HBO's Band of Brothers and From the Earth to the Moon

  • "I believe there is no tool out there that allows you to skirt formulaic writing better than Dramatica."

    Michael Backes, Apple Master Cofounder
    American Film Institute/Apple Computer Center

  • "No other story software offers this level of involvement and efficiency in the story creation process."

    Shayne A. Wilson, Associate Producer
    Dead Like Me

Unlike any other

More than a place to keep your notes

Dramatica won't write your story for you. It isn't a story-by-numbers approach and it isn't collection of common beats found in Hollywood blockbusters. You don't plug in your character's name, hit Send and wait for a TPS report full of Inciting Incidents and Progressive Complications.

What you do get from Dramatica, however, is a very powerful and insightful way to think about story. You still have to do the work of writing. You still have to go back and forth over drafts and constantly tweak your work to be the very best it can be. But with Dramatica by your side, you'll find the journey challenging, educational and often enlightening.

There really is nothing else like it.

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© Copyright 1994-2024 Write Brothers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Based on theories and materials developed by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley.
Dramatica is a registered trademark of Screenplay Systems Incorporated. Patent #5,734,916; #6,105,046