Dramatica

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Illustrating ​

Illustrating is where you explore every Storypoint in your Storyform and translate it into playable story material. Subtxt divides Illustrating by Throughline so you stay grounded in the correct Perspective while you work. The goal is to make each Storypoint vivid, specific, and consistent with the Storyform's argument.

What you do in Illustrating ​

  • Turn abstract Storypoints into concrete Illustration ideas.
  • Expand Storypoints into Storybeats so the progression feels inevitable.
  • Track summaries and Storytelling notes that preserve the Storyform while giving you room to write.
  • Keep every choice aligned through Align to Storyform and Narrova guidance.

Illustrating uses the four Throughlines as its navigation spine:

  • Objective Story (OS) - the external conflict the whole cast shares.
  • Main Character (MC) - the personal experience the audience lives through.
  • Influence Character (IC) - the alternative worldview that pressures the MC to change (or resist change).
  • Relationship Story (RS) - the relationship that grows or fractures as the story unfolds.

Use the Perspective filters to stay in the correct Throughline while you work. They let you focus on a single Perspective or compare how different Perspectives handle the same Storypoint.

Storypoint, Storybeat, and Perspective tabs ​

Illustrating is organized around three tabs:

  • Storypoint shows the structural appreciation and its Illustration fields.
  • Storybeat breaks the Storypoint into smaller beats and lets you manage scope.
  • Perspective gives you a quick Throughline snapshot so you can verify you are still in the correct Domain, Concern, Issue, and Problem neighborhood.

Switching tabs does not change your Storyform. It only changes how you view the same underlying argument.

Storypoint view ​

Storypoint components ​

Each Storypoint panel is designed to keep you anchored while you generate story material:

  • Storypoint label and context - the specific Narrative Function tied to the Throughline.
  • Definition and examples - Dramatica language that keeps the meaning precise.
  • Illustration - your concrete expression of the Storypoint in action.
  • Summary - a short, subtext-forward restatement of what this Storypoint means in your story.
  • Storytelling - optional notes about how this could play on the page or screen.

Illustration interactions ​

Illustrations are meant to be active, not static. You can:

  • Swap between alternatives when you need a new angle.
  • Write your own Illustration when the default is close but not right.
  • Use Align to Storyform or Narrova to pressure-test the Illustration before you build Storybeats.

TIP

If a Storypoint feels slippery, jump to the Storybeat tab and draft a beat. The concrete motion often clarifies the Storypoint faster than more analysis.

Storybeat view ​

Storybeats are where the abstract logic becomes moment-to-moment movement. The Storybeat tab lets you see the same Storypoint at different scopes and then break it into the beats that will eventually become your Moments in Plotting.

Scope selector: Signpost, Progression, Event ​

Use the scope selector to choose which layer of the Storyform you are illustrating:

  • Signpost focuses on the broad movement within an Act.
  • Progression narrows the scope to the sequence that advances the Signpost.
  • Event zooms into the immediate beat that the audience experiences.

Each scope is still the same Storyform argument, just at a different level of granularity.

Storybeat components ​

Every Storybeat keeps the same structural anchors:

  • Storybeat label - the Narrative Function and its position in the Throughline.
  • Illustration - the concrete beat in action.
  • Writing Prompt - guided language that points you toward conflict, not just description.
  • Storytelling - your notes about how this beat could appear in the narrative.
  • Metadata - scope, position, Dramatic Scenario, and any Breakdowns linked to the beat.

Breakdowns and why they matter ​

Sometimes a single Storybeat wants to be more than one on-the-page moment. Breakdowns let you split a Storybeat into smaller, sequential units while keeping it tied to the same Narrative Function. This is useful when:

  • The conflict needs a few steps to land.
  • You want to show multiple viewpoints inside the same beat.
  • The beat becomes a mini sequence without losing its Storyform anchor.

The Storybeat still represents one piece of the Storyform's argument. Breakdowns are how you reveal that piece without diluting it.

Open all and close all ​

When you need the big picture, use Open all to expand every Storybeat in the current Throughline. Use Close all to collapse them back to a scan-friendly list. This is especially helpful when you are checking rhythm or making sure each Storybeat has a clear Illustration.

Summaries, Storytelling, and keys ​

  • Summary keeps you honest about subtext. It is the Storyform-aligned meaning in plain language.
  • Storytelling is where you can be loose, exploratory, and writerly without losing alignment.

Use the keys built into the panel to stay aligned:

  • Summary key surfaces the Throughline summary so you can keep each Illustration tethered to the Storyform.
  • Develop key opens Narrova for targeted help with the current Storypoint or Storybeat.

Align to Storyform and Narrova ​

Align to Storyform makes sure your Illustrations and Storybeats still match the underlying structure. If something feels off, use Alignment prompts to diagnose the mismatch before you add more Storytelling.

Narrova is available throughout Illustrating. Ask for:

  • Example Illustrations that honor the current Perspective.
  • Alternative Storybeats when one feels too thin or too literal.
  • A check on whether a Summary still reflects the Storyform's argument.

TIP

If you get stuck, open Narrova inside the Illustrating workpad and ask for an example that honors the current Storyform. Narrova will keep the Throughline Perspective intact while suggesting Storybeats you can adapt.

Throughline focus areas ​

Objective Story (OS) ​

Use the Objective Story Throughline to ground the external stakes. This is where you illustrate how the larger plot unfolds and how the cast responds to the same pressure. If your OS Storypoints feel thin, revisit Plot & Players to verify who is actually carrying the Objective Story functions.

Main Character (MC) ​

The Main Character Throughline is your interior lens. Illustrate how the MC experiences the conflict, how they justify their Problem-Solving Style, and how their Resolve and Growth choices color each Storypoint.

Influence Character (IC) ​

The Influence Character Throughline captures the alternative path. Illustrate how the IC's worldview challenges the MC's assumptions and creates pressure to change. This Throughline often clarifies why the story's argument feels inevitable.

Relationship Story (RS) ​

The Relationship Story Throughline is the emotional heart of the narrative. Illustrate the evolving dynamic between the MC and IC (or the most central relationship in the story) so the audience feels the push-and-pull of connection and conflict.