At the heart of every story is an inequity, an imbalance. Inequity creates conflict. There are Dramatica ways to look at "inequity" and there are non-Dramatica ways to look at "inequity."

The Dramatica Way

The Dramatica ways to look at inequity are the ones presented in the software and theory. Namely, they are built into terms like problem, issue, concern, goal, throughline, consequence, everything in Dramatica. So, there's no need to go searching for inequity in Dramatica because it's built into it -- everywhere:

• At the smallest level (in Dramatica), the inequity shows up as a "problem." This problem appears to be the "source" of conflict.
• As the conflict ripples upward through the Dramatica model, it appears to get larger and less specific, similar to the size and shape of the rings ripples make when you disturb water. The farther from the source of the disturbance (inequity), the larger and less focused the effects seem to be.
• Therefore, the first place we see the effects of the inequity are at the Element level and we call those Problems -- seemingly most closely associated with character functions.
• Passing through the Variation level of the Dramatica model we see the effects of the inequity as Issues -- the thematic foci.
• Further away we see the effects of the inequity at the Type level as Concerns -- goal-like elements of plot.
• At the furthest place in the model we see the effects of the inequity at its broadest and least specific and we call those Domains (or Throughlines) -- the most genre-like part of the Dramatica model.

The Non-Dramatica Way

The non-Dramatica way to look at inequity can be useful too. The non-Dramatica use is the more traditional way of looking at inequity which is close to the idea of premise. A "story" inequity would be the inequity at the heart of an entire story, such as "The will to live vs. death." This is an abstract, non-specific inequity that can take form in any number of ways. You can also give each throughline in your story its own, perhaps seemingly unrelated, inequity.

For example, an MC might be dealing with the desire for security in old age vs. the desire to travel while young; an IC might be dealing with his fear of the dark vs. disbelief in the supernatural; their relationship might be dealing with the fears of getting married vs. the fears of being alone; and the OS might be dealing with finding the meaning of life vs. the dangers of going beyond the familiar.

Each of the throughline inequities are described in strictly non-Dramatica terms, but completely compatible with the way Dramatica works. These "inequities" should seem much more familiar to you as a writer -- not necessarily the specifics, but the language. This is because many writers approach story from this perspective.

The trick, now, is to tie the non-Dramatica way of looking at inequity to the Dramatica way. It's actually quite simple.

1. Let's take the OS inequity I made up: finding the meaning of life vs. the dangers of going beyond the familiar. Let's say the OS is in Physics with a Concern of Obtaining, an Issue of Self Interest, and a Problem of Control. So, the characters are attempting to obtain a meaningful life through their approach to death, but that approach is of concern because it takes them beyond the familiar by requiring them to participate in some unfamiliar activity.
2. What might that be? Cannibalism? Acting as executioner for someone asking to be euthanized? Running in the New York marathon? Whatever it is, it needs to be an activity of some form that causes anxiety (conflict) for the participants.
3. Perhaps they must choose to take the pain themselves for others (morality), or free themselves of pain by giving it to others (self interest).
4. And at the heart of the problem is everyone's desire to control this process, this activity, which creates tremendous conflict, when ultimately letting go of control brings true freedom.

This is just one way of incorporating a non-Dramatica, more traditional use of an inequity.

The great thing about this approach is that it doesn't matter WHAT or HOW you choose to describe the inequity in a general sense because it can always be compatible with Dramatica's storyform.

Identifying Inequity In Your Own Story

Try this for yourself: Without thinking of your story's potential storyform...

1. Identify the inequity of your entire story in the form of A. vs. B.
   (NOTE: If it's not obvious, identify WHY it creates conflict)
2. Identify an inequity for your MC throughline.
   (Note: this need not have anything to do with the story inequity)
3. Identify an inequity for your IC throughline.
   (Note: this need not have anything to do with the other inequities)
4. Identify an inequity for your MC/IC throughline.
   (Note: this need not have anything to do with the other inequities)
5. Identify an inequity for your OS throughline.
   (Note: this need not have anything to do with the other inequities)
6. Determine your storyform (if you haven't done so already) while thinking of the inequity determined in step 1.

Now, keep the appropriate throughline inequities in mind as you begin to illustrate each throughline. You may, but need not, consider the story inequity (step 1) during this process.

Hopefully, approaching the storytelling in this fashion will give you a good sense of how the story should hold together.