Here's Hoping I'm Not a Sucker

[the_gneech]

Well, I bit the bullet and got a copy of Dramatica Pro, and starting pouring the Brigid and Greg novel idea into it. I've only done the initial synopsis and brief character outlines for Brigid, Greg, Uncle Bob, and a new character provisionally named Steggles (but who will probably be named something else later).

For the theme synopsis, for lack of anything more concrete just yet, I put, "Behind every amiable chump, there's a shrew keeping him out of trouble."

Hope it works!

-The Gneech

Comments

[dslartoo.livejournal.com]

I don't see Brigid as a shrew. She's a bit sharp at times but far too nice to be classed as a shrew. :)

cheers,
Phil

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Grouch, maybe?

-TG

[kylet.livejournal.com]

Brisby?! BRISBY?????

[slysquirrel.livejournal.com]

Oops... can't do greater-than signs in LJ. forgot...

Hmm. A creative writing assistant? interesting.

Personally, I've found Stephen King's advice on writing to be the most poignant: "There are two things you need to do to become a better writer: read a lot, and write a lot." I've tried a few systems, from note card character sheets to outlines to electronic organizers, and I think i can safely say the best way to write a story is to simply write the damn thing. I keep fragmented notes at the bottom of an in-progress manuscript with < symbols and it generally keeps me straight. Good thing about that methodd is that it's entirely flexible -- i can change things around, copy-paste things into a sort of order, keep track of important things, etc. The fact that I work one creative project at a time, and will not start another project until the prsent story is on paper, helps to keep me in line better than any form of organization would do.

That's how it is for me, at least. Here's to hoping Dramatica works for you.

[exatron.livejournal.com]

Surprisingly, there is a way to write greater than symbols in LJ. Type &gt; and you'll get a >.

I've never heard that quote before, but it sounds right. Reading a lot means you can see numerous examples of what and how you want to write, as well as the things you don't want to do. The tricky part is to write a lot, no matter how bad the result may be.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, I've written a couple of novels (not published), and both of those were "start at the beginning and GO" type experiences ... but they're both rather thin (both in terms of length and content), so I need to find some way to beef it up.

My problem is always plot -- I can write prose until the cows come home, but I have a lot of trouble coming up with the actual story. So I'm hoping Dramatica will help me work out the plot beforehand. Once I have a book-worthy story, the actual writing is by far the easiest part.

-The Gneech

[slysquirrel.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! One more thing...

Remember that things don't have to happen correctly on the first draft. You can explore things in the text; start somewhere with your two characters, let them explore a bit, and then when you find the hook delete whatever chaff you think is necessary to cut. It may be more work, but it helps to flesh characters out as real people.

It also has the advantage of getting started now instead of later. :)

[walkertxkitty.livejournal.com]

Bad Gneech, making me want things! It's now on my Christmas list.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Heehee. There's also "Writer's Dreamkit," which is sort of a lite version and considerably cheaper, but I figured that if I actually used the thing, I'd want to dive on in. DP is pricey, very pricey, which is why I've been looking at it and deciding against it for what, three years now?

-TG

[raemonde.livejournal.com]

] It is a lot like boring english homework.

] Enjoy! :)

-Rob

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Mmm, boring English homework. I love boring English homework! =)

-The Gneech

[jamesbarrett.livejournal.com]

That's cause your an English wonk. Dramatica makes my head hurt, but Dreamkit at least gave me some ideas, even if I hardly ever open the darn thing much. Personally, I try to jsut follow my LJ icon as much as possible. It's hard, though. -Frisk

[kylet.livejournal.com]

They have *software* for this? What else does it include?

I dunno, Brigid causes some amount of trouble herself that Greg rescues too XD

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, I dunno if you've looked at any creative writing help books, but they always have a variety of charts, character info sheets, plot trackers, etc. ... Dramatica Pro in a lot of ways is just a computerized version of all that. In some ways it's basically a fancy outlining/brainstorming tool.

I'm not sure what else it can do just yet, as I've only gotten started with it. There's a lot of stuff built around the "Dramatica theory", referring to Protagonists, Antagonists, Impact Characters, and so on ... but I'm very much in the beginning stages of going through that part so I'm not really able to address it much. But if nothing else, it's adding some structure to my composition habits, which I'm hoping will help me avoid getting halfway into the story on momentum alone and then going "Uuhhhh..." which is my big problem.

And yes, B&G are much more of a symbiotic relationship than it might first appear. :) But that's hard to get across in a quick tagline. ;)

-The Gneech

I don't know if I'd call Greg an amiable chump...

[mammallamadevil.livejournal.com]

and Brigid is just an assertive strong and opinionated chica....(grin)

I'll work on labeling Greg after I get more tea...

MLD

Re: I don't know if I'd call Greg an amiable chump...

[hossblacksilver.livejournal.com]

Greg is Greg, 'nuff said.