Defining Your Story’s “Class”

An author cannot successfully make an argument promoting a solution until he or she has identified the Problem.

In stories, Problems can be identified as falling into four broad categories: Situations, Activities, States of Mind, and Manners of Thinking. These categories are named by four Classes, Universe (a situation), Physics (an activity), Mind (a state of mind), and Psychology (a manner of thinking).

• Universe represents an External State,

• Physics an External Process.

• Mind is an Internal State and

• Psychology an Internal Process.

Since they are related, all four of these Classes will figure in every story as the Problem works its influence into all areas of consideration. However, only one Class will ultimately prove to be both the source of the Problem’s roots and therefore the place it must ultimately be solved.

Excerpted from
Dramatica Story Development Software