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Author Archives: Melanie Anne Phillips
Coming Apart at the Themes
Even when a story has memorable characters, a riveting plot and a fully developed genre, it may still be coming apart at the themes. Theme is perhaps the most powerful, yet least understood element of story structure. It is powerful … Continue reading
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What Is Dramatica?
What is Dramatica? Dramatica is a theory of story that offers both writers and critics a clear view of what story structure is and how it works. Dramatica is also the inspiration behind the line of story development software products … Continue reading
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Avoiding the Genre Trap
A common misconception sees genre as a fixed list of dramatic requirements or a rigid structural template from which there can be no deviation. Writers laboring under these restrictions often find themselves boxed-in creatively. They become snared in the Genre … Continue reading
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“Things” as Characters
A writer asks: “My favorite creative writing book is ‘Setting’ by Jack Bickham. Use of setting as primary with characters, plot, theme, mood, etc derived from it and interacting with it seems of particular value in science fiction. Where would … Continue reading
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Melanie’s Corner
Melanie’s Corner: Weekends and holidays I often post something of my own creative efforts. It is how I recharge my motivation to keep posting new articles, tips, and videos on story and narrative. Here’s today’s offering – a memory from … Continue reading
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Narrative Science and Dramatica
Every once in a while I write an article about the Dramatica theory of narrative structure that zooms right down to the subatomic level. Such articles have absolutely no practical value to writers but, being a narrative scientist, it is … Continue reading
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Your Plot Step By Step!
Here are some general guidelines to help you structure your story’s plot, step by step. Act One Beginning The beginning of act one is the teaser. It may or may not have anything to do with the actual plot of … Continue reading
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Secrets of Story Structure | Episode 2 – The Story Mind
Click on the image below to hear episode 2 in this rare recording of a weekend seminar by Dramatica Theory of Story co-creators Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley in the mid-1990’s just after Dramatica was made public for the … Continue reading
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Let Your Plot Make Sense And Your Characters Ring True
The whole thing to keep in mind is that the passion and the structure of stories work in tandem, but not as partners. Like our own reason and emotion, sometimes they agree, sometimes they are at war, but mostly they … Continue reading
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The First Step In Writing ANY Novel
Before you write your first chapter, ponder your opening sentence, or jot down a single word, there’s one step you should always do first, no matter your genre or style. First, the problem, then the solution: When you first come … Continue reading
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