A Writer Asks…

Problem Solving, Problem Solving……..and..more……..problem solving.

My Reply:

Hi, Russell! Thanks for your note. You bring up some very important points, and I’d like to take a moment to, at least briefly, address them.

In your letter you quote an author who teaches creativity as saying, “creating is not problem solving.” I couldn’t agree more! The process of creating comes from the heart. Still, unless one is satisfied to be his or her own audience, often the fruit of the heart speaks clearly only to the author. This is because storytelling is not about creating a story, but communicating a story. And, it is the process of communication that requires problem solving.

An author often works from real experiences. Even if he or she is building a fictional scene between fictional people, the emotions that arise can only be expressed because at some point in his or her own life the author has felt those emotions, even if under different circumstances.

We do not feel our emotions as singular events. Rather, every emotion is “tied” to many others and connected in a whole network of both strong and weak forces. When an author conjures up a feeling for a scene, this feeling will bring with it all kinds of baggage.

As a result, an author is likely to carry those additional feelings right over into the scene under construction without actually writing them in. This creates a scene in which the primary emotions are well covered, but all the supporting emotions are either missing or so personal that, overall, the scene fails to communicate anything in depth at all.

This is where problem solving comes in. By focusing on the primary emotions (and information) to be communicated and determining the context in which the author wishes to present these topics and experiences, Dramatica can “calculate” the necessary supporting components to the story’s “argument”. The argument, by the way, is just a short hand way of saying the story’s “overall consistent and fully explored message.”

Now, for a story that is not designed to have either a message or point of view, Dramatica is really pretty useless. Still, such stories can be quite moving as an audience experience. They are an art form all their own. Free form stories follow a course that is unpredictable and creates its impact by the layering of experiences. A story that is an argument, however, is structured in such a way that all dramatic parts ultimately focus on the same central issue, and are seen as reflections of the “problem” at the heart of the story. It is here Dramatica can be of service.

This seems a good point to talk about the “opposite of a problem” question you also pose in your note. The opposite of a problem would be a solution. This fits in with tradition binary opposites. Dramatica, however, is not based on binaries, but on the relationships among four things. For example, in Dramatica we cannot consider only a problem or just a problem and solution, but must also consider “focus” and “direction” as well.

“Problem” and “solution” are well-understood terms dramatically, but “focus” and “direction” are not nearly as often considered. As an analogy, if we think of a problem as a disease, then the solution would be the cure. Focus would be the principal symptom of the discease, and Direction the treatment for that symptom.

Sometimes a body can heal only by curing the disease. Other times, there is no cure and the body can heal only by continuing to treat the symptom until the body heals itself. In story, it is the choice to go with the cure or the treatment of the symptom that determines if characters are on the right path, and it is their choice to stick with that path or jump to the other that determines if they will remain steadfast or change as human beings. The quad structure is a much more descriptive model of real dramatics than simple binary opposites.

To go a step farther, Dramatica is not only concerned with the problem, but (as you indicated at the top of you note) with problem solving as well. It is important to note the difference between the structural “problem” and the dynamic of “problem solving”.

A problem is something that is out of balance, which creates an inequity. Problem solving is the effort to eliminate that inequity. Pursuing your line of inquiry a bit farther we might ask, “What is the opposite of problem solving?” The answer to this question is “Justification”.

If problem solving is the process to eliminate an inequity, justification can be seen as the process to try and balance the inequity. As examples, if you are hungry and you eat you have eliminated an inequity, hence: problem solving. In contrast, if you are on a diet and get hungry, but instead of eating you light up a cigarette, you have created a new inequity to balance the first one, hence: justification.

Justifications are not necessarily bad. They are just our way of putting off immediate gratification for long-term goals, or sometimes becoming conditioned to a particular way of doing things to the point we become inflexible. Either way, problem solving and justification can be seen as opposites.

What about the Dramatica quad as it pertains to problem solving? One binary in the quad would be problem solving and justification. The other would be Male and Female Mental Sex.

At face value, this seems hardly likely. What, after all, do Male and Female Mental Sex have to do with problem solving or justification? Well, to solve a problem or to justify, one must determine if it is a problem now or could be a problem later. The NOW problem is a spatial appreciation – looking at the structure of the beast. The LATER problem is a temporal appreciation – looking at the dynamics that might come together to create a problem.

As it turns out, although we all have space and time sense, men and women emphasize them differently. As a result, what appears as problem solving to one Mental Sex, is likely to appear as a justification to the other. One cannot absolutely say that something is problem solving or justification unless one knows whether the effort is being advanced by a Male or Female Mental Sex character.

Well, I must close now, as to go any further would be to step beyond the scope of the questions you posed in your note.

I hope I have been able to clarify the difference between the structure necessary to clear communication and the dynamic of the personal creative process. Also, I hope I have adequately described the differences between binary opposites and Dramatica’s rather more detailed approach of dealing in quads.

Your thought about having the creative writing teacher/author look at Dramatica is a good one. I hope it can be arranged. After all, we’re just authors ourselves who worked out a paradigm of story which we have found useful. There’s always room for improvement, although I know we often get so excited and wrapped up in our enthusiasm that we can come off sounding rather preachy. We’re working to improve that too!Writer Response…

Thanks for such a wonderful reply…have saved to review and contemplate.

Here’s my response to comments from a writer (Tom) regarding the nature of Dramatica story element called the Preconscious. Tom’soriginal comments are quoted in the body of the article as appropriate.

I knew going into this that explaining the math model and the definitions would be a long and arduous task. Part of this difficulty arises from the huge number of specific instances which are called into question. We are dealing with two things here – the underlying math model upon which Dramatica is based, and each discrete part of that model. The Preconscious discussion deals with a part, the Dramatica Math thread deals with the whole.

So, as time allows, I will respond to as many of the parts as I can while trying to present documentation of the whole.

As for Preconscious, there are a number of points which Tom brings up in the post quoted below. One, he notes that “Dramatica wants to reduce everything a single word.” This is correct. In the early days of development, it was determined by testing (asking people for their opinions) whether they were more comfortable with single or multi-word definitions. The responses indicated that people found multiple-word descriptions even more difficult to understand. Why? First, because most of the terms could easily be described by single words, only a fraction of the needed descriptions couldn’t be associated with a single existing semantic concept. As a result, the mixing of single and multi-word descriptions confused people. In fact, THEY were asking us why we couldn’t boil down the multi-word descriptors to a single word – the inverse problem of wondering why we have to stick with one!

Second the multi-word descriptions had an open-ended problem: All words used in Dramatica are not accurate by nature, so there is no end to the number of words needed to completely describe a concept. Let me explain. The structure of Dramatica contains no words. It is a math construct based on relative distances within a three dimensional matrix which is then driven through iterations which represent the dramatic impact of the linear progression of a story. As a math construct, meaning is determined by vectors. For example, comparing Types to to Classes, Past is to Universe as Memory is to Mind. That creates a vertical vector identity. There is also a horizontal identity. Looking at Types, Doing is to Obtaining as Being is to Becoming.

The relationship of any point on the model to any other point is identical to the difference in meaning between any other two points connected by an identical vector.

When considered from the top down, the model then presents a fractal nesting of quads, wheels within wheels, and not unlike the less practical “difference engine” which suffered due to its reliance on a physical, rather than programmatic realm.

Laterally (horizontally) a similar comparative relationship exists consistently throughout the model. But, rather than being fractal, the horizontal iterations describe the temporal nesting of equations. In other words, as each quad proceeds to the next, a similarity not-unlike fractals can be seen between them. But these relationships are not based on the “spatial record of the interaction of order and chaos” (as fractals are sometimes defined) but in the “temporal record of the interaction of order and chaos.” The concept of comparing temporal records – two processes that bore a point to point correlation yet morphed from one to the next through a larger controlling process – was not named when we developed the Dramatica model. To differentiate this temporal record and iteration from the spatial, fractal equivalent, we coined the term “frictal.” This is appropriate because the word, “fractal” was actually formed as a bastardized conglomerate of the words, “fraction” and “fratcure.” In contrast, “frictal” is a conglomerate of “fraction” and “friction” – much more in keeping with the temporal nature of the items being compared.

This said, the Dramatica model then is a wordless construct in which vectors determine meaning. The vertical component of a vector carries a fractal meaning (like sub-dividing into greater detail) whereas the horizontal component of a vector carries a frictal meaning (like progressing into additional information).

Once constructed, choosing the words to position in the model so that both the vertical and horizontal components would be accurate became a hugely difficult problem. In fact, it took us just about 2 years to fill in the last of the words. Why should it take so long? Well, with each word having a vertical and horizontal component and having to relate to all other words in the model so that the difference in meaning was identical for any other identical vector, simply put… it took time! And, on top of that, we were hobbled by the need to keep each square in every quad to a single-word with which to represent it!

Ultimately, we arrived at the model you all know and love today.

Specifically now, for Preconscious, Tom writes that “Preconscious is in the middle of a quad with other well-established terms from psychoanalysis /neuroscience with their normal definition. “Innate responses” is what it is about. If they absolutely must have a single word REFLEX would do well. ”

I have a few things to offer here. First of all, you have all probably already noted that in many quads, three of the four items seem familiar and like a “family” but the fourth one is often something that seems quite out of left field. This is due to the “frictal” progression. If the model were only obligated to represent vertical fractal information, then the choice of words in each quad would actually be different than it is. But with the added mandate that each quad represent an equidistant progression of meaning from one item in a quad to the next, then the final temporal item in a quad will, in fact, be closer to the “semantic weight” of the item in the next quad than to the “average semantic weight” of items in the quad in which it actually occurs. (The reason you compare an item to the next in line but the average of what came before is representative of the mental process to only think forward in time. Although we “recall” and “relive” things, the past carries an average weight favoring the most recent whereas the new item becomes a first impression. One must consider both the Primacy effect and both retrograde and anterograde interference, and these are represented in the semantic choices made for each item in every quad.)

In any event, Preconscious” does not really mean “innate responses,” even though that is our own definition in the dictionary. The Preconscious does not have to be “innate.” Conceptually, the Preconscious represents responses of both a physical and mental nature, both a logistic and emotional nature, both specific and generalized which occur BEFORE the conscious mind becomes involved. AND, it is not like subconscious because Preconscious functions like a filter which “absorbs” and “amplifies” the information coming in from observation of both the physical world and the mental world so that the information actually received by the conscious mind is “colored” and selectively enhanced, with other information completely removed and even added.

It is the Preconscious where prejudice exists. This is why prejudiced people are not stupid or stubborn. In fact, due to their previous external and internal experiences the Preconscious “rewrites” what is observed so that it appears to match expected patterns, including the removal of data that might violate those expectations. This is also true if one looks within – one does not see certain aspects of oneself, sees others that aren’t there, and overall observes a tempered view of oneself which is hardly accurate, yet the best we can do.

Unlike the common psychological term, “selective filter,” Preconscious differs in that it also ADDS information.

Now, I must apologize for using the words, “innate responses” in the definition. There was a reason it was worded that way, however. If we didn’t define words at all (which we originally intended) it would be much easier for us. But, when we discovered that we needed to “redefine” some words to limit the number of new words we coined, but we also did need to coin completely new words here and there to get close to the feel of the meaning, then we decided a dictionary was necessary. And I can tell you that writing it was a bitch!

But, even then, we couldn’t really describe what was ACTUALLY going on in several cases, or the definitions would be more confusing than the words they were trying to define! So, it was determined (in several long, arduous discussions) that we should use the definitions not to be completely accurate if that was counter-productive, but to simply try to INCREASE the accuracy of understanding. This dictated that on the most unfamiliar terms, the definitions were written as touch points to the familiar, but worded in such a way that other more accurate understandings remained implicit in the definition for those who sought greater meaning.

This, of course, is why the word, “Reflex,” would not do at all. It smacks WAY too much of a purely physical response. We considered that word and quickly discarded it. “Innate responses” comes closer, but they are not really innate (as indicated above). But “responses” without “innate” makes it seem possible that these might be consciously considered responses, which they are not.

Finally, as for the other three items in the quad with “Preconscious,” which are indeed common psych terms – note the relationship by position of the other three words with Preconscious. Conscious is vertical to (and therefore mutually dependent with) Preconscious. In other words, that which we consider consciously is dependent upon our Preconscious filter/amplifier, and the manner in which the Preconscious filter/amplifier iterates is dependent upon our Conscious considerations.

Subconscious and Preconscious are in the diagonal (diametrically opposed) relationship, indicating that each works against the other either to limit the other or to create a synthesis between them as a result of that friction (the definition of all dynamic pairs – negative tears each other down, positive builds a synthesis).

Memory and Preconscious are in a horizontal or “Companion” relationship indicating that without directly interacting, Preconscious will ultimately influence what Memory will recall and conversely, Memory will exert an influence as to how Preconscious will filter/amplify.

In conclusion, trying to address a single part of the overall model requires (unfortunately) a description of all the factors that are at work at that particular point. Since the overall math model is about relative distances, virtually every point is acted upon or at least related to all others to some degree.

As I indicated at the beginning, I’ll try to address as many of these points as I can while documenting the math model of Dramatica as a whole.

  A Writer Comments…

Dramatica’s terminology is too obscure and inaccessible to most writers. Since the differences between such terms as “Conceiving” and “Conceptualizing”, “Preconscious” and “Subconscious”, or “Mind” and “Psychology” is paper thin anyway, can’t you come up with some alternative words that are easier to understand?

My Reply…

Excellent wish list! And I agree. I believe that any words which are difficult to understand in the semantic chart should be replaced immediately with more accessible words that are just as accurate. For example, Conceiving and Conceptualizing are much too obscure to be of use to the vast majority of writers. They should absolutely be replaced. Unfortunately, I have personally been unable to come up with alternatives.

What is needed is an approach whereby writers themselves, having a command of the vocabulary, might suggest replacement words which we could consider. For those who might be interested in pursuing that endeavor, let me give some “plain English” definitions of the terms mentioned in the above comment, to assist in the process of finding different words that fit the definitions.

First, the writer’s comment notes that the difference between Mind and Psychology is “paper thin”. That is probably due to our choice of words. In fact, the definitions between the two are quite far apart.

The most notable difference is that Mind is a state and Psychology a process. Mind can also be defined as our fixed attitude on any subject. It is also how we feel about things emotionally, such as what we enjoy eating, the sports we like to watch, who we love, whether we like the mountains or the beach better. It also means our whole collection of memories. It is also includes our prejudices. Part of Mind is described by the phrase, “Hey, that’s just where his head is at.”

What “Mind” DOESN’T mean: It is NOT a person’s personality. It is NOT his or her instinct. It is NOT thought or consideration. Personality is a combination of the fixed attitudes AND the mental processes in which an individual engages. Instinct describes how a mind responds to its environment based on built-in fixed tendencies, meaning that Instinct is more akin to a physical process, which is why that Dramatica terms is actually found in the Physics Class, rather than the Mind Class. Thought and Consideration are mental processes, so they have no place in a description of a mental STATE.

Perhaps the best way to come up with words is to look at the whole quad. Each quad is really based on the very same relationships among four items as any other quad. It is the relationships that define the quad, not the words in it. So, if you can find one word in a quad that makes sense, you can base the other three words on those relationships.

For example, a quad of Male, Female, Masculine, Feminine, has exactly the same relationship among the words at Mass, Energy, Space, and Time. This is also the same relationship as Up, Down, Higher, Lower or Knowledge, Thought, Ability, Desire, and Dead, Alive, Getting older, Becoming more youthful.

So, if we look at the quad containing Mind and Psychology, we see that Universe, Mind, Physics, and Psychology have that same relationship in concept: in this case, an external and internal State and Process. That’s really all it means. Just that: Universe, an external state. Mind, and internal state. Physics, and external process. Mind, and internal process.

Armed with this perspective, we can see why Mind would describe which sports we like to watch, while Psychology would describe the path our thoughts and emotions take while watching the game.

Okay, so for those two words, we now have a number of explanations available from which to work. Now, the question is: what better words can be chosen for these two distinct meanings that are more accessible, cover the complete ground of each meaning, do not stray into the other word’s meaning in connotation or denotation, and fit as appropriately with the other two words in the quad (Universe and Physics) while maintaining the foundational quad relationship which must hold true in every quad.

As I mentioned, I’ve personally been unable to come up with more appropriate alternatives, but fresh minds considering the above definitions may find a solution more apparent.

Now, looking at the remaining words suggested as prime candidates for change:

Preconscious and Subconscious.

Preconscious is a filter which prevents sensory information from making its way into the energy patterns of the mind, be they logistic, emotional, or even autonomic. It does not matter where this filter comes from to fit this definition. It might come from built-in brain patterns caused by genetic memory, caused by brain injury or damage, caused by experience at such a low level it doesn’t even effect one’s subconscious drives and desires.

The key point is that even the SUBCONSCIOUS is not affected by the Preconscious in a proactive way. Rather, Conscious, Memory, and Subconscious are equally presented with filtered sensory information so that the Observation we Perceive may not be an accurate representation of the information in which our sensory organs were actually bathed.

In contrast, Subconscious is the mean average of ALL the sensory experiences which actually get into the mind and aren’t stopped cold by the filter. Conscious, Memory, and Subconscious ALL receive sensory information directly, as well as receiving sensory information from each other which has already been processed by one or both of the other two. But none of those three receive ANY information which hasn’t already been filtered by the Preconscious.

What sets the Subconscious apart is that it is not a mental force caused by specific observation, but is more like a field of snow drifts of different breadth, depth, and shape. This field is modeled by the constant drift down of sedimentary thoughts which evaporate out of inactive considerations, forming the storm clouds of memory, which drop a gentle snow fall on the field of the Subconscious.

So, whereas Preconscious would be like sitting in a room with a ticking clock and, after a while, no longer hearing it (habitation), Subconscious would be more like having a gut level reaction to some person, place or thing you had never met, been, or seen before – either to be drawn toward it or repulsed by it.

Preconscious determines of what we will be aware. Subconscious determines which of those things we will pay attention to above others, because of a sense of attraction or repulsion. As simply as I can put it: Preconscious determines what we see, Subconscious determines how well we perceive. Preconscious determine if we hear. Subconscious determines how well we listen.

Before we jump into picking new words, we need to examine one additional attribute of Preconscious: In addition to filtering OUT information, it also filters it IN. This isn’t just a play on words. Rather than limiting the flow of sensory data into the mind due to habitation, the Preconscious additionally represents the force of “sensitization”. Here, sensory input which is too weak or insignificant to make it all the way through the neurology into the mind gets amplified or boosted by the Preconscious, much as telephone signals are boosted on the way from a home or office to the switching station. So, our senses can either limit out information or make us acutely aware of information. The Subconscious, then, will determine how much attention we pay to what is there (based on its interest value as an attractor or repeller) or how much we notice that something is missing (based on our yearnings and fears).

As a last comment, Preconscious should not be confused with Instinct. Instinct causes a built-in response to patterns of observation. When a pattern is recognized, it triggers mental activity which can lead to action. In contrast, the Preconscious determines how we will respond to sensory stimulation before the mind gets hold of the information. It is well known that sensory signals generated by touching a hot grill may cause the hand to pull back before the nerve signal has time to be processed by the brain. This is not Instinct, but Preconscious.

In effect, there are direct routes from sensory input to physical response. In addition, there are direct routes from physical conditions to emotional response. Parts of the brain such as the hypothalamus and pituitary secrete chemicals that flavor and even cause emotional conditions. These can be affected by such things as exercise and the types of foods recently eaten (as well as by medications). Preconscious encompasses this kind of impact as well.

Again, we must look at the whole quad to determine if our new words work in the essential relationships among all four items that define the quad in the first place. This quad has Memory, Conscious, Preconscious, and Subconscious in the same positions as Mass, Energy, Space, and Time, and Dead, Alive, Growing older, Getting younger, as well as all the other examples listed above. The new words must also fit.

Finally, my most hated of words in the whole chart: Conceiving and Conceptualizing

Simply put, Conceiving is the process of determining what is needed. Conceptualizing is determining how to fill that need. Now that is a really warped view, but it is simple. For example, Conceiving would be looking at all the things that might lower the night-time crime rate in a third world city to find the best thing to do the job. Conceptualizing would be visualizing how to build an electric light.

Conceiving takes time because it requires the consideration of a number of alternatives: a bigger police force, turning vicious dogs loose at dusk, more severe punishments for night-time criminals, arming the populace, etc. Each time a new item comes to mind, Conceiving concludes.

So, some stories might be about the mental work of trying to arrive at just one idea, while the course of the story is filled with frustration until that happens. But another story might show a series of efforts of conceiving, each of which is shown not to be satisfactory, so the process begins again. In the example above, the story would not end until someone conceived of using artificial lighting of some sort, rather than dogs or vigilantes.

In that story, no one spends time figuring out how to actually PAY for more police, how to keep the dogs from attacking innocent people who were visiting sick relatives, how to know which members of the population should receive guns since the criminals would receive them as well if the whole population got them, OR how to build an electric light bulb. All of THOSE ideas require Conceptualizing, rather than Conceiving.

But to say, as I did, that this was just about figuring out what was needed (Conceiving) and what would fill that need (Conceptualizing) is seriously misleading, if not absolutely wrong.

Conceiving and Conceptualizing also apply to internal issues, and even emotions. And, they don’t have to be about a lack, but can be about an over abundance. AND, they don’t have to be about something that is a problem, but can be about something that is good. AND they don’t have to be about changing anything, but can be about fully appreciating or experiencing something.

So, a person who sits for hours at a computer answering email might engage in Conceiving by looking for the aspect of that activity which most attracts her. She also might Conceptualize some other more healthy activity which would bring the same pleasure. Or, she might Conceptualize a way to make email answering revolve around the most joyous aspect even more. (Clearly, this example is fiction!)

In truth, Conceiving and Conceptualizing do not require each other. One might be a cave man who conceives of the need for artificial lighting, but will never Conceptualize an electric light bulb or any other means because the pre-requisites simply don’t yet exist.

Similarly, one might conceptualize an electric light bulb without having any idea to what use it might be put. That is the “D” in “R & D”. Development in the hope that once something is actually created, a use for it will be found.

Again looking at the quad, Conceptualizing, Conceiving, Being, and Becoming have the same relationship at Mass, Energy, Space, and Time. They don’t feel like it though, do they? That is because we are in the Psychology Class, and that class is the one of the four in the quad of Classes that is at the “end of the trail”. Just like, Dead, Alive, Growing older, and Becoming Younger, the last one, “Becoming Younger,” is the least accessible to simple understanding.

So, the Psychology Class is the hardest to see in a logical mode. But, since Conceiving and Conceptualizing are down at the Type level, they are already two levels into the area in which logic works least well. That means that these areas are really best understood in terms of emotion. I don’t mean words describing emotion, but in terms of actually FEELING the meaning, rather than THINKING the meaning.

But, we can’t put feelings directly in the chart. So, when we go even one more level down in the Psychology Class, we get even farther away from the experiential aspect. For example, the Variations Rationalization, Obligation, Commitment, and Responsibility are all understandable as things we see in others, but they are SUPPOSED to describe how those things feel to US.

What do YOU FEEL when you have a sense of Obligation – a sense so strong that even though all your logic and common sense tell you to chuck it all, you still stick around? This is one reason people stay in awful marriages even though they are quite aware of all the awful things they endure. There is that gut-level twang of Obligation, or Responsibility, or a truly motivational, adrenaline-rush sense of commitment, or that strange little force of Rationalization which allows you to lie to yourself about your real reasons for doing something, yet buy it hook line and sinker until you absolutely believe it as if it were the gospel.

So, jumping back up to Conceiving and Conceptualizing, the new words must not only capture the definitive meanings but also the much more important emotional feel of what is going on.

Finally, we must note that although every quad illustrates the same relationships among four items, there is a reason why each quad uses four different words. The entire structure is based on the upper left item in the topmost quad that we call “Universe”. That is the Knowledge position in the quad, which is why we call the structure a K-based system. That is also why we say that the whole structure is biased toward K. In our society, we read from upper left to lower right, which makes that Universe position the most powerful.

But more than that, whatever we chose to be the upper left item would set the tone or bias for the approach by which the other semantic terms need to be chosen. This means that the quad is not only about relationships, but that each of the items in the quad, even before it is named, has some intrinsic value.

For example, if we picked four math functions: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, each has a meaning in and of itself. Now suppose we put these functions in a quad – not the names like “addition”, but the actual functions themselves.

The FUNCTION of addition might go in the upper left of a K-based quad, and then following the same pattern as all our previous examples the subtraction, multiplication, and division functions would follow. We still haven’t named them, just made their functions operate in each of the four spaces in the quad.

So, each has an identity without a name. Now, if we create a second quad under the addition function and give that quad the very same four functions something interesting happens. If we want to look at that quad, we have to go through addition first. In other words, we would have to perform the addition function before we could get to the subtraction below it, or any of the others in the second level quad. We are applying one operation on top of another. Clearly, the order in which these functions are played out will change the result of the equation we are creating. This means that we cannot consider the second level equations except in the context of the operation which was already performed to get there.

The result of all this is that if we wanted to name each item in the second level quad under “addition” in the top quad, the names would have to be different than those under “division” in the top quad, even though the same four functions are at work.

This creates a fractal nesting to the whole structure. And, with any fractal structure one can see repetitive patterns. So, when we compare the second level word, “Past” to its parent “function”, Universe, this has the exact same relationship as the second level word, “Memory” compared to ITS parent function, Mind.

Therefore, when we come up with new words, they must not only match the definition of the function and maintain its relationship with the other three items in its quad, but must ALSO maintain an analogous relationship with any parents above it and any children below it COMPARED TO all other items and their parents and their children.

That’s why the structure took so long to create. You start from K and work your way down to the elements and maintain identities, intra-quad relationships, inter-quad relationships, and analagous fractal relationships.

So, in conclusion, I absolutely agree that some of the words in the chart are difficult to access. Absolutely we must find better alternatives. But since we aren’t just talking words here, but semantic representations of mathematical relationships and functions, it is important to be sure accuracy is not lost in the quest for accessibility.

The only reason the Dramatica chart and Story Engine work at all is because the algorithms which created them are accurate and mathematically precise. The most accurate appreciation of it would be to simply understand the structure without any words at all. But, since that is virtually inaccessible to most, the next best thing is to assign words to each of the functions that intuitively describe their identities and illustrate their relationships. It is almost as if distance between terms in the model holds meaning, and if one pre-supposes a meaning, one could know precisely where to chart it on the model.

Let us move forward, then, with all haste to replace obscure words, but let us also move forward with utmost caution to ensure that accuracy is maintained. For if the words chosen to not accurately fulfill all of the precise identities and relationships they are intended to represent, then the model they create as semantics will no longer function accurately to hold and predict meaning. The Story Engine will keep working according to its programming and the chart will still be nested, but the meaning of the chart and the semantic output of the engine will start missing the mark as being intuitive. The Dramatica effect will be diluted, and the power, usefulness, and magic of the theory and software will be reduced.

By all means, we MUST make things more accessible, but I firmly believe we do writers a better service by providing slightly obscure absolute accuracy than by providing slightly accurate absolute understanding. With an accurate model, a certain amount of learning can ultimately provide complete understanding, but with an inaccurate model, the more one learns, the more obscure it becomes.

If you’ve read this far, congratulations on your tenacity: you are now ready to consider all the variables you’ll need to juggle in the process to suggest alternative semantics.

As co-creator of the Dramatica theory, I’d like to clarify a few things about Dramatica’s “new language” of story. First of all, Dramatica asks you questions like: “By the end of your story, has your Main Character CHANGED or REMAINED STEADFAST?” This is something an author ought to know. Some stories are about characters who become essentially different people by the time their journey is over, like Scrooge, or Luke Skywalker, who has learned to trust in the force and in himself. Other stories explore characters who stick with their guns against all odds, like Dr. Richard Kimble in “The Fugitive”, Anthony Hopkins in “Remains of the Day”, or James Bond (in almost all of the films). Determining which kind of character you want to end up with when all is said and done is essential to fashioning a story that brings them to that point.

The “old language” of story often has it that a character must CHANGE in order to grow. Not true. As a well-known example, look at Job in the Bible story. Job NEVER changes his mind about keeping his faith in (and refusing to renounce) God. He is absolutely STEADFAST to the end. But does he grow? Of course! He grows in his RESOLVE.

That is the nature of obstacles that a Main Character faces in a story. They cannot tell if the obstacles are indications they are on the wrong path, or just hurdles that they must overcome on the best path available. By separating Change/Steadfast from the concept of “growth”, Dramatica helps an author clarify what they want to achieve with their audience.

Dramatica then deals with growth. It asks, “Does your Main Character need to grow by STARTING something, or STOPPING something. Start means adding a new trait they lack, Stop means dropping an old trait they must outgrow. Another way of looking at this question is to ask, “Does my Main Character need to grow INTO something or OUT of something? Do they have a chip on their shoulder, or a hole in their heart? Are their problems caused by what they DO or what they FAIL to do?” You get the idea. And if you answer this question, both you AND the Dramatica software will know more about your story.

But there are other kinds of questions as well. Dramatica will ask you, “What is the principal Concern of your story?” Unlike other systems, this is not a “fill in the blank” question that leaves you without guidance. Dramatica provides a palette of alternatives to choose from. You might select “Obtaining” as the principal Concern, or “Becoming”. Clearly a story about “Obtaining” something is a whole different animal than one about “Becoming” something.

Of course, these aren’t the words you would use to pitch your idea to a producer, and in fact, these words might not directly show up in your story at all. But their meaning will. For example, you are doing a story about the first woman president. If your Concern was “Obtaining”, it might be about trying to win the presidency. If your Concern was “Becoming”, it might be about a woman who has already won the office, trying to grow to become “presidential” in her handling of the office. Not the same thing at all. And by making these sometimes difficult choices, you come to know your story so much the better.

Because these choices all revolve around a central “Argument” in a sense (which simply means they have to be consistent with one another to support some overall meaning), Dramatica can actually “predict” what some of the remaining choices “ought” to be, when the author has already made a number of choices themselves. This really helps keep you from missing important dramatic statements that are essential to the purpose of your story.

But what about taking all this information and creating a story-line out of it? Well, the Dramatica theory recognizes that slap in the face FOLLOWED by a scream does not have the same dramatic meaning as a scream FOLLOWED by a slap in the face. The order in which events occur, changes their context, and therefore their meaning. One of Dramatica’s greatest strengths is that it can take an author’s answers to questions like those above, and then put dramatic elements in a throughline order that would support the author’s choices. What happens in Act Two? Dramatica can tell you. Not by writing your story for you, but buy lining out a progress in terms like those above. For example, a Main Character’s growth throughline might read, “In Act One, your Main Character will be primarily concerned with ‘learning’, in Act Two with ‘understanding’, in Act Three with ‘obtaining’”, and so on. In other words, based on your choices, Dramatica will suggest the order of a story’s progression.

I hope this short article helps explain why Dramatica uses a “new language” of story, and why the “old language” is not always up to the task.

In a recent message I described how the Dramatica structure gets “twisted up” like a Rubik’s cube to throw the Variations out of alignment in a way that represents how a human mind develops a warped view of reality based on observation/experience. Because the Variations represent progressive thematic topics of discussion in a story, one can take any quad of Variations and number the four items in the order in which they are explored. When this is marked directly on the quad, a line can be drawn “dot to dot” style, from the first Variation to the second, third, and then fourth. Often the pattern created by this line is a “Z” shape. When we first discovered this common pattern during the development of the theory we called it the “Z Pattern.”

Because the Z pattern represents a Western Cultural favorite order of exploration for Variations, we found it first, but there are others. In fact, the pattern might appear as a backward Z or as a sideways Z which is an N or backward N. Also, the pattern does not really indicate whether the number “1” Variation is at the top or the bottom of the Z. Actually, the order might move from top to bottom or vice versa.

The order of the Variations determines the emotional impact of the thematic message, and therefore must be appropriate to the overall message and emotional intent of the story as a whole.

Z and N patterns are not the only kind. A more cyclic pattern is the C, backward C, U or backward U. At first, we didn’t understand how or why these patterns were created. In those days, we were looking at the structure as being “fixed” in place, and the progressions in a story as being “plotted” on the structure as sequential patterns. But what actually created the patterns? We didn’t have a clue.

Then one day, I was taking my kids on an outing to the Los Angeles museum of Science in the mathematics section. There was a display that had twenty-one magnets mounted in a row on a long board, spinning freely on nails like compass hands, their poles nearly touching. When you turned one slowly at one end, the one next to it would turn in response to the magnetic force of the poles. If you turned slowly enough, you could move all 21 magnets at once, and get the first one to ultimately rotate the last.

Suddenly it hit me. The structure was not static or fixed, but in fact like a Rubik’s cube. When you look at the twisting of a Rubik’s cube from one side, it looks like a rotation, but from 90 degrees to the side it appears as a “flip.”

The Sturcture represents the human mind. When we feel pain (or any inequity) it irritates an item in a quad. The quad then “flips” so that Logic (for example) exchanges places with Feeling in our sample quad, exchanging “pole” positions, just like the magnets. This effect in the Dramatica model starts in an Element quad and ripples up to the Classes. In fact, by the time you flip the Classes, you are exchanging the positions of an external Class with an internal Class. This is reflective of the mind’s twisting in which it projects a truly internal problem as being external or vice versa.

We thought this solved our pattern problem, and it did for Z patterns, but in fact flips are only half of what goes on – the spatial or linear half. There is also a temporal or progressive kind of shift in the quad as well. This “rotational” shift is like turning a dial as you turn the quad to the right or left one “notch” (90 degrees). When the mind tries to get rid of an irritation by “projecting” it, flipping describes the technique. When the mind tries to get rid of an irritation of shuffling it around in a sequence, rotations do the job. Persistent problems are dealt with by a series of flips and rotates until both effects have rippled all the way to the top. At this point, the mind is so twisted up that it creates a blind spot and can no longer see the original problem for what it is. This is the process by which all our givens, our beliefs, “knowledge,” and prejudices are created.

Of all the levels of the structure, the Variations are the most topic oriented, and therefore the patterns are easier to see in the Variation quads as opposed to the Elements, Types, or Classes. In fact, you can find the Variation sequence showing up in dialog, sometimes even using the exact words! And, you can track the words across several quads (illustrating how all of the Elements, Variations, etc. eventually show up somewhere in every story.)

The Dramatica Story Engine uses a series of flips and rotates to wind up the dramatic tension of your storyform in the one sequence which supports the dramatic intent you have indicated by the answers to your questions. So, when you make choices based on what you want your story to mean and how you want it to feel, the Story Engine will generate a sequence which is available through the Plot Sequence report.

Please keep in mind that this sequence is the same thing we all do subconsciously as authors when we shift our topics from one subject to another in a story. It is not intended as a replacement for that or a “cut in stone” map that you have to follow. Rather, use your instincts first, but if they fail or are unsure, then use the report as a guideline to get you on the right path.

How does the construction of scenes relate to Dramatica’s story elements?

The concept is that a complete “scene” in structural terms is a “complete dramatic movement.” In other words, there must be a Potential, Resistance, Current, and Outcome (or Power) regarding a single issue to complete a scene.

In this way, we might think of each scene as a single dramatic “circuit.” Although it has “flow” a circuit is really seen as a unit, comprised of these four parts. Therefore, we do not necessarily have to start by setting up a Potential and then introducing a Resistance. Rather, we might start with a Resistance ( a brick wall, for example) and then introduce the Potential (a herd of galloping wild horses.)

The order in which these elements of a scene need to be introduced is not merely storytelling. In fact, there is a specific structural order to it which is determined by the meaning or impact you wish to instill in your audience. This can be understood by realizing that if we take two events from a scene, say a slap and a scream, then we find that a slap followed by a scream has a completely different meaning than a scream followed by a slap. In the first case (depending upon context) it might mean a slap was struck in anger leading to a scream in response from the pain or emotional hurt. But, a scream might begin the scene, indicating perhaps hysteria, in which case the slap would THEN be applied out of concern or “tough love” to bring the person to his or her senses,

The Dramatica Story Engine actually predicts the order (1,2,3,4) and nature (P,R,C,O) of every element in every quad in the entire structure, based on the impact you have indicated by making storyform choices. But, the data is so extensive that it takes several hundred pages to print it all out.

We determined that this flood of information would drown authors in a sea of numbers, far away from the intuitive sense of writing. And, what’s more, it is SO specific that we thought it might lead to “writing by the numbers.” The biggest tragedy would be that the audience is not really concerned with that degree of detail so much, and really tends to “give” that to the author, even if it is out of order, as long as all the pieces are there somewhere. So, why worry about being that accurate when it has so little importance in the grand scheme of things?

As a result, this information, though generated by the engine in every storyform, has no means of extraction from the software at this time.

One more bit of information, the “spiral” nature of the structure (recently described with insight by Armando) is such that the Type (Plot) level of the structure determines the dramatic circuits of ACTS, the Variation (Theme) level determines the dramatic circuits of SEQUENCES, the Element (Character) level determines the dramatic circuits from one SCENE to the next, and the spiral effect takes us back to the top Class (Genre) level which determines the dramatic circuits of the EVENTS within each Scene.

So, each Event in a Scene will have a 1,2,3,4 for sequential order, a P,R,C,O, for context, and be a Situation (Universe), Attitude (Mind), Activity (Physics), and Mentality (Psychology).

In other words, the four required Events for every complete dramatic movement at the Scene level will be something Situational, Attitude illustrative, Active, and exhibiting Mentality.

Structural Scenes illustrate these four Events in terms of Character, Plot, Theme, and Genre (no direct correlation here.) Storytelling Scenes illustrate these four Events in terms of audience impact (impacting the audience’s sense of their own Situation, affecting their Attitude, involving them in a vicarious Activity, or exploring the way their minds run by illuminating the Mentality.

Both Structural and Storytelling Scenes can be presented in Active or Passive fashion. Passive Scenes illustrate these Events in the Story or Audience. Active Scenes put them into motion, moving the story forward or invoking changes in the nature of the audience itself.

Here’s some info on the arrangements of Elements and Variations. The name, “Elements” gives a clue that it is referring to the basic “particles” of the drama. Therefore, Elements can be said to be an appreciation of a story when it is seen “spatially” (in terms of the arrangement of dramatic items).

“Variations,” on the other hand, give a clue in their name that they “vary,” and are therefore more “temporal” appreciations, that depend on how things evolve over time.

The arrangements of both Elements and Variations change from Storyform to Storyform, but for different reasons:

Elements…

If you look at the entire Dramatica Structural Chart (the periodic table of story elements) you will see that it is divided into four separate classes, Universe, Mind, Physics, and Psychology. Each class is the name of the largest square at the top, but also refers to the entire “tower” of sub-items below it, including Types, Variations, and Elements.

The Types and Variations have different names from Class to Class, but the Elements at the bottom of each Class have the same names – in other words, the same 64 Elements appear at the bottom, most detailed level of each Class. This is because each of the four Classes is really trying to see (or get to) the most detailed understanding of the story’s problem. As a result, each Class ends up coming to the same Elemental pieces in trying to put the puzzle together.

But, each of the four Classes really represents a different “take” on the problem. Universe and Physics look to the external world for the problem (and solution). Mind and Psychology look to the internal world. Universe and Mind are fixed states (arrangements) where the problem might lay. Physics and Mind are processes (progressions) where the problem might lay. So, among the four Classes, we are trying to locate the story’s problem in terms of being an external or internal state or process.

If you stop to think about it, there is not a problem that cannot be classified as either an external or internal state or process. So, each class is a different take on the problem. As a result, there is a built-in bias to each Class. Therefore, though they all end up zeroing in on the same Elements, the ARRANGEMENT of the Elements varies from Class to Class, representing the “warped” view of the issues from each bias.

Characters are built from the Class which is selected as the Objective Story Domain. So, depending upon which Class you (or Dramatica) select, the arrangement of Elements will vary appropriately.

(Keep in mind that there is no “normal” unbiased Class among the four. Each is like a different side of an aquarium looking at a stick poking into the water at an angle. From each side, the warping of the refraction will cause the stick to appear more or less angled, and perhaps at a different direction. Only by comparing all four views together can one determine whether the stick is truly bent or straight. So, the actual problem at the heart of the story can never be found in a single Class, but rather somewhere in the middle, outside but touched on by them all. (“The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.”)

Variations….

As for Variations, it works quite differently, seeing as how Variations are more progressive appreciations.

When you make choices in Dramatica about the 12 Essential Questions (Character, Plot, and Theme items, four each) you are really priming the Story Engine to run. What the Story Engine does is twist and turn the entire Dramatica structural model like a grandiose Rubik’s Cube. This represents the way the Story Mind is altered over time by experience – the process of mental “justification.”

The first four essential questions give a value or direction to the Knowledge, Thought, Ability, and Desire) of the Story Mind – the most basic components of self-awareness. The second four questions give a value (or direction) to Mass, Energy, Space, and Time the most basic components of the Story Mind’s environment. The last four questions determine in which realms the two forces, Consciousness and Environment, come into friction.

In a sense, the first four questions determine where you are looking from. The second four questions determine what you are looking at. The last four questions determine the perspective created between the two.

Armed with this information, the Story Engine twists and rotates the components of the periodic table of story elements, throwing them out of alignment with one another in a manner that represents the disparity between the Story Mind and its environment. Some of the principal items that might be dislodged from their normal positions are the Variations, which are fragile appreciations, easily shifted by justification.

So, when you create a Storyform, you may be applying mental perspectives to the Story Mind that shift Variations out of their own Class, just as a human being may “project” a personal problem onto a friend or onto the environment, rather than admit it resides within.

Most of the Dramatica Tips of the Week are very practical and immediately useful. But every once in a while, someone asks a “theory-oriented” question that requires a completely impractical answer.

Today someone wondered:

Why do the Elements at the bottom of each Class in the Dramatica Structure have the same names, but fall in different arrangements?

The answer to this gets into the heavy-duty theory at the heart of the patented Story Engine that drives the Dramatica software. Unless you just love to curl up with a good book by Einstein or Stephen Hawking, just delete this particular tip now – don’t torture yourself!

Rest assured, the very next tip will be completely practical and useful right out of the box, no assembly required! But in deference to those who believe, The Truth is Out There, and will risk even their sanity to uncover it, here is the answer to the question….

First, a quick “non-math” answer in conversational terms:

The Elements are the same names in each Class because they represent the basic truths in the story. They are in different arrangements because each Class looks at them in a different way.

A FAR longer, more complete, but still “non-math” answer:

Just like those “blue blocker” sunglasses or “seeing the world through rose-colored glasses,” looking at the Dramatica structure ( storymind.com/mental_relativity/model.htm ) we can think of each “Class” as a different filter on our world. The four classes filter things such as External or Internal States and Processes. The physics filter, for example, is an External Process and lets through more activities and tends to block out or de-emphasize situations, attitudes, and mental activities.

The next level down adds a second filter to the “pack”. In fact, that Type level shows what that already once-filtered “truth” looks like through each of the same four original filters, giving us Understanding, Learning, Doing and Obtaining, each also representing an External or Internal state or process.

But, by looking through two filters instead of one, we have not only blocked out more of the original “light of Truth” but we have also added some distortion because of the greater “thickness” between us and Truth. Ultimately, it is this progressive distortion that shifts the Elements from Class to Class.

The distortion can be seen in the different arrangement of External, Internal, State, and Process from level to level in the structure.

Here’s how that arrangement has changed:

At the top “Class” level, the upper left hand corner is Universe (External State), diagonally is Mind (Internal State), Upper right is Physics (External Process) and diagonally in the lower left is Psychology (Internal Process). So, the two External “filters” (Universe and Physics – state and process) are a the top of the chart, horizontal to each other.

Now, at the next level down in Physics, Obtaining and Doing are the External state and process, but they have moved to a Diagonal relationship instead of horizontal like Universe and Physics.

The next level down – the Variations (under Obtaining, for example) has Approach, Attitude, Morality, and Self-Interest – the results of what each of the four filters does if added to the “pack” already containing Physics and Obtaining. Here, Approach and Morality are focuses on the impact on others (External) and Self-Interest and Attitude are focused on the self (Internal) But, the distortion has now shifted the External pair again, so rather than being horizontal in the chart as in the Classes, or diagonal as in the Types, they have now become a vertical relationship in the Variations.

Now, the Elements represent the basic components of the Truth. That’s why the Element names are the same in each of the four Classes. The idea is, that no matter how you are trying to come to the Truth, it is ultimately the same Truth – only the path is different. But to get down to those components, we have to have FOUR filters in our pack. In effect, although we are approaching the same Truth, the path we have taken will have given use different experiences, and therefore clouded our appreciation of the Truth once we achieve it. This is represented by the distortion.

But we have already seen the Truth distort from horizontal to diagonal to vertical. What’s left? A complete breakdown of some of the basic connections underlying our understanding. There are so many filters, the “crystal grows dark” and our ability to find meaning loses resolution. We can see as far as Pairs of Elements, but we can’t see the Elements as individual components.

Under Morality, for example, we have the Elements Faith, Disbelief, Conscience, and Temptation. Which is more External; which more Internal? Which is more or a State or more of a Process? Individually, they seem equally comprised of aspects of External, Internal, State, and Process. For example, Faith is IN something External, but DRIVEN by an Internal commitment. It is the State of “having Faith” but also the Process of “believing.”

But when we break it all down into pairs, we have better luck in finding External and Internal. Faith and Disbelief, as a pair, seem very much to come from inside and be how we feel about things outside, so they “feel” Internal.

Conscience and Temptation “feel” like forces outside ourselves which act upon us. This is why characters are often portrayed with a little Angel and a little Devil on their shoulders – it externalizes the pair.

All this is a result of the lost of “resolution” because we have added so many layers of filters. The distortion has to be mentally swept under the carpet, because having exhausted horizontal, diagonal, and vertical, we’re fresh out of places to stash it. So, our human minds assigned that left over distortion at the Element level to the Class as a whole. Therefore, in keeping with our mental method, the Dramatica Structural Model has a different way of arranging the pairs in each of the four Classes, each representing one of the four different kinds of left over distortion.

How does this left-over distortion actually shift the Element Pairs? Well, it is a complex pattern which is not unlike the spiral pattern of DNA. But to get a “taste” of it, look at the position of the two paired Elements “Knowledge” and “Thought” in each Class. You will find them in the upper left-hand corner of the Elements. You will note that they stay in exactly the same position in each of the four classes – there is no shift for distortion. They form the “anchor” from which the degree of distortion is measured by the human mind. All Truth is measured against Knowledge and Thought (disclaimer on this later!).

There are three other pairs, each of which forms a different anchor or each of the four filters in each Class. They are Proven/Unproven, Considerations/Reconsideration, and Certainty/Potentiality. These four pairs of Elements hold the same positions in all four Classes. Why? Really they should shift, but if they did, there would no baseline from which our minds could measure anything about Truth.

A quick example of this. Do you remember as a kid, lying down in the back seat of your parent’s car and seeing a truck moving backward through the window? Do you recall how for a moment you couldn’t be sure if you were going forward or the truck was going backward? That happened because you had no frame of reference, no measuring stick. You had to look outside and see a tree or get up and see the road to determine who was moving and who was not.

Similarly, if all our distortions – all our filters – are seen as moving, how can we find solid mental ground? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just see the Truth directly, and not have to bother with filters at all? But, to wax poetic, “The Tao that can be spoken is NOT the Eternal Tao” and “One cannot look into the face of God.” and “You can’t handle the Truth!”

Simply put, we aren’t omniscient. We are not equipped to see the whole Truth directly, but must seek to learn more about it by glimpsing a part of it, and then assembling the pieces to try and grasp the whole. But, like the carpet which curls up on one corner when we try to nail down another, one of the four filters is always slipping out of alignment when we try to measure the others. So, we sweep that distortion under the curling carpet and stand on that corner to hold it in place while we watch the others curl. In this way, we feel we at least have one solid anchor from which to judge the Truth.

It is interesting that pattern is virtually the same as the double-helix of DNA (only it is actually a quad-helix, rather than double!) Oops – sorry, I promised no math! Strike that last comment from the record and I’ll get back to basics….

Okay… The Dramatica model picks External State as the anchor for the structure, and the External Process as the anchor for the shift in distortion. It could be any combination of the four filters in any other arrangement, but once you pick an arrangement, it has to be used as the anchor EVERYWHERE in the model, in the theory, in the software. If you shift to another, then you lose your consistent measuring stick.

To understand the External State requires Knowledge and to understand the External Process requires Thought, throwing such things as feelings into the non-measuring-stick category. This, of course, is a bias that favors certain American cultural expectations. And in fact, that is why we chose this arrangement out of those available. After all, we are explaining the theory and marketing the software initially to our own culture. It made sense then to build the first of the systems to favor the standard locally preferred. It doesn’t mean it can’t be used by any other culture. It simply means that it presents a certain way of looking at things that is rather typically American. Writers from other cultures can easily “translate” that perspective.

It is my hope that some day we will be able to (we will live long enough!) to create all the other versions. But that is going to take as many years as the current system, and we’re all getting tired!

In any event, the pairs of Elements are shifted through horizontal, diagonal, and vertical arrangements from one Class to the next. This is the Structural part, driven by the External State, the anchor for Truth. But the anchor for this distortion is in Physics, the External process anchor for Distortion.

To see this in action, go to the Elements in the Physics Class. Take any group of 16, like those under the Type of Understanding, for example. Now, look at the pair of Elements, Knowledge and Thought. In Physics, that pair is matched with Ability and Desire. Knowledge, Thought, Ability, and Desire is the most “undistorted” quad of Elements in the entire model. It is the Internal equivalent of Universe, Mind, Physics, and Psychology.

Look at the pair of Elements with which Knowledge and Thought are matched in each of the other four Classes. In Mind it is Actuality and Perception. In Psychology is it Inertia and Change. In Universe it is Order and Chaos.

Now going back to the Physics Class, you can see that each of the other three pairs with which Knowledge and Thought are matched come from the horizontal, diagonal, and vertical quads of Elements, in relationship to where Knowledge and Thought are.

Of course there is all manner of math behind this, but suffice it to say that this pattern is repeated with consistent distortion throughout the structure.

The end result is that when you choose one Class as the Objective Story Domain, you are also selecting the Elements at the bottom of that Class as the building blocks of the Objective Characters. The Elements will be the same, because they represent the same ultimate Truth, but because of the distortion, they will be arranged in a different pattern that at least keeps the distortion consistent from place to place.

In this way, character relationships will illuminate an aspect of smaller truth that will seamlessly fit into the overall larger Truth stitched together in the Big Picture of the overall story.

  A Writer comments:

So as I see it, Dynamic Diagonal characteristics conflict with one another, Companion Horizontal characteristics amplify one another, and Dependent Vertical characteristics contrast one another

My Reply:Actually, those terms are not quite accurate. When I developed that part of the theory, we only had limited screen space in the software. So, I had to come up with a REALLY terse description of these relationships to fit in the window.

I’ve never been quite pleased with them, so here is the more accurate but drawn out explanation of the pair relationships:

There are two of each kind of pair in each quad: two diagonal (Dynamic), two horizontal (Companion), and two vertical (Dependent).

For each set of two, one will be seen in your story as a POSITIVE relationship and the other as NEGATIVE.

A Positive Dynamic relationship is like “the loyal opposition” where two opposing forces butt heads, but create sparks that literally “spark” a better alternative than either would have developed on his or her own.

A Negative Dynamic relationship is where two opposing forces butt heads until each is destroyed and nothing is accomplished.

A Positive Companion relationship is like shoveling snow from your walk. But your neighbors walk and yours join in a “Y” to the street, so when you shovel off yours, you are incidentally shoveling off his as well.

A Negative Companion relationship is again like shoveling snow. But THIS time your walk and your neighbors are positioned so that when you shovel off yours you have to shovel onto his! You don’t do it intentionally – in fact you may not even be aware, but your efforts have negative fallout on him.

A Positive Dependent relationship is when two forces work together and are greater than the sum of their parts, like brain working in conjunction with brawn.

A Negative Dependent relationship is when one person feels “I am nothing without my other half.”

You will note that Conflict, Amplify, and Contrast are not really quite accurate, though similar to the real meaning. And, of course, the software makes no mention of one relationship being positive and the other negative.

In writing your stories, however, if you see one of the two pairs of a particular kind, such as Dynamic, as being the “destroy each other” variety, then the characters representing the other Dynamic pair will act in the “loyal opposition” manner, and new, better things will grow out of THEIR conflict. A handy tip!

In addition, there is a useful trick you can use with character quads from a subjective point of view. An example:

Suppose you have a little brother who thinks of his big brother as “my pal.” Well he is seeing his big brother as a Positive Companion. But, the big brother might see the little brother as an annoying little puppy, following him around everywhere – a Negative Dependent.

If you “plot” these two relationships on a quad, you end up with the Negative Dependent and the Positive Companion meeting in one corner. The “dramatic distance” between them is indicated by the open end where they do not meet.

If you draw a line from one open end to the other, you get a diagonal, or Dynamic relationship. Because one sees the relationship as positive and the other as negative, positive times negative = negative, so a Negative Dynamic relationship is created.

In other words, the situation described above will quickly degenerate into a relationship in which both sides try to destroy the other. Simple math that describe complex relationships in real life. In fact, try this at home on friends and loved ones. You be amazed at how well it works, especially if you pick a particular quad of elements and chart how each of you feel about the other’s position on those issues. In fact, you can go quad by quad through the Elements, Variations, Types, and Classes, and chart just about every aspect of your relationship to anyone else and the exact areas and kinds of positive and negative energy between you!

Finally, in regard to Co-dependent relationships, please note that the relationships so far described by the three kinds of pairings have dealt with either the objective view when creating characters ( in which the relationship is the same for both characters) or the subjective view when dealing with individuals (in which the relationship MUST be seen as different between the two people).

Determining whether the relationship will be seen as Objective or Subjective is a neat trick, but necessary to properly using pairs. This is actually accomplished by another kind of “pair” relationship altogether.

If we look at a quad, there is one more kind of relationship among the items which we can measure – are the four items all seen as being separate (independent) or as a single collective (co-dependent). This would “plot” on a quad as either four dots, one in each item for independent, or as a square within the quad that connects all four dots for co-dependent.

For an example, take the term “United States.” Okay, which is it, United or States? If they are States, they are independent. If they are United, they are co-dependent. If they are co-dependent they see things the same way. If they are independent, they don’t.

So, with our two brothers, the negative Dynamic they experience is only as long as they are being independent (even a companion can be independent because he looks at his relationship to another, not as being part of something bigger.) But, if a bully threatens the little brother, suddenly they see themselves as family (co-dependent) and as a result their relationship turns positive. (That’s why the United States works best when it has a common enemy!)

Now, the neat trick is that for the first three pairs, one kind is ALWAYS positive and the other ALWAYS negative, by definition. But with the independent and co-dependent, there is no fixed value except that one will be positive and the other negative.

So, if the family is seen as a positive thing, then the relationship will turn positive when threatened from outside. But if it is seen as a negative thing, then the relationship will worsen and perhaps completely break apart to independent when threatened from the outside.

This explains why some marriages hold together through turbulent times and others don’t. One might ask what would have happened during the American Civil War if both sides had been attacked by a common enemy. Interesting rhetorical question.

In stories, then, it is your storytelling decision about that fourth kind of pair relationship – which will be seen as positive or negative, that will determine the structural relationship of the overall quad.

(And for you math buffs, it is this aspect of the quad that moves imaginary numbers into the real number plane so that under certain conditions a positive times a positive = a negative, and under others a negative times a positive = a positive.)