Probability • [Element] • dyn.pr. Possibility<–>Probability • liklihood • The character having the Probability characteristic puts its beliefs and efforts behind what is most likely. It is not as bound to safety as a character containing the Certainty characteristic, yet will still only take “calculated” risks. It is always playing the odds and changes direction in mid-stride if the odds change. This allows it to steer clear of many dangers but also tends to make it fickle. • syn. likelihood, prospective, predictable, promising

From the Dramatica Dictionary

Proaction • [Element] • dyn.pr. Reaction<–>Proaction • taking initiative action • The Proactive characteristic will urge a character to begin problem solving on his own. This character will be a self-starter who is up and at it the moment he realizes a potential problem exists. Sometimes, however, a potential problem may not actually materialize and would have disappeared in short order by itself. Proaction may actually cause the problem to occur by irritating the situation. Worse yet, the character representing Proaction may act before the true nature of the problem is seen, leading him to cause damage to innocent or non-responsible parties, sometimes actually aiding the real source of the problem. • syn. to initiate action, execute, undertake, commit, implement

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Present (The Present) • [Type] • dyn.pr. Past<–>Present • the current situation and circumstances • “Present” does not refer to the way things are going, but to the way things are. It is a here and now judgment of the arrangement of a situation and the circumstances surrounding it. A story that focuses on the Present is not concerned with how events led to the current situation nor where the current situation will lead, but defines the scenario that exists at the moment . • syn. how things stand, the here and now, current situation, as of this moment

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Prerequisites (Objective Storyline) • [Type] • the essential prliminaries that must be met to complete the Requirements • Pre-requisites are the essential or necessary steps or accomplishments that must be achieved in order for something to occur. If a goal has a single requirement, there may be many pre-requisites to achieving that requirement.

Prerequisites • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Preconditions<–>Prerequisites • the essential prliminaries that must be met to complete the Requirements • Prerequisites are the essential or necessary steps or accomplishments that must be achieved in order for something to occur. If a goal has a single requirement, there may be many prerequisites to meeting that requirement. • syn. essential steps, necessary requisites, compulsory stipulation

From the Dramatica Dictionary

Prediction • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Interdiction<–>Prediction • pre-determination of a future state of affairs • Prediction explores the effort to learn the course of one’s destiny. Destiny is the path to a particular fate or through a series of fates. Fates are experiences or conditions one must encounter along the way as one’s destiny directs one’s course. The nature of destiny is such that no matter how much a character is aware of the nature and location of an undesirable fate, nothing he can do is enough to pull him off the path. However, if one could know the future course, one could prepare for each eventuality in order to minimize or maximize its effect. • syn. foresight, foreseeing, anticipation, envisioning one’s future, prophecy, forecast, foretell, prognosticate

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Preconscious (The Preconscious) • [Type] • dyn.pr. Subconscious<–>Preconscious • innate responses • Built into the mind is an instinctual base of reactions and attitudes that cannot be altered but merely compensated for. When a story’s problem revolves around the unsuitability of someone’s essential nature to a given situation or environment, the central issue is the Pre-Conscious. The solution lies in the character conditioning himself to either hold his tendencies in check or develop methods of enhancing areas in which he is naturally weak in reason, ability, emotion, or intellect. • syn. unthinking responses, immediate responses, impulse, impulsive response, instinctive response, innate response, reflex

From the Dramatica Dictionary

Preconditions (Objective Storyline) • [Type] • restrictions imposed on the effort to reach the goal • When meeting the requirement is made contingent upon some non-essential restriction, the extra baggage is referred to as Pre-conditions. Depending upon the nature of the Pre-conditions and the nature of a character, it may turn out that although the pre-requisites will achieve the goal, the goal itself is improper and only the Pre-conditions can actually solve the problem. Misplaced emphasis is a common thematic exploration.

Preconditions • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Prerequisites<–>Preconditions • restrictions imposed on the effort to reach the goal • When access to resources necessary to meeting pre-requisites is made contingent upon some non-essential accomplishment or limitation, the extra baggage is referred to as Pre-conditions. Depending upon the nature of the Pre-conditions and the nature of a character, it may turn out that although the pre-requisites will achieve the goal, the goal itself is improper and only the Pre-conditions can actually solve the problem. Misplaced emphasis is a common thematic exploration. • syn. provision, prescribed specification, imposed stipulation, limiting parameters, imposed limitations

From the Dramatica Dictionary

Preconception • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Preconception<–>Openness • adhering to a previous held view; unwillingness to reevaluate • Preconception is a pre-conception that prevents one from entertaining information contrary to a held conclusion. When one shuts his mind to additional data, there is no way to realize that the conclusion might be in error. Contradictory observation no longer becomes part of experience so experience ceases to grow. Obviously, this can lead to all kinds of actions and attitudes that work to the detriment of oneself and others. On the other hand, Preconception can steel one against temporary exceptions that tempt one to veer from the true path. Question • Is it bad to have Preconceptions against evil? • syn. prejudice, closed mindedness, narrow mindedness, intolerancy, stubbornness, unwillingness to reevaluate

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Potentiality • [Element] • dyn.pr. Certainty<–>Potentiality • a determination that something might become true • The element of Potentiality drives a character to take risks on long odds. Always looking at what is not specifically ruled out, he is even beyond the realm of possibility and spends his time focusing on the greatest possible potential. As long as there is no reason why something should not be a certain way, the character representing Potentiality acts as if it is. Of course this leads him to see benefits and dangers others might miss, but it also leads him to starve on “pie in the sky.” This characteristic always looks at what might be, never stopping to take stock of what is. • syn. chance, precariousness, focusing on the uncertain, going with the improbable

From the Dramatica Dictionary

Possibility • [Element] • dyn.pr. Probability<–>Possibility • a determination that something might be true • The Possibility element endows a character with an open-minded assessment of his environment and relationships. However, it gives less weight to the single most likely explanation, looking instead at the whole range of known alternatives. Since the most likely scenario does not always happen, the Possibility element aids in having “Plan B” ready. On the downside, this characteristic may “over think” things and lose track of what is most probable. • syn. plausibility, viability, conceivable eventualities, open assessment

From the Dramatica Dictionary