Ability • Most terms in Dramatica are used to mean only one thing. Thought, Knowledge, Ability, and Desire, however, have two uses each, serving both as Variations and Elements. This is a result of their role as central considerations in both Theme and Character

[Variation] • dyn.pr. Desire<–>Ability • being suited to handle a task; the innate capacity to do or be • Ability describes the actual capacity to accomplish something. However, even the greatest Ability may need experience to become practical. Also, Ability may be hindered by limitations placed on a character and/or limitations imposed by the character upon himself. • syn. talent, knack, capability, innate capacity, faculty, inherant proficiency

[Element] • dyn.pr. Desire<–>Ability • being suited to handle a task; the innate capacity to do or be • An aspect of the Ability element is an innate capacity to do or to be. This means that some Abilities pertain to what what can affect physically and also what one can rearrange mentally. The positive side of Ability is that things can be done or experienced that would otherwise be impossible. The negative side is that just because something can be done does not mean it should be done. And, just because one can be a certain way does not mean it is beneficial to self or others. In other words, sometimes Ability is more a curse than a blessing because it can lead to the exercise of capacities that may be negative • syn. talent, knack, capability, innate capacity, faculty, inherant proficiency

Aware • [Element] • dyn.pr. Aware<–>Self-Aware • being conscious of things outside oneself • A character that represents Awareness misses nothing that happens around him. A drawback is he may forget to figure himself into the equation. • syn. outward perceptiveness, external sensitivity, consciousness of the external, responsive

Avoid• [Element] • dyn.pr. Pursuit<–>Avoid • stepping around, preventing or escaping from a problem • Like its counterpart Pursue, the Avoid characteristic causes a character to be a real self-starter. The difference is that just as strongly as Pursuit tries to close in on the something, Avoid tries to escape it. Avoid can take the forms “escape” or “prevent” depending upon whether the focus of the effort is an object or a process. Avoid might be seen as running away, but that has its place. And certainly, when seen as “prevent” it might be applied to stopping something very negative from happening. Of course, it could also prevent something positive or really just be running away from something that should be faced. Pursue and Avoid are not value judgments but directions. • syn. evade, dodge, elude, escape, steer clear of, prevent

Author’s Proof • [Storytelling] • the epilogue or follow-up to a story that proves the “outcome” of the story is real or imagined, good or bad • Technically speaking, the moment of climax in a story is the intersecting point where the nature of the Main Character crosses paths with the nature of the objective story. It is here that the course of one, both or neither of them may be altered by the interaction. The only way an audience can be sure what, if anything, has changed course is to plot one more dramatic point past the climax, as part of Act 4 to illustrate the new direction of the objective story and Main Character. This might be the “?” after the words “The End” in a monster story or a formerly mean man sharing his sandwich with a stray dog on the way home. The purpose is simply to illustrate that the suspected effect of the climax has or has not truly resulted in a change in course. As such, it functions as the Author’s Proof and is a key component of the denouement.

Attraction • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Repulsion<–>Attraction • drawing or being drawn to something • How hard should one try? How much work should one do? This is modulated by the Attraction of what one is trying to achieve. Attraction is a directional factor that indicates what lies ahead is a positive reward. When a character strives toward a goal, he passes many veils along the way. Each one is a curtain to the future that must be ripped away to see what lies beyond. Attraction describes the nature of the curtain itself. Can you judge the pleasure of a book by the art on its cover? In the parable of the carrot and the stick, Attraction is the carrot. • syn. allure, enticement, charm, captivate, appeal, draw, lure

Attitude • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Approach<–>Attitude • demeanor or outlook • Attitude describes the manner in which a character proceeds with an approach. One character might be hard-driven, another laid back. One may be willing to sacrifice efficiency for the sake of a pleasant approach. Another might sacrifice pleasure in order to make the approach most efficient. Sometimes an approach can be pushed too hard or not hard enough. It requires not only the proper approach but the appropriate attitude to arrive at the solution to a problem. • syn. demeanor, manner of approach, countenance, behavioral outlook, perspective on doing

Attempt • [Variation] • dyn.pr. Work<–>Attempt • applying oneself to something not known to be within one’s ability • When there is a question as to the match-up of one’s abilities to the demands of a task, one may still elect to attempt to complete the task. However, sometimes a character will lose sight of the purpose of the task or underestimated his progress and actually complete the work while continuing to try beyond the point originally aimed at. Why does one beat a dead horse? Why does a billionaire struggle to earn one more million? • syn. try, uncertain undertaking, speculative endeavor, dubious effort, endeavor, unlikely venture

Argument • [Dramatica Term] • the progression of logistic and emotional meanings that combine to prove a story’s message • A story’s message is proven by a progression of logistic (dispassionate) and emotional (passionate) meanings which are created by the interactions of Character, Plot, Theme, and Genre. The dispassionate argument is the story’s contention that a particular approach is the most appropriate one to solve a particular problem or achieve a goal in a given context. The passionate argument is the story’s contention that one world view is better than another in terms of leading to personal fulfillment. An author can use his story’s argument to convey his message directly, indirectly by inference, or by making an exaggerated argument supporting what he is against. (Also see Grand Argument Story.)

Archetypal Characters • Of all the ways the 64 elements of Character elements might be grouped, there is one arrangement that is akin to an alignment of the planets. When all elements from each “family” of like elements are placed in individual characters, eight Archetypal Characters are created. They are Archetypal because their homogeneous nature accommodates all levels a character must have to be fully dimensional, yet line up by content so well there is little internal dissonance. Archetypal Characters are useful in stories that seek to concentrate on plot, action, or external themes. This is because they do not “get in the way” or clutter the Author’s purpose. Because they are so predictable, however, Archetypal Characters are not easily used to explore the human psyche and are most readily employed in stories designed more for entertainment than message.

Approach • [Character Dynamic] • The Main Character’s preferred method of general problem solving as a “Do-er” or “Be-er” • By temperament, Main Characters (like each of us) have a preferential method of approaching problems. Some would rather work things out externally, others would rather work things out internally. There is nothing intrinsically right or wrong with either approach, yet it does affect how one will respond to problems. Choosing “Do-er” or “Be-er” does not prevent a Main Character from using either approach, but merely defines the way he is likely to first approach a problem, using the other method only if the first one fails.