Writer's Journal, Volume 21, Number 3 -- May/June 2000

Software Reviews
By Christopher L. Buono

Dramatica Pro 4.0

By Screenplay Systems, Inc.
150 E. Olive Avenue--Ste 203
Burbank, CA 91502-1849
800-847-8679
http://www.screenplay.com

System Requirements

Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT
8 MB RAM, 20 MB hard disk space, CD-ROM drive

Macintosh Power PC, iMac, or greater
8 MB RAM, CD-ROM drive

Dramatica Pro is a powerful writing companion. Once loaded into your system, this software has all the earmarks of a great writing instructor--one who actually appears to be living inside your computer. Advertised as "The Ultimate Creative Writing Partner," Dramatica instructs gently with the possibility of grand results. Used accordingly, the program can help a writer to create a flawless story blueprint. It actually has the ability to assist almost anyone to form a compelling tale that only that individual is capable of producing.

No, there are not any mirrors involved here, illusions, or slight of hand. And yes, Dramatica is more than just a fanciful outer package. The inclusion of a quick story structure reference sheet helps to put a writer immediately on track. Dramatica's basics are therefore never hard to find or easier to view. A companion thirty-two-page comic book entitled; "The Secrets of Great Stories" further assists a writer to feel more comfortable with the program prior to use. And the seventy-eight-page indexed manual proves to be a comprehensible aid as well. Simply put, Dramatica makes every initial attempt to put a writer at ease.

An interactive step-by-step creative writing system, Dramatica is designed for the aspiring author as well as the seasoned veteran. Is it your intention to overcome writer's block? Do you hope to pen a short story? Novel? Play? Or is it your desire to script a work for the small or big screen? Then Dramatica may well be the best prescription you fill before ever attempting to fashion material again.

Although Dramatica does not write the story, it does help to stimulate the creative mind. This is key for a writer to develop in order to be able to formulate a particular tale without flaws. By answering some sixty to two hundred and fifty specific story related questions, an author can soon be on the way to realizing full story greatness.

By Dramatica's powerful tools go much further than this. For instance, if a writer is at a loss for ideas, "Brainstorming" may just be the answer. This desktop tool selects a random "Storyform," for your tale, with respect to questions that you have already answered. An author may then notice the emergence of a story that otherwise would have gone unseen, had it not been for such a tool.

Yet, Dramatica is more than just a desktop of intelligent tools. It is a system that provides a great deal of guidance. This holds true for such aspects as plot, story, scene, character, and structure. The program also tends to challenge the psyche of the writer. This, in turn, often heightens and directs one into producing tighter material. And with Dramatica's plentiful on-screen assistance and many insights into successful works along the way, a writer never feels at a creative loss.
Still, although Dramatica's rewards can be creatively beneficial for your material, it may take some time to master. Nonetheless, it is well worth its price if you are not only dedicated to your craft and looking for in home "writing assistance" but also willing to put the effort into learning to work with the program.