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Dramatica Tip of the Month
December, 1999

Developing Characters in the StoryGuide

The purpose of the StoryGuide in the Dramatica software is to give new users a place to start, plus some guidance in how to use Dramatica to develop stories. As such, it's approach is designed to be simple and to deal with stories somewhat simplistically. Nowhere is that more evident than in the Dramatica Archetypal Characters. Once you understand the basics, we recommend taking off the "training wheels" introduced in the StoryGuide and going all out in developing Complex Characters. Use the multiple levels of character elements available to you to create interesting blends of characteristics. Use greater or fewer numbers of characters than the standard "eight-pack" that archetypes come in. In other words, we recommend using archetypes as a place to start, but strongly suggest that you develop them into more interesting, complex characters.