Writer's Dream Kit 4.0

I write plenty of non-fiction such as memoirs, real-humor stories and technical articles. I even get them published. But when it comes to pure creative writing, I can't muster more than a page or two. Plot? Character motivation? Storytelling? Plot-theme? Well, I am completely at sea when it comes to the great task of organizing my creative powers into a coherent work.Being the kind of person who does like software and computers to assist my writing, I was drawn to this product. Would such an affordably-priced piece of software offer me any help for fiction writing? Well, the answer is ultimately pending as I have NOT completed any work of fiction, but I now have a useful tool for organizing a foray into that genre.What's here:A storyline "wizard" that takes you by the hand to create a story throughline, main character throughline, impact character (I presume they mean antagonist), the interaction of pro and antagonist (as they put it, main vs. impact.) The wizard asks you to create scenes based on the throughline.A character matrix-- you get 16 attributes to assign to your character and they are:1.consider2. logic3. pursuit4. control5. reconsider7.uncontrolled8. avoidance9. faith10. conscience11.support12. help13. temptation14. disbelief15. hinder16. opposeToo many, not enough? Well, the pro version of the software reportedly has 256 of these matrix cells. Frankly, I think 16 is plenty, because I believe that the unconscious controls a lot of the character creation process; for example, I wrote a small piece with one theme and one main character. He was, when I finished, a pastiche of several people including myself, where I had simply taken the necessary attributes from life and combined them logically in a whole. I did not need to agonize over a matrix of cells. But...were I to motivate this main character through a plot-theme, I would need to track these characteristics that I imbued him with. Hence, the need for a database tracking software such as Writer's Dreamkit.Unless you are writing a highly complex work, such as a screenplay or novel of mammoth proportions and need to track the consistency of many character attributes, my opinion is that this is sufficient to at least get started and organize good character development. And this is a small investment to make to see if your writing style is amenable to adding a software tool because, for some people, such a logical device could possibly hinder the creative process, not enhance it.Conclusion: The Writer's Dreamkit (tm) V. 4.0 is a good basic tool. It is not comprehensive, but has enough features and is inexpensive enough to test whether or not you would use such a technical tool to assist your writing.

At first I was skeptical about this product since some of the reviews I read were very negative. Several people seemed furious about what they thought they had purchased. As for myself, I was looking for a program that would help me outline and structure my story. Well, I got that and much more with this DreamKit. The "much more" is a plus, but only after you get used to it since there are many terms to learn. I must admit that my first reaction was not a good one. There's so much to learn and absorb if you're a beginning writer or if you have limited knowledge with the terminology, that it's a real daunting proposition at first.After a hard day's work, I wound up with 32 Scenes, many with full descriptions which you can shuffle however you like. This program is very flexible and intuitive once you get the hang of it. I'm still learning many things about it, but my main interest was getting help with the outline, and it delivered. The HELP Section is great and the Dramatica Terms Dictionary is very helpful as well.The bottom line: this program takes a little time to warm-up to but once you do, it's very useful and even fun to use. Beginners will find the almost scientific approach to writing somewhat intimidating, but it's all designed to make the artistic side of writing much more effortless. I suggest that all the disgruntled users take a deep breath and give it another shot. You'll be glad you did.- A. Rios Jr.

I am sort of a newbie writer in the sense that I have written short stories for my own personal enjoyment as a child and teenager but have not until now (in my 30's) sought to publish anything. I haven't written in at 7 years and I have wanted to start writing again and to eventually get my work published. As I suffer from serious writer's block, I looked for a software that could help.I have made two important discoveries:1- Celtx - free software - is phenomenal. It is like a word processor. You open it and you start writing, which is what a writer should do. Just write everyday without cumbersome technical limitations.2- Writer's Dream Kit - $50 - Is simply awful. You aren't writing at all in this software when you begin. You answer a million questions first, none of which gave me better insight into my story or characters. I only got it because of some positive reviews here, but I should have taken the bad reviews into consideration. If you are a newbie writer like me. This software will not help. After I got it, I just stopped writing for weeks, so exhausted was I from all the deep thinking this software required.If you want to write, think of a topic of interest. Once you know what you want to write about, MEDITATE on your story, the plot, the characters, the motivation for each character, your own motivation for writing on this topic, etc.. Just meditate with a pen your hand. In my case, it was a pencil. When I opened CELTX, it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to use it for novel and scriptwriting. 2 months later, I have a full rough draft of my script and my novel.If anyone wants my Writer's Dream Kit, please contact me. I'll hand it over for free. It plagued me with question to the point where I lost interest in getting my story out.Writers, believe me, just write. As you write, the story takes shape in your mind. Only when you are done writing the full thing should you pause to edit/rewrite/ponder.Good luck to everyone!Jucelle

Let's debunk a myth that seems to have circulated about Dramatica - this isn't a program that writes your story for you, but one that helps you organise your thoughts about the story you want to tell.The problem many writers have when beginning a project is that they approach the story from an emotional perspective - focusing on the dialogue, characters and events they feel will reach their audience. We're all guilty of it, even if we don't admit to it.Dramatica takes a dispassionate view of story, enabling the writer to create and build a firm structure onto which the flesh of storytelling can be added. Using the Story Guide facility, the writer is asked questions of their story which must be answered before progressing to the next section. This is particularly handy for those writers who forget (or even prefer to avoid) answering the questions that prove essential to good storytelling.A major criticism of the software and Dramatica paradigm is that it comes with a steep learning curve and it is a criticism that has been acknowledged by its creators. Many of the terms used will be unfamiliar to students of other storytelling paradigms and if given a cursory glance, be off-putting. The best advice I can offer is to stay with it; study brings with it a new reward and understanding of story which will feel different to that usually experienced by writers, but one that works with precision nonetheless.The program comes with a comprehensive package of helpful goodies such as wallcharts, online and printable theory books and even a rather engaging comic book that explores this 'new theory of story' in an entertaining manner.The Writer's Dreamkit is a pared down version of the more heavyweight Dramatica Pro, but certainly has all the essential elements present within DP. Writer's Dreamkit represents excellent value for money and with perseverance acts as a useful workbench for the writer looking for a reliable environment in which to shape their story.