An article at the Times about software for writers. And a good response from J. Hull at Daily Dramatica.
I just wish these sorts of tools did not need to be defended so vigorously, but the Times writer sort of misses the point of why the tools are useful and also what it is they actually do. First they are useful for the same reason that notebooks, and post-it notes, and white boards, and bulletin boards, and sketch pads and every other tool you might use to brainstorm ideas are useful: they get your ideas out of your head and into the world. As any writer knows once you start the process, your ideas immediately begin to reshape themselves, connect and disconnect to and from other things in surprising ways. It is all part of the process. So if you can do that on your computer, why not?
Secondly, this sort of software does not guide you toward ever more reductive outcomes until you have some pre-fabricated "choose your own adventure story" at the end. If only! I'd have a lot more finished stories if it did. The real issue is that the software often gives you more story notes than you know what to do with, and opens up a whole nightmare of where your plotting is weak, your ideas incomplete, and your characters one-dimensional. It actually makes you work harder.
Two Dramatica-centric points:
First, I very rarely use the actual software (though I have it), and prefer to write things out in my notebooks the old fashioned way. I do however use the Dramatica theory books to help me sort things out and keep my thoughts structured and organized.
Second, when I do use the software I do not like the question tool, and usually go straight for the Story Engine so I can get a good look at how all the pieces are fitting together (or how they are failing to fit together).
