Dramatica

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Four Throughlines ​

The Four Throughlines are the heart of every Dramatica Storyform. Subtxt gives each Throughline its own dedicated workspace inside Develop so you can examine the narrative from all four Perspectives: Overall Story, Main Character, Influence Character, and Relationship Story.

Why the Throughlines matter ​

  • Complete arguments – A strong Storyform addresses the story's central conflict from every angle. Working through each Throughline ensures no essential perspective is missing.
  • Emotional clarity – The gradients between personal, relational, and global stakes become obvious when you see how every choice cascades across the set.
  • Consistent storytelling – When it is time to Surface your work, you can weave scenes that reflect the same meanings you clarified in subtext.
  1. Review the structural core under the gradient arc. Domains, Concerns, Signposts, and Storypoints appear exactly as you selected them elsewhere in Develop.
  2. Explore guidance prompts tailored to that Perspective. Subtxt suggests questions and examples rooted in Jim Hull's teaching so you can articulate the conflict clearly.
  3. Capture storytelling hooks in the Surface fields. These notes inform the outlines and beat sheets you will shape in Storytelling.

IMPORTANT

If you adjust a Throughline here, Storyform Alignment keeps the other three in harmony. Expect prompts that help you resolve conflicts and maintain the integrity of the overall Storyform.

Storypoints and Domains ​

Each Throughline surfaces its Domain plus the connected Storypoints that are currently supported in Subtxt. You can see the Domain assignments for Overall Story, Main Character, Influence Character, and Relationship Story side by side, making it easy to confirm coverage. More Storypoints are rolling out, so check back as new fields unlock across the Four Throughlines view.

Working with Perspectives ​

Perspectives capture how each player sees the conflict, letting you articulate nuances inside a Throughline without losing sight of the overarching argument. Add a Perspective directly in the Four Throughlines workspace: open a Throughline, choose Add Perspective, and name the specific angle (e.g., a lens on duty vs. desire for the Overall Story). Use the prompts beneath to describe the conflict from that vantage point.

Perspective Filter ​

At the top of each Throughline you will find the Perspective Filter. Use it to focus the workspace on the views you want to develop:

  • Set one or more – Select individual Perspectives to narrow the page to those viewpoints while you refine them.
  • None – Clear all selections to return to the unfiltered Throughline.
  • All – Show every Perspective at once to compare language and ensure cohesion.
  • Unassigned – Reveal beats or Storypoints that do not yet have a Perspective so you can fill gaps quickly.

Filter states are remembered per Throughline, so you can keep a different focus for each Perspective without losing track of progress elsewhere.

Generate Four Throughlines with Narova ​

If you want Narova to propose a complete set of Throughlines, run the Generate Four Throughlines task from the Task Manager button beside Search. Narova will temporarily lock the Four Throughlines panels while it drafts the set, then unlock them for your review once the task completes. Expect a review-ready pass that aligns with your current Domains and Storypoints; keep what resonates, then iterate with your own notes.

Bringing the Throughlines together ​

After refining each Throughline, visit Overviews to see how they complement one another, then head into Storytelling to Surface the insights into audience-ready material. The clearer each Throughline is in Develop, the easier it is to deliver a cohesive narrative that feels inevitable to your readers.