Basic Glossary

The first step in understanding a new way of appreciating story structure is to understand the new language that defines it. We have created this "glossary" of sorts to help you navigate through the many new terms and concepts that do not map to what you may already know about story.

Appreciations: Appreciations are how an Author appreciates the meaning of a story.

Perspectives: Perspectives are a means of defining the inequity of a story. Since an inequity cannot be addressed or defined directly, the storytellers best approach is to speak around the inequity from these four different perspectives.

Dynamics: The Dynamics of a story differ from the Structural aspects in that they describe the relationships between story structural items. They also define the forces applied to the model of the Storymind at the time of Justification.

Justification: a process of thought that hides an inequity away from further consideration.

Problem-solving: a process of thought that seeks to directly resolve an inequity.

Dramatic Argument: the argument, or message, of a narrative.

Motivations: The 64 Elements of Motivation approximate the inequity of a story at its most definite level. They also provide an Author the opportunity to illustrate the relative appropriateness and inappropriateness of different Motivations within the context of resolving a story’s central inequity.

Inequity: a recognition of separateness, or imbalance, within the mind. Once made aware, the mind must address an inequity through either Problem-solving or Justification. An inequity cannot be directly defined.

Pivotal Elements: the two specific Motivations of the mind that sit at the crossroads between Character and Plot. These two key Elements form the basis for a story’s Dramatic Argument.

Method: a Method is defined as a specific approach for addressing a particular area of the Storymind model. Methods describe the ways in which various story elements and throughlines engage with the sources of conflict in a narrative. For example, an Objective Story Throughline can address the source of conflict through different Methods, such as Physics or Psychology (Mind). Methods provide a structural framework for understanding the underlying dynamics of a story and offer guidance on how these dynamics can be explored and developed throughout the narrative.

Illustration: within the context of Subtxt, Illustrations refer to the specific storytelling or creative expressions used by a writer to convey the Storyforming Methods in their narrative. Illustrations bring the story's conflict, themes, and dynamics to life by showcasing the author's unique voice and creativity. They provide a more visual and emotional representation of the story, which can lead to richer and more immersive storytelling experiences for the audience.

To access the all the terminology used in the platform, you can navigate to the "Storypoints" section in the left sidebar of the Dashboard (https://subtxt.app/dashboard). If you need to search for a specific term, you can also use the search bar at the top of the page.