Cipher

A non-exhaustive dictionary of abbreviations used in my notes.

FICTION

• ABL: Ability (1 of 4 character aspects ALSI) More here and here
• ALSI: The 4 character aspects: Ability, Loyalties, Status, Identity
• ANTG: Antagonist
• ARC: The emotional arc of a character (related: GST, LTP, DREAM)
• BWO: B-World aka Belly of the Whale, triggered by Catalyst
• CDA: Central Dramatic Argument. See my notes on Scriptnotes Ep. 403 here and here
• CLMB: CLIMB: Overreaction to Loss of Agency (1 of 6 Trauma Anchors) More here and here
• CMX: Climax
• DNM: Denoument, or Ending
• DSR: Disruption or Inciting Incident
• DYNA: Dynamic Character (the one the main/PROT plays off of)
• EGP: Emotional Gut Punch
• FAMG: FAMIGLIA: Overreaction to Loss of Connection (1 of 6 Trauma Anchors) More here and here
• GST: Ghost, or back story where trauma anchor haunts them
• IDT: Identity (1 of 4 character aspects ALSI) More here and here
• KPT: Key Personality Traits - what PROT is uniquely good at
• LOW: Low Point aka Dark Night of the Soul, usually penultimate scene (before CMX)
• LOY: Loyalties (1 of 4 character aspects ALSI) More here and here
• LNWF: LONE-WOLF: Self-Deprivation to Loss of Connection (1 of 6 Trauma Anchors) More here and here
• LTP: Lie/Truth Pair - the value/belief they have due to GST
• MECH: Mechanism (the core premise of a story, the “rules” of the magic/tech/culture)
• MICE: The four elements of story: Milieu, Inquiry, Character, and Event. (See OSC’s Notes & Story Tags)
• MID: Midpoint aka The Mirror Moment
• OUTR: OUTSIDER: Self-Deprivation to Loss of Agency (1 of 6 Trauma Anchors) More here and here
• POV: Point of View
• PROG: Progress - actions/scenes that drive story forward based on plot thread and/or story tags
  • QST (Quest): PROGs where POV “goes somewhere” to “do something”.
  • INQ (Inquiry): PROGS where POV has to “solve something and/or someone” or “see if it works”
  • NTW (Network): PROGS where POV is dealing with “power/social dynamics”
• PROT: Protagonist
• PRSN: PRISON: Overreaction to Loss of Home (1 of 6 Trauma Anchors) More here and here
• RTLS: ROOTLESS: Self-Deprivation to Loss of Home (1 of 6 Trauma Anchors) More here and here
• STS: Stasis - or Ordinary World
• STT: Status (1 of 4 character aspects ALSI) More here and here
• SIWC: Surrey International Writers’ Conference, an annual writers’ conference
• THB: Thumbnail
• TTB: Ticking Time Bomb

STORY STRUCTURE

0. GST: Ghost + *LPT that defines…
1. STS: Stasis - or Ordinary World
2. DSR: Disruption or Inciting Incident
3. BWO: B-World aka Belly of the Whale, triggered by Catalyst
4. MID: Midpoint aka The Mirror Moment
5. LOW: Low Point aka Dark Night of the Soul, usually penultimate scene (before CMX)
6. CMX: Climax
7. DNM: Denoument, or Ending

STORY TAGS

The original thought processa and brainstorming for this taxonomy is here.

ARC TAGS

Notes on character arcs here and here

• PSTV: The Positive Arc
• FLAT: The Flat Arc
• DLSM: The Disillusionment Arc
• CRPT/REBL: The Corrupt/Rebel Arc
• FALL: The Fall Arc

LTP TAGS

These are Lie-Truth Pairs (LTP) that are created out of ghosts (GST) and crystallized in statsis (STS). LTPs are created by an intersection(s) of character aspects and trauma anchors. All intersections discussed here

CHARACTER ASPECTS:

• ABL: Abilities
• LOY: Loyalties
• STT: Status
• IDT: Identity

TRAUMA ANCHOR REACTIONS:

• RTLS: Rootless - self-deprivation due to loss of home
• PRSN: Prison - over-reaction due to loss of home
• LNWF: Lone-Wolf - self-deprivation due to loss of connection
• FAMG: Famiglia - over-reaction due to loss of connection
• OUTR: Outsider - self-deprivation due to loss of agency
• CLMB: Climb - over-reaction due to loss of agency

DSR TAGS

PROG TAGS