This illustration shows an example of how the Arc Angel has colored the text from the opening paragraphs of a sample novel submission.
Primary colors of red for discomfort, green for wisdom and blue for motivation are presented in various shades for each word based on the emotional values found. Word by word, the Arc Angel sums positive and negative emotions in the three emotional dimensions. In the middle of the illustration the Arc Angel sums emotions for each of the two sample blocks of text.
The first block has a net of negative 40 for comfort, whereas the second block has a net positive 24.6, so comfort has resolved in the second block; the Arc Angel knows the second block is more comforting than the first. The Arc Angel uses this class of knowledge to track the story arc of all the characters associated with a block of text.
On the right side of the illustration are a row of columns, one for each major character or combination of characters: Henry, Eddie, Eddie and Henry, etc. Since Henry is both in the first block of text and the second block of text, the Arc Angel tracks Henry's increasing comfort (decreasing tension) and shows this as the red line arcing slightly to the left.Similarly the Arc Angel tracks Henry's increasing wisdom from negative 32 to positive 16.9, as a green line shifting almost as much to the left as the red line.
The Arc Angel graphs dramatic tension created by negative shifts toward the right, and as positive shifts to the left. Using blue to graph Henry's motivation arc, the Arc Angel shows tension, usually associated with frustration or confusion, as a shift of the blue line to the right (negative).
Across each story the Arc Angel tracks the maximum range of tension and resolution in the three motional dimensions, to see what percentage of tension is resolved for each character at the end of the story.Stories which create, and then resolve the most dramatic tension are given higher drama ratings by the Arc Angel. Similarly, but focused within each block of text, the Arc Angel measures rhetorical tension and resolution to show which blocks are more exciting for the reader or where the plot falls flat.
The Arc Angel then combines the average rhetorical intensity of the story in conjunction with the drama rating, and other metrics, to give an overall story satisfaction rating, which Zirdland uses to rank stories submitted to its contests and to determine which member submissions are ready for presentation to publishers, producers and agents through Zirdland's eQuery service.
In addition to the linear story graphing as illustrated above, the Arc Angel also provides various display modes on the Zirdland Dashboard (overlaying character arc graphs, genre classifier, and a plotline vectorscope which lets you magnify any point in an arc and see the component emotions driving it). You'll also be able to edit blocks of text and see the dashboard indicators change. These and some amazing editing tools will soon be available on the Zirdland Writer's Desktop.
Sign-up for a FREE membership today or write us with any questions you may have: info@zirdland.com
The Arc Angel is a patented program licensed from Sauriel, LLC
