How to Develop a Story Theme
What makes a good theme?, See if your idea is relatable to your target audience., See if your idea is relatable OUTSIDE of your target audience., Set the theme in motion, but just in your head., Change around your ideas., Have fun!
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: What makes a good theme?
Take the time to do some self-reflecting.
What are your fundamental beliefs, and why? What parts of life greatly interest you and why? Try to find patterns in your thinking.
If a similar idea pops up multiple times, you have an interest in it (sometimes the idea is not what we want to hear, but inner conflict is an excellent writing tool). -
Step 2: See if your idea is relatable to your target audience.
This is absolutely necessary, unless your goal is to avoid any and all readers.
Parenthood is an excellent theme to work with, but it's not so great when you're writing for kids too young to care. , This is less strict, but the more people able to identify with your work means the better of a theme you will have. , Does the theme match up with your story at all? If so, great! You're on the right track.
If not, don't be afraid to edit.
The theme should be solid, consistent, and works like the Sun.
Everything should orbit around theme; characters, setting, plot, action, I mean EVERYTHING.
Don't confuse orbit with gravitation, though.
You want to continuously circle around the theme, not explicitly addressing it until around the climax.
If you goof up and do so anyway, then your writing will seem amateurish and your opinion will seem heavy-handed.
Subtlety is king in the writing world. , No matter how attached you may be to your completely original, witty, amazing character or your lovely description of Death Valley, If it doesn't match up with the theme, it's out.
Your theme is the most important part of your work, and everything else comes second.
Don't be afraid to perform giant overhauls and corrections.
That's part of the masochistic beauty that is writing. , Writing is about pure, uncensored expression.
Well, except for the part where you completely rewrite everything you said for one reason or another.
But there's fun in that, too.
Storytelling is fun because it evolves with you.
You are witnessing yourself improve with every spelling correction, every rewrite, and even those times where you have to throw away giant chunks of work.
The feeling afterwards is oddly refreshing, like shedding off that well-worn and loved skin for one much shinier. -
Step 3: See if your idea is relatable OUTSIDE of your target audience.
-
Step 4: Set the theme in motion
-
Step 5: but just in your head.
-
Step 6: Change around your ideas.
-
Step 7: Have fun!
Detailed Guide
Take the time to do some self-reflecting.
What are your fundamental beliefs, and why? What parts of life greatly interest you and why? Try to find patterns in your thinking.
If a similar idea pops up multiple times, you have an interest in it (sometimes the idea is not what we want to hear, but inner conflict is an excellent writing tool).
This is absolutely necessary, unless your goal is to avoid any and all readers.
Parenthood is an excellent theme to work with, but it's not so great when you're writing for kids too young to care. , This is less strict, but the more people able to identify with your work means the better of a theme you will have. , Does the theme match up with your story at all? If so, great! You're on the right track.
If not, don't be afraid to edit.
The theme should be solid, consistent, and works like the Sun.
Everything should orbit around theme; characters, setting, plot, action, I mean EVERYTHING.
Don't confuse orbit with gravitation, though.
You want to continuously circle around the theme, not explicitly addressing it until around the climax.
If you goof up and do so anyway, then your writing will seem amateurish and your opinion will seem heavy-handed.
Subtlety is king in the writing world. , No matter how attached you may be to your completely original, witty, amazing character or your lovely description of Death Valley, If it doesn't match up with the theme, it's out.
Your theme is the most important part of your work, and everything else comes second.
Don't be afraid to perform giant overhauls and corrections.
That's part of the masochistic beauty that is writing. , Writing is about pure, uncensored expression.
Well, except for the part where you completely rewrite everything you said for one reason or another.
But there's fun in that, too.
Storytelling is fun because it evolves with you.
You are witnessing yourself improve with every spelling correction, every rewrite, and even those times where you have to throw away giant chunks of work.
The feeling afterwards is oddly refreshing, like shedding off that well-worn and loved skin for one much shinier.
About the Author
Patrick Lewis
Committed to making hobbies accessible and understandable for everyone.
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