Tips On Writing a Great Novel Theme
How to Create an Effective Theme that Fits Story Characters
© Joe Lam
Theme is described as "An implicit or recurrent idea; a motif." It's one of the most important elements of a story and many times the main reason why someone begins writing a story. The writer possessed a desire to convey a message, insight, or a new way of looking at life. A reader can go through an entire book of colorful characters and exciting plot twist, but if it lacks a theme or message then the reader may think, what was the point of that story?
Every well-written story carries a theme, a message that was conveyed through the characters and circumstances. Take a look at some well know stories and their themes from the list below to help you get started on thinking about this important story element.
Famous Themes:
- The Wizard of Oz - There's no place like home.
- Love Story - Love means never having to say you're sorry.
- 1984 - Those in power can rewrite history.
- The Call of the Wild - Survival of the fittest.
- Lord of the Flies - Men will revert back to their savage roots if left to fend for themselves.
- Starship Troopers - Social responsibility requires individual sacrifice.
Writing Exercise - Create a Theme:
Study some of your favorite stories and derive a 1-sentence theme from them. It will help you to start thinking and constructing what makes an effective theme. Then, look at the story you're planning to write and apply a similar method to create your own theme to help guide you in the writing process.
How to Apply the Theme to a Character:
With your theme in place, you can use it as a springboard to guide the actions of the characters and the circumstances & settings they will inhabit. Every decision the main character takes should reflect the theme of the story, whether upholding it, or going against it. The best way to engage a reader is by making them wonder how far the character would stray from their core values, which can be shared with the theme. Having the main character constantly re-evaluate their values due to the conflicts in the story will reveal the theme and provide for a satisfying story.
Theme and Character Example #1:
Let's say your theme is, "No woman can ever love unconditionally." If a woman states at the beginning of a story that she will love her husband no matter what, is there a breaking point for her? How far would the husband have to go to shatter her value system to the point where she will renounce her love for him?
Theme and Character Example #2:
Let's say your theme is, "Breaking the law is necessary to achieve justice." From there you might craft a story that involves a straight-laced attorney who always goes by the letter of the law when prosecuting criminals. The attorney's methods have always worked until he's up against a case with a criminal mastermind who controls the city and it's judges. The attorney's old methods of playing it straight will no longer work and he/she must adapt to break every rule that stands in the way of attaining justice, which becomes more important than the steps leading up to it.
