Great post from WITS!
Theme is an often misunderstood and underused aspect of a novel. Years of English classes have made us think that theme is something reserved for literary novels or stories with deep, meaningful messages, not for commercial fiction and good old fashioned stories.
Total bunk.
Theme is a highly useful part of any novel, be it a light-hearted romp or a nail-biting adventure. It’s an element that gives greater meaning to the story and turns background fluff into substance. Basically, it gives a story street cred.
That’s because theme can tie individual pieces of a story together so they work on multiple levels. Descriptive details resonate with a character’s mood, or a plot point becomes a mirror to a internal struggle. Theme makes everything in the story matter.
Unsure what your theme is? Ask yourself…
What larger concepts do you want to explore with your novel?
Odds are…
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