 Hello Hello Writers, I'm Christine Kiefer, author of fantasy fiction and creative writing resources and you are listening to the Well-Storied Podcast, where I share insights, encouragement and actionable advice designed to help you craft sensational novels and build your best writing life, always in 30 minutes or less, so you can get back to writing of course. Ready for the show? Let's get talking. Hello Writers, and welcome back to the Well-Storied Podcast. I'm your host, Christine Kiefer, and today is Friday, August 14th, 2020. Today's episode is titled How to Develop Your Story's Themes, and if you would like to read along as you listen in, you can find the corresponding blog post at well-storied.com slash themes. Now let's dive in. Themes are an integral part of any good story. But many genre fiction writers fail to consider their stories themes, believing they have no place beyond literary novels or, worse yet, that authors who actively explore themes in their stories do so to preach to readers. These harmful misconceptions hinder writers' efforts to produce effective and engaging stories. Themes are present in all forms of fiction. More importantly, when handled with care, themes lend purpose and meaning to the stories we tell. To fail to develop our story's themes with intention is to risk undermining their ability to engage and compel readers. But what are themes exactly? A theme is a central topic that a story explores. Note that I said topic rather than message. But many consider to be a story's message is more accurately known as a thematic statement, an opinion or moral concerning one of the story's themes that readers can derive from subtext. For example, if a character overcomes great hardship to reunite with their lost love, then the story's thematic statement could be described as love conquers all, with love and hardship serving as two of the story's main themes. Other common themes include hatred, hope, greed, good versus evil, the coming of age experience, and the circle of life. Examples, The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, themes, good versus evil, courage, thematic statement. With courage, even the smallest among us can play a powerful role in defeating darkness. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, themes, love, class, thematic statement, class divisions breed prejudices that can blind us to happy possibilities. On occasion, I've seen themes called topics and thematic statements called themes, but you choose to call these two related story elements isn't important. What matters is that you develop these elements with care and intention, because they may just make or break your story's success. Do themes really play a role in genre fiction? Consider Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first movie in the Indiana Jones franchise. If you're only familiar with themes as concerns their relationship with literary novels, then you might not think to find any in this action-adventure classic. But if we define themes as the central topics a story explores, then Raiders of the Lost Ark discusses themes such as good versus evil and the ethics of archeological work. Sounds pretty heavy for an action-adventure movie, right? But the film follows Indiana Jones as he strives to recover the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis, who believe the Ark will make their armies invincible. One of the film's thematic statements could therefore be, ancient relics should be respected rather than used for political gain. Perhaps this message seems a bit silly in light of the film's entertaining nature, but consider Raiders of the Lost Ark without this thematic statement. Would viewers have been near so enthralled by the story of a man who searches for a relic for purely selfish purposes? Unlikely. Viewers root for indie success because they recognize that his efforts could make a vital difference in the war against fascism. This motivation is what lends Raiders of the Lost Ark its meaning, and thus its edge of your seat entertainment. To put it simply, without themes and thematic statements, our stories are meaningless. Thankfully, developing these essential story elements doesn't have to be a difficult process. How to define your story's themes? Your story's genre and age market will likely define at least one of its major themes. For example, romance novelists write about love. Young adult novelists write about the coming-of-age experience. But other themes are more story-specific. If your romance features an interracial couple, then your story might explore the topic of racism. Or if the protagonist of your YA novel is a Harvard hopeful, then your story might discuss the pressures of academia. In this way, your story's themes can develop naturally. However, you can also choose to write a novel with a specific set of themes in mind. For example, I knew I wanted to explore the intersection between ambition, power, and the corrupting nature of greed when I began to develop my current work-in-progress, Lady Legacy. Your story may discuss a large number of topics. However, I recommend identifying the two-to-five most important themes your story will explore. Defining these topics will help you hone one of the most important facets of your story. It's thematic statements. How to develop your story's thematic statements Some thematic statements concern plot or world-building. For example, in The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins explores the concept of spectacle, theme, and how authoritarian governments often use spectacle to distract from the suffering and oppression they inflict. Thematic statement. However, a story's most important thematic statement is often that which lives at the heart of its character's experiences. Readers didn't tear through The Hunger Games for its discussion of spectacle. Rather, they were enthralled by Katniss Everdeen's fight to not only survive the games, but to maintain her dignity in the face of an authoritarian government that pressured her to become a cold-blooded killer for its own entertainment. Stable stories are interesting, but the fight to maintain one's humanity in the face of state-sponsored trauma and oppression, now that's an engaging story. When developing your story's most important thematic statements, consider character arcs. Who are your characters when their stories begin? What internal conflicts will they experience? Who will they be when their stories come to a close? And most importantly, what messages can readers derive from your character's experiences? For more information on character arcs, make sure to check out the episodes on positive, negative, and static character arcs here on the podcast or the corresponding articles on the WellStory blog. Once you've identified these thematic statements, use them to hone your story as you write and revise. If a scene doesn't support the thematic statements you've defined, then it may not serve a purpose within the larger context of your story. Try to avoid beating readers over the head with your intended point. If you've refined your story's plot and character arcs to support the thematic statements you'd like to make, then readers will get the message. Shouting it at them will only make your point feel forced and your story contrived. If you're unsure whether you've developed an effective thematic statement, then consider what a good thematic statement is not. 1. A good thematic statement is not a theme. It's an opinion or moral that concerns a theme. Not a thematic statement? Love. Thematic statement? Love conquers all. 2. A good thematic statement is not a definition. It does more than simply explain the meaning of a theme. Not a thematic statement? Love is the affection we feel for others. Thematic statement? Love can blind us to the flaws in our relationships. 3. A good thematic statement is not story specific. Rather, it conveys a more universal message. Not a thematic statement? Romeo and Juliet's love is destructive. Star-crossed love can both heal and destroy. If you can clearly define what you'd like your story to say, then you hold the key to developing a meaningful story that will keep readers on the edges of their seats. So tell me, writer, what themes will your story explore? Thank you for listening to today's episode of The Podcast Writer. I hope you found it helpful to your writing journey. If so, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new episode, and to give the podcast a quick rating or review. Doing so goes a long way toward helping the podcast reach new writers and lets me know that you're enjoying what I'm creating. You can also give me a shout out directly on Instagram at christen underscore keeper. For additional guidance as you work to craft sensational novels and build your best writing life, be sure to head on over to www.well-storied.com, where I share blog posts, workbooks, e-courses, and other helpful resources for writers. Again, that's W-E-L-L-S-T-O-R-I-E-D dot com. Thank you again for tuning into today's episode, my friend. Until next time, happy writing!