Theme

 

THEME is the story's message - the main idea or thought the writer wants to communicate to the readers. 

Themes often touch upon things like love, friendship, good vs evil, the right to live.

→ make the characters question the idea throughout the story. The MC should encounter people with different opinions on the matter, and his own stance is challenged

→ make the theme impactful. Either very simple or more complex, make the readers remember it

→ the theme should be aligned with the main character, make exploring it a part of their journey

→ plan beforehand how will the theme be foreshadowed and pointed out throughout the story; how will it grow, and how the MC's opinion on it change?

→ you can have more side themes in your story beside the main one

→ create some engaging dialogue, where the characters discuss the theme

→ use subtext. Subtext is the unspoken things we read between the lines or hint at

Together with the theme, we also have a thematic question. Let's see it on an example:

Thematic question: Is it fair to involve others in my own personal struggles that can put them at risk?

Theme: There's huge strength in togetherness.

The thematic question should be hinted at, but fully answered at the end of the story.

Examples from ALL OF THE LIES WE TOLD:

As each of the characters represent a toxic / not working way of dealing with problems, their themes become the opposites:

Nina - “I’ll break into pieces without someone to hold me” → “I alone am enough to make it through”

Xan - “If you tell a lie one thousand times it becomes the truth” → “I should be honest with myself and others”

Lucas - “The world will destroy you, there's no sense in playing fair” → “Despite the bad things happening, you shouldn't add to the pain and evil”

Derec - “I'll keep my eyes closed” → “I have to face what's going on”

Eric - “Put others first” → “I need to be my own number one”