The Search for Theme: A Guide for Fiction Writers
Theme may be the biggest misunderstood concept within writing. Yet, without it, a story is missing one of its core fundamental pillars. So, what is a theme? Let’s find out in this blog post. Get clarity on how to find your book’s theme and how to weave it into your narrative. This is The Search for Theme: A Guide for Writers.
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Topics of Discussion:
What is a theme?
How to write a theme in fiction
How to know if you have a story-worthy theme
The pillars you use to show your theme without being preachy
New: Unlock your story’s theme
Book coaching
FAQ’s
Writing a book is hard. Trying to write a “good book” is even harder. But what makes a book good? Is it a cool, nuanced character? Maybe it’s a unique plot? Is it the prose itself? I’d argue a “good book”—at its core—explores a theme.
However, books need multiple variables working together to make them good. Theme cannot sustain an engaging narrative on its own without character or plot. A compelling character cannot without a theme either, nor can plot, etc. They function as different systems all working together to make a book whole. And a story is good when it’s whole; even if some people didn’t like your book, a reader will still notice its wholeness. And you need a theme to make a story whole.
This is when we move into subjective territory.
As I’ve mentioned before, art is subjective but good writing is not. So, even if a writer crafts the most well-written story, or a book that has the trio (theme, character, plot) all working together, some readers will still not like the book. They may recognize your lyrical prose, or unique character voice, but still—the story simply isn’t for them. But that doesn’t mean the story itself isn’t “good”, it’s just that everyone has different opinions because of their biases and worldview.
Why is this?
Writing a book with a theme means a writer is exploring a belief. People have different beliefs. Therefore, art will always be subjective. And this is why it feels like modern storytelling has defaulted into entertainment (or propaganda) over depth. Writers don’t want to share a belief for fear of being “cancelled” or “disliked”. Or, some writers simply don’t actually know how to write a theme.
But if writers from previous generations didn’t write what they believed in, we wouldn’t have masterpieces such as: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (a story about vanity), Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (a story about loyalty), or 1984 by George Orwell (a story about government oppression).
And if you’re a writer who sits at their computer—staring at a blank page—confused over how to write a theme, keep reading. This blog post will help any fiction writer get clarity and confidence in writing their book’s theme because I’m showing you my process for writing a story with a theme.
What is a theme?
A story’s theme is a belief. It’s the reason you’re writing it in the first place; it’s an emotional truth about the human condition that you are compelled to share. What is something you believe in and want to share a perspective on?
What a theme is not.
Theme is not propaganda. If you write propaganda and call it theme, your reader is going to close the book, and probably never pick up another book you write. Readers will disconnect from your story because you’re shoveling down a one-sided social, cultural, economical, political, or other viewpoint. Go back to the drawing board.
How to write a theme in fiction
A narrative, or any piece of art explores a theme, and they typically start out as a topic. But, they never end there because a book’s theme is shown through the journey. It’s the exploration of a thematic statement or question that started as a topic.
Five general thematic topics:
Grief
Love
Parenthood
Nature
War
A topic is the starting seedling to search for your book’s core theme, but it must grow into a tree. You’ll need to dig deeper by developing your topic into a concept to find your book’s theme. So how do you do that? Let’s explore how to search for your book’s theme.
How to know if you have a story-worthy theme
Over the years, I’ve read a ton of story advice books and articles, read hundreds of novels, written multiple stories, and through all of that… practice helped me understand how to write it the most effectively. I’ve uncovered how to write a clear theme and this is my process.
Typically, I already have a story idea in mind, so if you don’t have that yet—check out this blog post first. Then come back here. Technically, you could just keep reading, but again, this is how it works best for me.
This process is effective for me and my writing. And I hope it helps you with yours. My approach for writing a theme changed how I write books entirely; I’m no longer stuck on a blank page. Instead, I have clarity on how to get myself unstuck because I know my story’s theme.
Most advice on writing a theme is vague. And always left me lost when it came to actually writing my book(s).
Before I understood how to write a book with a theme, I struggled to know what my books were actually about, which is why they were not very good. And why I never finished writing them. A book’s theme is its foundation, and without it, everything else will crumble.
A theme is hardest to explore when you’re using the one-word topic such as: power, love, grief. But it’s exactly where you start after you have story idea in mind.
Once you have your topic, I implore you to explore what it is about said topic that you feel you have something to say.
As the great F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.”
For example, instead of saying, “I’m writing a story about power.”
Dive deeper. Try this instead: “I’m writing a story about how the corrosion of attaining power taints one’s internal soul and relationships.”
Which one could you actually write about? The second one, right? That’s theme. Now it’s time to put your theme into motion.
The pillars you use to show your theme without being preachy
Often, people give theme a negative connotation because readers don’t want to feel preached at. But that’s not what theme will feel like when it’s done right (that’s more like propaganda, as I mentioned). Theme is the moral of your story. And even though theme is a belief, it doesn’t mean you’re brow-beating your reader just by having it in your book. In fact, your reader wants the journey—the transformation—they crave it. They need it because theme is an exploration of an aspect of the human condition, which we all experience.
So, here’s how you ensure your theme is woven into your book well:
You will incorporate your book’s theme through multiple aspects of your book. Don’t just throw in a line encompassing your theme through narration like a thesis statement in an essay. You’re going to show your theme through literary devices: character voice, conflict, motif, metaphor, setting, etc.
First and foremost, your theme should be shaping your protagonist and plot. The theme is explored through them, and will be “learned” by the end of the book because of them. And when the trio work together, that’s when a story is good as I mentioned previously.
For example, if you were writing a book using our theme example above, your plot and protagonist will revolve around exploring that thematic statement. (The corrosion of attaining power taints one’s internal soul and relationships.) Your theme is showing us how your character learns this truth by the end of the story. This is why a book’s theme is the heartbeat: it sends blood to other storytelling elements so they all function as a whole.
Back to our theme example:
Your protagonist should believe the opposite of the theme initially. Here’s how: maybe your protagonist is ego-centric and believes power will solve all of his or her problems. But through the plot and many obstacles connecting to that belief, the character will learn that this is false. Your protagonist could learn this through the loss of allies, a job, a romance, or a family member. It can be whatever you choose; that’s the fun part.
Ask yourself: How do you get your character to believe in the theme through the plot?
Now the theme, character, and plot are all work together! That’s what we’re striving for as storytellers.
How else can you show your theme? Implant characters who challenge the theme in different ways. A compelling story shows differences in opinion. Show us how one character (maybe even a villain) believes power is the end-all-be-all. It’s their core fundamental belief. Yet, that’s the very thing that’s left them lonely and maybe even destitute. If this is a route you take, the protagonist will question if that’s really what they want for their life.
A great example of this type of story is from the 2006 film, “A Good Year”.
You could also show us how another side-character believes power corrodes a soul when they meet the protagonist, and through conflict, they show or tell the main character how that impacted their life. Maybe they experienced loss early in life because they or someone they loved strove for power and got it, but it broke their family or lives. Impart that wisdom into your book. It will help your protagonist learn the theme. And it makes your side-character relevant to the storyline.
The key is to show your reader how the theme impacts your protagonist because their growth is why we care about reading the book.
Recap
Throughout this article, I’ve shared a handful of ways you can imbue a theme into your book.
But for further clarification, here are the first steps:
Start with a topic.
Develop that topic into a concept: can be either a question or statement.
How can your protagonist embody this theme?
How does your plot embody this theme?
These four steps are the perfect place to jumpstart finding your book’s main theme. And don’t be shocked if you begin building multiple themes into your novel as the story unfolds. Your initial brainstorming ideas will sharpen throughout your writing journey. Trust the process. But if you ever feel lost when writing, return to your main theme: it’s your lighthouse.
Conclusion: The search for a book’s theme doesn’t have to be daunting. In fact, it’s exciting to explore. But we have to dig deep, and that means being vulnerable about what we believe. Writing a book with themes allows us to search our souls and beliefs—to share what we’ve learned (often through pain, mistakes, and lessons within our own lives) to our readers. And that’s ultimately why they read books: to feel less alone in their pain. And that’s why you write: to feel less alone in your pain.
Unlock Your Book’s Theme
If you want further assistance, I’m putting together a new digital product on writing a book’s theme.
Unlock your book’s theme: you can join the waitlist. ↓
Book Coaching: If you want even deeper 1:1 guidance to find your book’s theme, schedule your free consultation call with me! I love discussing stories and diving into the heartbeat of books.
Book your free consultation call on my calendar! ↓
FAQ’s
What is a theme?
A story’s theme is a belief about the human condition shown through character development, plot, motif’s, and other literary devices.
How to write a theme without being preachy
A theme won’t feel preachy to a reader if it unfolds naturally through various literary devices, instead of just outright stating it. Also, the books that feel preachy are often propaganda. Theme and propaganda are not the same.
how do I know if I have a good theme for my story?
Trust your instincts. Seriously. Your book’s theme is a belief you’re passionate about. It’s like a fire burning inside of you that you feel compelled to share with the world. If you’re still unsure: break it down to a one-sentence statement or question, then break it down even further to a one-word topic. What would that be? The best way to explore your theme is to turn it inside out, dissect it, and truly get to know your story. So start asking yourself questions: how does it weave into the protagonist’s life? What about the plot?
