How to Write THEME Into Your Story
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
- Theme: the backbone of every good story. Theme gives a story meaning not only to the characters, but to you - the reader. And as writers, we all want to write powerful truths into our stories... but how do we make a theme powerful and not preachy? That's what today's episode of WritersLife Wednesday is all about! I'm showing you my exact 5-step process for weaving powerful and thought-provoking theme into your stories.
Comment below and tell me: what is YOUR story's theme?
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My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.
Story isn’t about “what happens” - it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel - and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!
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My theme: Where you came from isn't as important as who you become.
That relates to one of my themes in a novel I'm writing - but it's important how you become what you desire to become. It might have a higher price than you know:
normdoer.weebly.com/
@@normandoering1619: I took a look. You didn't ask, but I hope this feedback is useful:
1. Interesting world and characters.
2. Many sentences should be broken up into 2 or 3. Look for the "ands."
3. Lots of telling rather than showing. (Abbie has a video on this)
4. POV jumps into different people's heads. (She also has one on POV)
5. I think you meant "fondling" rather than "foundling."
Thanks for your input, KutWrite.
Will re-read the chapter with your notes in mind. Not sure how I can show rather than tell something like "While Veluria is heir to the throne, because she is pure royal blood, it will be her future husband who will become the king, the real ruler. The Tyranuzians do not believe in female rulers." As for POV jumps the jump should only be from third person omniscient to third person limited (Tristan's view, his mother's view is all her dialog).
@@normandoering1619: Some suggestions of showing:
1. Through dialog... but use sparingly.
2. Be careful not to do too much exposition. It's best to reveal facts bit by bit & let the reader guess about some of it.
3. The POV jump I recall is inferring some third person's motive, I forget which one.
4. It's possible not all the facts you flow through the first page(s) are necessary at that time, e.g. the "heir to the throne" concept.
Please don't take my thoughts too hard. It's my reaction. Maybe others would disagree. If you look at more of Abbie's videos, and some of KM Weiland, too, there are some good ones on POV and exposition.
I did get a kick out of Veluria's "deformity." Maybe she could marry that character in Monty Python... "Bigus Dickus!" :D I love irony.
One more thought. If you can find a writers' group in your town, maybe they have critique groups. They'll give you a range of reactions to your pages. I've found my group valuable.
that’s kind of what mine is too!
It all make sense when you start from the theme. But sometimes you already have characters and a story beforehand so you may struggle triying to understand whats the theme. Then I recommend to ask "what did your protagonist learned from this" you will find your theme there. Its crazy 'cos you may find really profund and personal themes this way.
thank you for this! This video would have been a waste if I hadn't stumbled across your comment. I am so grateful!!
Oh my God you saved me. I was seriously struggling with figuring out my theme because I had everything in plan except for my theme. I seriously didn't understand why it was blurry for me. I saw your comment, asked the question after over looking my notes, and laughed at myself because I felt like an idiot that the whole answer was right in front of me.
@@sadhairlineboiking4587 it was the SAME for me omg. Literally my savior!
When your MC dies so this wont work lol
You literally just saved my story. Thank you so much! This has been bothering me for months.
Abbie: You'll need a notebook
Me: Pfft! I don't need a notebook, I have a good memory.
Abbie: Point number 1:-
Me: Where's the notebook
I said the exact same thing. I too was racing for my notebook.
@@crlake I use Google Keep as my online notebook.
I love technology. Abbie says something in a video that sounds like it applies to me....PAUSE! Go to wherever you keep notes; I use MS Word and Scrivener. Do what Abbie suggests...maybe it's write what protagonist believes is a lie or something like that. May take a few minutes or more. Save and back to video. Gotta love technology. Notebook? I don't need no stinki' notebook...I got the pause button! Rock on Abbie. Love your videos.
THIS ACTUALLY IS SO UNDERRATED 😂❤️
Can't be more on point
My story's theme: "You don't have to be perfect to be worthy of love."
i really like this. how's it going?
Ah, you mean like Shrek? Well sort of
that's a great theme
I like this
Idk how to word my like god damn that's a theme as multiple emotions and memories hit me when I read that that's a rly nice theme u got there
My theme is: “Control isn’t everything, you can’t control life. You learn from it.” My protagonist has control of her life at the beginning but with each chapter she loses it little by little. Eventually learning that bad things happen, it’s life. All you can do is just reflect and learn.
Same!
Misbelief: “The only way to achieve absolute safety is to be the most powerful.”
Theme: “Life happens regardless of power. If you live in the moment, you’ll have nothing to fear losing.”
*Chef’s Kiss
Love it! 👀😍
For one of my stories it has that same theme!
I love it ❤❤❤
My theme: You can't do everything by yourself. You NEED relationships to overcome obstacles.
Can I read the story if it's done?
Add me to this list of people with expectations for you & your story OP.
I know I'm one year late to this comment but hell yeah tell us all about it when you're done!
ME FOUR!!!
my mc misbelief: I'll not be happy unless I find the right place for me
Cause: he doesn't fit on the society. He doesn't feel complete. He tries to fit, fails (because he doesn't feel complete), reject that society and leave.
my truth: when you are with the right people, any place feels like the right place.
(is that good?)
Maybe the problem is that he needs other people’s approval to feel that he is valuable. And the solution that he takes (to leave/ or to run away from the problem) is only a momentary solution. Because, what would happen if the “right” people rejected him ? (even for a moment because they got mad at him for example). He would probably run away again. Maybe the lesson he has to learn is that his self love is what makes him complete, that he will always have a home within him. IDK 🤷♀️ haha Maybe I misunderstood your character or your theme, but I hope this will help you 😀
Good,GOOD GOOD
that's my life
Nope. Thats just flat out bad.
Man, everyone thinks they can write these days
The place means the people in the beginning because the people make the place, so I say it's not a good one
My theme is Redemption. My protagonist believes he is beyond it.
so does that mean that your complete theme is "no one is beyond redemption" ? literally my teachers have given me a thousand different meanings for the word theme, and they keep saying theme is also tone, tone is also message, message is also a single word. im like are all those the same things? is it just one word? i have no idea.
@@KreativeHogwartsLegacyGUIDES They are interconnected but to answer your question, they're not the same. If you look at Theme, and Tone, and Message, they will usually be the answers to the 'who, what, where, when, why' in a story.
Which story-element the Question&A represent will depend on the story, but usually Theme is 'Why', Tone is 'Who, When, and Where', and Message is 'What'. Both as in 'what happened' and 'what did that happening mean'?
Message is the most complicated. What it means in literature critique seems to strongly depends on how a person is using the term. It's connects to both how tone is used and how themes are used, but imo it's more connected to theme. Then too, the message can be wildly different depending on how vast the story is (if it has a lot of variations in tone or theme because it's long af), or how subversive the text is.
If a text is satirical (example: Johnathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal") then the actual message won't necessarily be obvious just looking at the story at given, instead it will be non-diegetic and only apparent when looked at in comparison to our world. (Basically diegetic Stuff is Within the story, and non-diegetic is Breaking the 4th wall. A video on it: th-cam.com/video/FT_E9Jm_Lk8/w-d-xo.html )
Message sometimes only is discovered by taking all the themes, and the tone, together. For instance, Anne of Green Gables has themes many themes, like friendship, hardship, change, learning to find joy after loss, and the tone ranges from light hearted to extremely bleak, but it's Message is probably 'Resilience'. As that is what the story shows, how people can be resilient.
Also note, I think your teacher is oversimplifying by suggesting Message can always be boiled down to one word. Since not all concepts fit neatly into a single word, unless one is invented for that concept specifically, it can be more confusing to strip off nuance and try to stuff a complicated text into one single box.
I mean I guess do what they need you to for assignments, but imo it's useful to remember that teachers are fallible, and that the academics who study literature argue about how to critique and contextualize it. Studying stories is complicated, it turns out.
--
Just realized, I should probably give an example for the Questions = Tone, Theme, and Message.
How about Harry Potter.
So themes are 'why' the stories is being told. Growing up is hard and sometimes it hurts, why tell a story about enduring pain? "Pain teaches lessons" which is a recurring theme. Some other themes are 'flourishing despite adversity', 'Friendship helps', and 'mysteries have answers'. Each is an answer to a 'why is this story being told?' question.
The Tone is very directly the Who the main characters are, Where and When is the story set, the wizarding world, and the sentence structure for pacing. It also has to do with what emotions the characters experience, and all of these are affected by the word choices JKR uses, the diction.
The message of Harry Potter is debatable af, but What it is, is a coming of age story, and it's intended to show that growth from childhood to adulthood (+magic) so 'Transitions' could fit the story shows how everything shifts as the characters grow, and shifts when they learn new things.
I think it's a case where a single word does not cut it. Unless there were a single word for 'Learn from pain and change' but afaik there isn't such a word.
This was a long answer, but I hope it helps! ^_^
I have to act on what you have taught.
My theme: Don't scam because you have mastered technology.Scams come back to bite you like a snake.
(Do not pardon a scam.Expose the scam as soon as you spot it.)
Ok I love this
My theme: it’s okay to not always be okay. Don’t suppress emotions because that only makes you a ticking time bomb
same with mine! :)
Just wanna comment here, (please ignore if you don't like) your theme is not actually correct, emotions are stupid, it only blinds us and leads us to mistakes - and when you start suppressing your emotions, such as anger, for e.g, our anger actually disappears by time - and we become calm - so rethink your theme if you may, or don't - just a suggestion
@@adisuyash Wrong. Her theme might have been incomplete but it isn't incorrect. Depending on the circumstances and personality of her character it may very well be correct anyway.
Emotions are very important and essentials. They teach us a lot about ourselves. And repressing them can be very harmful to self-destructive. I know by experience.
There is a middle point between allowing yourself to not be okay sometimes and feel bad, angry or whatever negative emotions you are experiencing right now and bottling up everything and denying yourself until you break down.
Not letting your negative emotions lead you to make mistakes (wrong decisions making, lashing out at the people you care about, ...) is as important as allowing yourself to feel them. That's actually one of my truths.
@@adisuyash emotions might be stupid - mine are, they really dumb me down - BUT that is the way we are made: with emotions, the good, bad, and ugly. Suppressing anything is not the way. Attempts to suppress never ever attain good calm. Buddhists have the answer: take care of those emotions, as a mother cares for a child. Then you suffer less, you rise above the pain inflicted by emotions. Essential.
I like all these opinions on emotions. I've gotta chime in as I think I have it down.
Emotion are natural. We live through emotions. Don't suppress them to the extent at which you're not processing them as you should. But all the while as you feel them it's also good to learn to control them. In other words don't be too emotional more than need be. Emotions are to be felt in a social setting. Reason is to be had in a setting in which you need to regulate.
I cried and scribbled my way through this video. Pausing again and again to write. This changed everything for me. My story & MC just came to life finally! I’m at a loss for words to describe how thankful I am to have found you and this video. Thank you. Truly. Liked, Saved & Subscribed!
Abbie is The Source. She’s so inspirational and her passion for writing is so genuinely conveyed in her videos. It’s contagious!
Theme = truth
1. Why does your story matter to you?
2. Flip this truth on its head and make it into a lie (protagonist)
3. Find the origin of misbelief
4. Look for patterns
5. Tell the truth
I was wondering is the theme the first step before you develop anything else and then once you’ve done that, what is the next step to develop?
@@robynevershed9292 I think, there isn't a certain order for that🤔. It's more like, if you have a theme, then you can create characters to represent that theme. If you got the characters first, next thing is finding a suitable theme.
My opinion though..🤷
@@mshsmshs97 how do I make my theme in my story to not sound preachy, can you please give me some advice?
I was wondering, how do I make my theme in my story to not sound preachy, could I please have some advice and what does the story matter to you mean?
Woah. I feel as if I've known all these tips already but had never had the right words for them, so hearing you saying and explaining them so clearly suddenly feels validating. I don't normally leave comments in your videos, but I've loved them from afar for a while, and this one really somehow hit the nail in the head about truths, lies (misbeliefs), and causes. I hope that 100 Days of Sunlight becomes a worldwide success because you are one of the nicest authors I know. Thanks, Abbie. :)
EDIT: Oh wow. I completely forgot I made this comment 3 years ago so coming back to 300+ likes is mind-boggling lmao
Absolutely!
This comment prompted me to look up Abbie's book and read the premise. Wow it sounds so good!
My theme:
You're not here just for youself, you're meant to improve and help the lives of others.
i love that
So refreshing from the "lOvE yOuRsElF" theme 😌
My protagonists believes that people will always choose self-serving over caring for others because because both her parents choose selfish desires over her when she was a child. She perpetuates this belief by acting self-serving herself until as an adult circumstance leads her to takes care of a child in need of help and after some ups and downs, she acts selflessly to protect the child ❤
This sounds awesome!
Theme: Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
Misbelief: If you are not gifted, you are not going to win.
But what if talent works just as hard?...Then, it's just depressing 😂
@@anjikins6793 People have diferent talents , maybe you're less gifted in 'that' but have better social (or other) skills and get the price. It's about knowing yourself and work on your flaws.
As a violin teacher, I spend so much time trying to explain this to parents of students haha
@@anjikins6793 if talent works just as hard, then talent will probably win out. But then it's not your problem, it's the talents problem. I'm saying this a talented person who does not work as hard as she could so
The theme of my book revolves around two statements; Being emotional doesn't make you vulnerable. Acting out in blind anger is acting out in fear.
My whole notebook is filled with scribbled notes from your videos. I feel like I have a whole book full of wisdom now!! Thank you!!!
My story's theme for the book I've just started planning and writing (my first book ever): Loss of those about whom you care is inevitable -- it's just a question of when and how you lose them or they lose you. The realization of this fact shouldn't cause you to shun relationships with others, whether those relationships are romantic, familial, or friendships. Being distant and isolated tends to hurt you in the long run, making you lonely and depressed, whereas developing relationships tends to bring a lot of positivity into your life.
I love how their are like a dozen copies of ‘100 days of sunlight’ on you shelf 😂💛
If I published a book I would do the same thing lmao
She probably got a discount :D
@@maxyperson I would do something similar, but I'd use them as gifts. Plus I'd send some out to people that I might think are influential to my target audience.
Sorry I am line editing my novel now (!!!) So this is kinda driving me insane. So Imma just do it, GRAMMAR NAZI ALERT: there is, not their are*
my theme: War is not "good vs. evil" it's just a fight for power, glory, or survival.
Awesome one
Where's the lie though?
@@bonbonpony The lie is war IS good vs. evil?
That's an interesting theme. Kinda cool.
@@Swiftninjatrev Who's the "good" side then? They both are killing and destroying :q
The theme of my story is "You can't reach fulfillment if others control your Fate" and my protagonist has "accepted" that, based on her differences from those around her, the inverse is true
Mine's kind of similar. It's "Don't let people pressure you into things you don't believe in."
I allowed "fate" to control my life. Not good.
@@janedoe5229 literally not what it said. "My protagonist had accepted that, based on her differences from those around her, the inverse is true", meaning that she finds you can reach fulfillment if your fate isn't decided for you by others
My themes: "it's not about being ready for the ending- it's about learning from the journey." "work on making yourself worthy of what you want to achieve"
I watched this on 6/23/23. Don’t be subject to someone else’s blame. Believe in yourself
"Life has not turned out the way I planned. But I can be happy. It's never too late to follow a dream."
Very helpful thoughts. Thank you.
THANK YOU! Now I have a character who gives too much of themselves and one who doesn't know what the words emotional vulnerability mean and a theme that is to find a balance between give and take. Whupwhup!
I've been working on this story for 5 years, I tried to drop it but it kept haunting me. Let's see if this is the solid foundation it needed!
I'm writing a manga here so yeah. My theme is Trust.
Same bro
eyyyy samee
@@kimchik6825 You have an Instagram?
Wait, don't say your theme is trust, it's about trust. Trust is one word while your theme should be explained in a sentence at least:
3 stories about trust:
Theme 1: Nobody can be trusted, don't bother putting your trust in people.
Theme 2: Always trust yourself.
Theme 3: Trust your partner, or the relationship will crumble.
@@paroles8551 fair point. Theme is trust in those who cares about u. Not the ones who say it , but from action. So far, im still working on it.
I'm late to the party - sorry. I didn't know what my theme was until it grabbed me by the throat. I stumbled upon it right along with my protagonist. Surprised the hell out of me - in the midst of a witty historical romance my theme is: a heart wounded by death and grief can and will heal.
My story's theme is that real love has no boundaries. Its developing as a complicated mythic story about the trials of a raven who has to question his cultural beliefs when he befriends other bird species and developes feelings for a golden eagle who saves his life.
Lol, lovebirds
Thank you so much for this video! Theme is what I've struggled with the most, without even realizing it. I've spent countless hours worldbuilding- creating religions, geography, other random things that may never make it into the story, without- without getting anywhere on the plot. That's because I had no real theme.
When watching this video I was stumped on the first point. My first thought was that my story mattered to me because I liked my characters and the world I had built but there was nothing I wanted to "scream from the rooftops". I paused the video and thought about that for a good fifteen minutes before something hit me out of the blue and I found a theme I liked. I actually found like three that all stemmed from my upbringing and the personal growth I've gone through in the last two years. Revelations that I had to come to.
I don't know if I could have had a breakthrough like this without your video, so thank you!
Would love to hear the themes you chose :)
Well, being passionate about fictional characters & worlds might be a theme in itself as well. "The Neverending Story" comes to my mind.
"why does ur story matter?"
me not knowing: *cuz it matters*
me finishing the book: *i BeAt ThE oDdS*
My theme is that forgiveness does not always require forgetting the reason someone must be forgiven.
7:48 also, something that i have done with my book, is that you LET THEM choose the truth, but with some sort of unfortunate events it turn out bad (but its nots their fault like- its just life events yk ?), so it just renforce they misbelief and makes them feel more and more sad and bad
yes, i write angst
My theme: living to defy others expectations and desires can be just as oppressive as living to meet them. Either way, you're not being true to yourself.
this is so true.
Abbie! This is what I like about your videos: they're concise and have clear points! Especially with the new fonts and the almost last frame that you summarize all the points-makes it easier to screenshot and save on my phone. Thank you!
I thought I was the only one, haha. Screenshot Squad.
Me too!
My theme is a quote " Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire." I found it on the internet and have been holding onto it for a long time now. The word FEARLESS defines me. It's who I have become after all the dark days I went through. Then one day I just woke up and thought "hey, this could be a great story."
Thanks for these amazing and helpful videos, Abbie! I'll definitely read your book!
You saying "Oh my god, this is soooo good" about our character misbelief's, it's soooo funny!!!!
Dear Abbie,
THIS was the traction I needed on my stories! (I went back through five old stories in a row putting this method to work -- those stories cracked right open!)
Your content is a huge boon helping this aspiring writer wrangle his ideas into words on a page. Thank you.
You're the best.
I wish I could craft an "aha" moment for the real people in my life.
Me too… ._. Hmm… but you know what? This might actually be a good idea to try… :> But if this is supposed to work, we can't just go and write roles for other people, because they'd most likely just disregard them entirely and totally not follow them. Instead, we would have to write a story AROUND them, so that the circumstances forced them into a particular direction towards the "aha" moment.
This video was a big help. My story's theme is, "Your past mistakes don't determine your value. Recognizing your mistakes and how you learned from them speaks greater volumes." This theme carries over into the following books in the series as my protagonist learns to try to forgive herself for her past transgressions.
I never realized that's how you find out your character's lie! It's brilliant! Love you Abbie!
Somone please tell me if this is too much
:D
Theme: emotion
*Being emotional doesn't make you weak, it gives you fire. But don't let them control you or you'll burn the ones you love*
i think its good .some people think being emotional is bad, but it could be a part of their nature , their personality. but Just because they believe its bad , end up acting like someone else (sorry for my bad english, i dont know will this help. Just feel like telling)
Dude, I love this so much. Its awesome
It's less about the theme and more about what you'll make of it through your story.
It's a good theme. :)
My theme: Men are sensitive and fragile hiding behind silent exteriors and self-medication.
I've never written anything before but I feel like I have a story that needs to be told. This video has inspired me!
I'm not a writer/author/novelist. I've been struggling to find my message so that I can write authentic meaningful copy and sell my art. This exercise helped SO much!!! 🤯
I have been so stuck, and your videos really help to jumpstart my brain! My theme is "We all need a little magic in our lives."
Interesting :)
My theme - Intimate relationships are worth the challenges they bring. Being opened with loved ones and those you care about allows for a deeper more fulfilled life.
What about the lie?
I have a few themes that sort of tie together: 1. People aren't "good" or "evil" -- both lie in every human heart, and to get rid of all evil would be to get rid of all people. 2. Just because you fail doesn't mean it's the end 3. The true meaning of chivalry and self-sacrifice
Theme: Head x heart, we don't need to be one of them, we can be both, and balance them in somehow.
Misbelif: Between head x heart we have to choice one. We must choice our side, and keep following it 'till the end
1- Not all family is good.
2- What one person used to be has nothing to do with what that person is now. The person you loved died a lot of time ago and what's left is the remains of that person after suffering x trauma.
3- You set your own limits.
I'm trying to do a mix of stuff I've learnt so far but it's hard when you are only 16 and you have had a pretty normal life without any "character building" experience lmao
Same! I've written a book and I'm starting my new one (but planning properly this time) and oh my, there's a lot to it XD
You are doing a great job! :)
Your second theme is worded so elegantly! It’s exactly the theme I was looking for.
My theme I think is that if things don’t change they just stay the same and you miss out on cool things that couldn’t happen without the change. You might think you have it good and that your life is perfect but there is always something out there that will change your life and usually for the better
Nice theme, I've read a couple stories I really like before that tried to view that same concept. I'm sure your book will turn out great!!
@@zemmie01 thanks 😊 i think mines gonna turn out pretty good. At least its looking that way at the moment 😉
My Theme: You don’t have to hide who you are, and pretend to be perfect in order to be accepted and understood.
Characters Misbelief: You will only ever be loved or accepted if you hide who you are and hold yourself to these unattainable standards of perfection.
Reason: When she was 14 her grandmother who she so aspired to be like grew sick and told her about her life. Throughout it she was unloved, never understood, and resented by her own family. Her grandmother never wanted her to be that way. But she soon died and MC lost the only one who ever understood her.
MC’s Fear: She will end up unloved like her grandmother.
Aha Moment: Her grand mother never wanted her to hide who she was, she only wanted to tell her to be herself, because they were different people and the world had changed so she wouldn’t end up like her. But she was too weak, and died too suddenly so she was never able to finish.
How is this? Should I actually write this book or is the theme weak
It's really good actually the cause is really strong to make the mc believe the lie
You should
@@Diamondah what i should
I think this is a very strong theme and you have articulated it very well so yes! Write it!
OMG, I love you so much. I never understood very well what was misbelief or what should I choose to be my character's misbelief, but now I see! Great great great video!
My theme: If you have love, you have everything you need. The lie: Love isn't enough. I have already written the first drafts for the first three novellas and most of the third one in my three-book series. But I had not written my theme or the big lie until now. Thank you Abbie!!!
I've been binge watching your videos for days now and they are literally a step by step guide to writing a book! I'm currently in the process of writing my first book and this is all extremely helpful, I feel like the book will be written just by the time I get through with the outlining stage!
Been really struggling with my story, and your videos have helped! The theme of my current project is "It's important to challenge the beliefs you've been taught and be open to new ideas." So the lie is "It's important to be steadfast in my beliefs and be wary of new ideas." It really helps to have it written out concisely rather than amorphous thoughts floating around.
I also wrote down a bunch of other "subthemes" that all play off of this major theme so that I can give different specific lies to different characters, all centered on the main theme. Thanks so much!
OMG!!! That just gave me the perfect plot twist and ending to the novel I've been working on! Those 5 steps give you an entire plot! That was amazing. Thank you so much for another awesome video. Going to have to share this with my writing group!
My themes are healing and moving on, rebuilding a life after losing everything, moving past the trauma, forming new bonds with those around him (and in turn helping those characters a ton in turn). It's a slower pace, but I think it's really important to have those kinds of stories, too! (Probs also helps that I really love the slice of life/'iyashikei' (healing) genres! lol.)
Well I'm not sure this will be very popular but I'm a Christian and the truth I wanna weave into my first novel isn't really religious but the truth is : there is a loving God. And or life has a reason. I'm still learning and studying things on how to write but I already have a God idea for a fantasy novel I just have to learn how to build it. 😊😊 Thanks for the awesome videos Abbie!
Scotty Dunn cs lewis did it. And very well too!
I am a Christian too, and a book is a great place to show his truth - I would read it 😊
You should really read The Chronicles of Narnia, it reads like mainstream high fantasy but has blatantly obvious Christian themes
I have a writer friend in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who is also a Christian author. James Asparro just started writing and just published his second book, titled 'Turnaround,' in a series of love stories exploring faith informing men and women's choices. He felt there is a desert in popular fiction, especially Romance, focusing on the Christian perspective in modern society. I wish you success in your storytelling and believe there is an underserved audience waiting to read your book. 😉👍
I was wondering, how can I write a theme for a story without making it sound preachy. Do you have some advice?
I think my theme is about growth and change. Every one of my characters represents some form of struggle (stuff like depression, neglect, coming out, anxiety. All things I have experienced in my own life) and their arcs are them growing from those struggles and improving themselves over time.
My theme is Everything happens for a reason and my protagonist only focuses in the now rather than what this situation might lead to.
Wow.
I've been meaning to put a kind of a list together for a while of themes I could possibly use in my novels. I wasn't quite sure what to put until I watched this video. You spelled everything out perfectly and after I'd finished writing a tonne of notes, I divided a Word document into two columns and wrote a list of truths that is two and a half pages long! I'm cooking with gas now.
Thank you so very much for your tips and advice!
Best of luck with your book too!!!
My theme: Seeing people for who they really are.
My themes are:
- how systems created to protect can become a danger within itself
- the fakery of social media and how we present ourselves to the world (social media isn't in the story, but the setting serves as an allegory)
- if starting life all over again would really make us happy, or cause more problems
The last one is especially interesting. :)
i almost cried...
i wanted the theme in my story to be a type of Existential Truth. And when you mentioned and talked on truth, right off the bat, it was extremely touching...thank you so much
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
Thank you so much! I had crafted a protagonist with no conflict or misbelief in my first story.
Now I can finally reverse it using the theme: If you hurt someone, their hatred lingers on to you .
Misbelief: I can only obtain peace if I destroy the ones who destroyed me
Abby, I seriously LOVE YOU!
Not in a frivolous or meaningless way.
Just in light of how much you've helped me.
I like to think that in every one of her videos there are about 20 more minutes of unused footage of her being a nerd and obsessing over internal conflict.
THIS IS GENIUS and something I totally needed! Aaaaaah THANK YOU SO MUCH, ABBIE 💖💖💖
My WIP's theme/truth is "you are capable." Didn't realize that 'til now! 😍
This is a great way to explain this concept. As others have said, I knew some of these concepts, but needed them spelled out in a clear way! Thank you for another great video :)
I always look forward to #WritersLifeWednesdays. I really feel like my writing and how I think about writing has changed for the better.
In my current WIP I have two themes, there we follow two characters. One of them is that it is okay to fail and the other is that you are good enough.
It’s so funny! I do these steps - but almost in reverse.
I think of my hero first, and his past and his flaws and misbelieves - and then go on to find out the central theme and where & how he needs to be in the end, to clear the misbelieve :D
Good video, Abbie ♥️
Great idea! If you don't mind, I'll steal this XD
Emma Wright Oh, of course! 🙂
It’s not even my original Idea - it’s based on the Save the Cat Method ☺️
I did the same! Because the character's journey comes to my mind first. And then I decide what I want to convey through that particular character, based on their "aha moment"
can you do a story on finding a good title??
She has on on The Kate and Abbie Show episode 11 😁😁😁
Abbieeee I’ve been needing this!!! THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️
I'm so glad I found your channel. I've been taking notes on what your videos have been saying, and I'm gonna put a lot of them into practice. I've been writing my own story for a while, and in all honesty, I feel that somethings were missing in it. I know how it starts and how it will end, but the middle part is where I find it challenging. Your videos have been helping me with brainstorming, and I appreciate it greatly. I'll keep watching your videos for more inspiration on my writing techniques.
This is such a great and simple way of explaining such a big concept. This has helped me a ton. Thank you for making this :D
Thank you Abbie. 👏 I have one main theme and a lot of sub-themes and so far, they are melding together but this is still something I want to do; incorporate the theme effortlessly into my story.
THANK YOU ABBIE!! finally have a theme and since everyone is sharing there's (which was also very helpful in finding mine) I will share mine too. "A person must learn for themselves to be free."
my theme is : Family that loves you can be terrible people that doesn't mean they never loved you
I am holding your book in my hands right now! Going to go sit by a pool and read it!😁 So very excited! This has made my day!
My story has two themes but they can kinda be combined: you are not alone and you are worthy of love.
Abbie thank you so much! I've been listening to other writers talk about theme but you nailed it for me!
I found your channel so late. But I'm watching these now and you're saving my life with these videos. I'm writing/drawing a webtoon and it FEELS like I'm over thinking these as mine is just a simple comic.... BUT following your steps is bringing me so much closer to my story and characters it's insane. It's actually making my plotting BETTER insanely as I have a clear focus now on what I need and how to do it. So as late as I am.. THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!!
You just made me rethink the plot of one of my WIPs this was so helpful! Thank you!
My theme is the same in every story - just like with my songs, I always try to find a new way to say the same thing: "Life is suffering, and therefore the rational thing to do would be to not perpetuate it." Too general and unspecific? Well then, in the main story I'm working on, I'm focusing specifically on the suffering of fear - and how the only way of overcoming it in behavioural terms is by confrontation.
As I've discovered, fear is something you have quite a lot to say on, so I believe I've come to the right place 😊.
You are so amazing Abbie. You are the reason I am writing my second novel! My theme of my first is: the approval and attention of other doesn't define your worth. and the second is: you have the power to change your life.
GIRL YOU ARE A FREAKING LIFESAVER!!! I literally wrote down notes from your previous video, and as I was SITTING IN BED I got a story idea, your amazing thank you
"Happiness is a choice." This is the theme of my current story. There are a lot of truths I want to share, yet I have an urgent need to share this one.
My story has three kingdoms: the ice kingdom - their problem is global warming, the mer-kingdom - their problem is plastic pollution, the elf kingdom - their problem is forest fires.
Social commentary. That's cool.
And the Orc kingdom - their problem is those damn ecologists :)
Mine is forgiveness and redemption. No one is perfect and everyone has an opportunity to change and we must forgive those who aspire to transform themselves for the better.
Dear Abbie, I can't tell you just how much you put me back on the track to writing. All I need to do is see a video of yours and I am back. I am not even analyzing how! Much love, admiration, and respect for all that you do for writing.
My themes are: you need to learn to accept reality rather than living in an escapism fantasy world. Just because people don’t have logical purposes in the grand scheme of things doesn’t mean their lives aren’t valuable. Live for yourself rather than what others want you to do.
Great video. When the relationship between the character's lie and the story's theme is stated, it's pretty obvious to see that it is true. But not so obvious to see in the first place. You can take this idea a step further by building a web of secondary characters, or antagonists, who reflect different takes on the theme's statement of truth.
Thank you so much for these amazing tips and tricks Abbie!☺️💕
This is it! This is what my stories have been missing. It's clear now because the theme is important and meaningful to me, not just because a book says to use this theme. Thank you!!!!
I've been watching your videos for about a month now and have started seriously planning for my story, and now I totally understand why it takes multiple drafts, especially when it comes to making sure all your characters and their motives and your story make sense. Drafts can help declutter all that. You can write drafts kind of like layering animation. You don't have to do the entire thing all at once. When you make an animation, you start with a very basic framework. Then you got a particle layer and a lighting layer and you separate the process into parts, and a draft system can do the same thing for a story. First draft, you can focus on just your main character's development and their role with the plot. Next draft, now that your main character's part of the story is mainly done, now you can go back and touch up and focus more on the secondary character. Next layer, you can focus more of your attention on rounding out the villain.
That is an EXCELLENT way to put it! I like that visual.
@@msjoysplace and it's been real nice for me so far, cause now I've gotten to the point where a side character's story is gonna intersect with the main character's, but I'm not ready to dive into the side character yet, so I can do the little that's relevant right now, maybe bookmark it with an asterisk that I can do a search of the document for, and then come back to it later when I'm ready to focus my attention on it
My theme is love, all of my main characters believe they are beyond loving in some way, romantic, platonic, familial, etc.
I hope this comment finds you well. I started to write a book that I have yet to finish and out of ALL the videos I've watched, the notes I've taken, and the changes I've frequently made to my story- this one by far was the simplest for me to connect with in terms of writing a powerful story. I have experience that can drive the point but had too many truth angles, and I eventually set my book a side because I couldn't identify the truth I wanted to tell. Thank you a million times over!
Thank you for explaining it in an easy to understand way! I'm so happy that I found this TH-cam channel!
My stories theme is: "There are always mutliple sides, be them people or stories, what you may first think may be not what you think." It's mainly starring my protagonist running into the "Villains" and making the readers believe they're the bad guys but over time realise that their (Probably the guild master) is a liar and that they were technically apart of the Villains organisation since they were born (Reincarnation stuff with special powers and so on) and must stop the true villain's plan and save the lands.
My theme- Stop comparing yourself to others. Just stop. Please. You are perfect the way you are. The broken you is so perfect because it is so real.
Thank You So much for giving me clarity! I knew a couple of these points already but until now, I hadn’t gone back to properly apply them to my stories. Your first point very eye opening for me. I knew I cared about my stories, worlds and characters, and for years I’ve never given up on them, but I didn’t fully know why they mattered to me.
Thank you Abbie, love you and your videos! They're immensely helpful for me and your passion really does come through!