but
I’d bet their story will only be enjoyed by the writer and immediate
family and friends. The best themes are very simple. Not fortune cookie
talk, that’s too cryptic. (Although I think a career writing fortune
cookie sayings might be promising... if I can figure out how to slip
the little paper into my printer.) Even Yoda-talk themes should be avoided…
just too complicated.
I lean toward
the “True love conquers all”, “Good conquers evil”
or “Money can’t buy love” type of statements. They
are simple, even trite. But the story properly built with a simple theme
will be anything but trite. It will be clear! Easy for us numbskulls
to understand and enjoy!
It’s
all very simple!
Yet, I struggle…
I struggle with keeping the simple theme clearly stated in my story?
Don’t you? (If you don’t struggle with it, let me say on
behalf of everyone “you are a bore!”)
We are challenged
to have a simple theme explored through our protagonist’s journey.
So, let’s
take a look at a story we are considering with a CLEAR central idea.
Or improvise one.
Title
________________________
2
sentence summary (watch you complex compound phrases) __________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Theme
________________________________________________________________
Now,
write down a ‘decision’ your protagonist can make
late in the story that displays the theme! (i.e., shows that the
protagonist has learned ‘money can’t buy love”)
____ ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Now,
write an decision your protagonist can make EARLY in the story
that displays the protagonist has yet to learn something (setting
up the ‘theme’) _______________ ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ |
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