by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan

If you go to an amusement park, you know what to expect—rides, games, fun foods, and maybe even a water park.  

With story, the theme isn’t always as clear. You may not even know your story’s theme until partway through the book…or even closer to the ending. However, when you know your story’s theme before beginning chapter one, it’s easier to weave it into your chapters. 

Theme is the message the author wants to convey to the reader. It helps you to know what your story is about, and it ties the pieces of your story together when it’s threaded throughout from the first page to the last. Theme asks questions that don’t necessarily have right or wrong answers…or may or may not be answered with a simple yes or no.

Theme is not the plot or summary of your book, and it isn’t always directly noted in the story. Sometimes, it’s left up to the reader to determine the theme. Theme isn’t character-specific—it encompasses the whole story. Some say theme can be summed up in one or two words while others believe it’s more of a statement woven into the story. 

Theme is one of the foundational pieces in creating your story, along with premise and story question. As I mentioned, theme is the core message about your story. Premise is the summary of your plot told in a couple of sentences in order to hook your reader. Story question is the “what if” statement about your story that tugs on the heartstrings—it’s the emotional component that fuels your story.

There are many different types of themes, such as self-awareness, good vs evil, courage/perseverance, justice/revenge, redemption, love, loyalty, power, money, glory, guilt, knowledge…the list goes on.

You can find the theme by beginning with your story spark. What was the initial idea for your story? What takeaway do you want to leave with your readers once they get to the end? Which theme category generalizes your story idea. How do your characters’ actions build on the theme? What lie has been shaped by their dark moment story? What internal want fuels their external goal? Look at your story setting. Does your storyworld or worldbuilding offer insight into the story’s theme? Or maybe the world you’ve created challenges the character to fight for what he or she wants. 

Tie all of these elements together and see how you can create a message that will create an experience for your reader and leave a lingering message after finishing the book.

Once you understand the basis of theme for your story, use it to move your story forward by ensuring your characters have solid external goals, strong motivations, and trials or obstacles they need to overcome. Use symbolism and metaphors in your stories. What objects or images can you use to peel back the layers of your characters to show their true desires? 

You don’t need to come out and state your theme, but you can engage your characters in quality dialogue that will reveal your theme in an eye-opening way for the reader. Also, have a satisfying resolution that answers your story question. Your story ending will be determined by the genre you’re writing. 

Don’t overthink it. Allow the theme to evolve in an organic way, and your reader will be able to savor and answer for himself or herself the theme woven within your story. 

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His Road to Redemption

A veteran in need of a fresh start will get more than he bargained for…

Veteran Micah Holland’s scars go deeper than anyone knows. An inheritance from his mentor could be a new beginning—if he shares the inherited goat farm with fiercely independent Paige Watson. Now the only way they can keep the farm is to work together. But first Micah must prove he’s a changed man to keep his dream and the woman he’s falling for.

Heart, home, and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements come naturally. Represented by Cynthia Ruchti of Books & Such Literary Management, Lisa is an award-winning author for Love Inspired, writing contemporary Christian romances that promise hope and happily ever after. Her latest book, His Road to Redemption, releases in January 2022. She is the content manager for Novel Academy, powered by My Book Therapy. Happily married to her own real-life hero for over thirty years, Lisa and her husband have two grown sons. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys quality family time and being creative with words, photos, fibers, and papers. Learn more about her at lisajordanbooks.com.