Today I am officially launching my latest writing-craft book Writing Your Story’s Theme. Yay!
This book has been such a passion project for me. When I started thinking about what writing-craft book I wanted to publish next, I realized my cornerstone writing guides have so far built on each other in a linear way, moving from the generalities of brainstorming and organizing in Outlining Your Novel to the foundational underpinnings of storyform in Structuring Your Novel to interweaving character with plot in Creating Character Arcs.
In writing about character arcs, I learned so much about theme. In so many ways that intersection between character and plot is theme, but more than that, it made me realize that, contrary to popular opinion, theme is just as actionable as the other two elements. You can learn how to write theme, and you can learn to use it as yet another crucial metric in troubleshooting where you story is working and where it is not.
Therefore, it seemed not only a logical next step to write a book about theme, but in fact an important one. I have come to believe that the importance of theme cannot be overemphasized in writing stories. And yet there really isn’t a lot of actionable and practical advice out there about how to choose your theme, plot your theme, and make sure your theme works in harmony (indeed emerges from) your plot and character.
Although I hope this book stands on its own, I do believe it is a natural follow-up to the principles I talk about in Structuring Your Novel and Creating Characters Arcs, and it would be my recommendation to read those books first. Theme is arguably the most important of the three story elements, but it is also the most abstract and, again, arguably the most advanced.
It is my joy to share Writing Your Story’s Theme with you, and I hope it will help you write amazing stories of cohesion and resonance!
Here’s the back-cover blurb…
Theme Is What Your Story Is Really About
Theme—the mysterious cousin of plot and character. Too often viewed as abstract rather than actionable, theme is frequently misunderstood and left to chance. Some writers even insist theme should not be purposefully implemented. This is unfortunate, because in many ways theme is story. Theme is the heart, the meaning, the point. Nothing that important should be overlooked.
Powerful themes are never incidental. They emerge from the conjunction of strong plots and resonant character arcs. This means you can learn to plan and implement theme. In doing so, you will deepen your ability to write not only stories that entertain, but also stories that stay with readers long after the end.
Writing Your Story’s Theme will teach you:
- How to create theme from plot and character.
- Why every supporting character and subplot should enhance the theme.
- How to prevent theme from seeming preachy or “on the nose.”
- What to consider in identifying the best theme for any given story.
- And much more!
Conscious mastery of theme will elevate every story you write and allow you to craft fiction of depth and meaning.
Take Control of Your Story Via a Powerful Implementation of Theme
Where Can You Buy the Book?
You can purchase the book at the following links:
Amazon USA (affiliate link)
(Nook, iBook, and Audible versions coming soon! In the meantime, you can also get the epub version by ordering directly from my site.)
If you don’t have a Kindle but want to take advantage of the cheaper e-book option, you can read Kindle books off your computer, iPhone or iPad, or Android, using their respective Kindle apps.
Enter to Win the Writing Your Story’s Theme Launch Prize
What’s a book launch without a yummy prize?
This time I’m giving away the gorgeous Writer’s Medic Bag, handmade from Galen Leather in Turkey. You may remember I posted a review of the bag earlier this year (which you can read and/or watch). The bag is simply stunning and comes in green or natural brown leather. (Please note that it does not come stocked, as shown in the picture. The prize is for the bag only.)
To Enter
Winners will be announced Friday, October 23rd. You can use the Rafflecopter widget below to do several things throughout the week to earn contest points and increase your chances of winning. For every contest point earned, your name will be entered once more into the pool (e.g., if you’ve earned 18 points, you have 18 chances of winning). (Note: no purchase is necessary to enter.)
Good luck to everyone in the drawing, have fun, and thank you for helping me celebrate the launch of Writing Your Story’s Theme!
The post Book Launch Day: Writing Your Story’s Theme! appeared first on Helping Writers Become Authors.