Why you need a theme for your novel
When it comes to writing a book, there are different definitions of the word “theme”. It can get confusing, but it’s really important to get strong themes in a novel and be able to express them clearly. If your novel lacks a purposeful theme, it will lack direction and continuity. It won’t hold the interest of readers. Generally, theme refers to an underlying meaning or message within a story. Here are two key definitions for the term theme when it comes to writing a novel:
1) Broad themes in literature
The most commonly used definition of theme refers to broad themes in literature or thematic concepts. These are huge categories present in novels on a variety of topics and in many different genres. Some examples of broad themes in literature include love, beauty, revenge, coming of age, family and justice. In this case, authors don’t necessarily need to purposefully choose a theme before writing a novel. Instead, as they draft, they will likely see these themes emerge naturally. These broad themes are what the story is about at a very high level. Once a few emerge, you can begin to purposely integrate them or create symbols and motifs to highlight them in your later drafts. For example, you might add something that reinforces the theme to a subplot or side character.
2) Themeatic statement
If Save the Cat! Writes a Novel is not part of your writing tool kit, I highly recommend it. It does a fantastic job of breaking down story structure for writers and it’s an invaluable resource. When the author refers to the theme statement in this writing guide, what she’s talking about is the lesson of the story.
“The spiritual lesson or need is what your reader will grab onto. It’s what makes your reader feel like they’ve been somewhere, done something, experienced something —and that their investment in the pages of your novel was worth their time.” - Jessica Brody, Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
In this case, the theme is tied directly to your main character and what lesson they will learn by the end of the story. It should be something universal and relatable. When you teach through your main character’s experiences, it shouldn’t sound too on the nose or preachy. Instead, the lesson or message will reveal itself to readers as your character goes on a journey spanning the entire novel to learn it. If you neglect to include this type of theme in your story, as Jessica Brody mentions, it will fall flat for readers.
The thematic statement is typically mentioned by a side character early on in the story at a time when your main character is not yet ready to hear it. It could relate to a broad theme but it’s more specific, so, for example, The Hate U Give is about justice, identity and activism. The main character, Starr, will learn to both accept her identity that bridges her two worlds (prep school and the neighbourhood she grew up in) and use her voice to continue speaking up against racism and injustice. It’s best to choose this theme early on in the writing process because whatever lesson you want your character to learn, you will have to design the plot in a way that helps them learn it.
Think about theme as the central, unifying idea in a story. Like the Hate U Give example, it should express a broader truth about humanity or the world we live in. Your main character makes a great avatar to help your reader explore and relate to this theme over the span of the novel. Theme is the spine of your story. Without it, readers will not likely be compelled to continue reading your book.
