Mark Henrikson's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-progess-theme"
Writing Process - Finding a Theme
Which do you think comes first for most writers, the story or the theme?
I always pictured the great novelists who crafted stories that made deep and impactful social commentaries starting with a theme they wanted to drive home and then crafted a story and set of characters to fit that selected theme. As I sit here today having written two books and working on a third, I no longer think that is the case.
With Origins and Centurion’s Rise I got the story all down in the first draft and then found opportunities to add my themes in on the second pass. I am still in the first draft of my third book, but I am discovering the themes are bubbling up to the surface through the writing as I go. I am altering plans for later chapters and going back to make notes of changes to make a theme I just touched on in a later chapter connect.
I still can’t see starting with a theme and working backwards into the story, but I am evolving as a writer where it is a collaboration as I go now rather than step 1 – write it, step 2 – strap some themes to it. I am really anxious to see if it results in a deeper story for book 3; only time will tell.
I always pictured the great novelists who crafted stories that made deep and impactful social commentaries starting with a theme they wanted to drive home and then crafted a story and set of characters to fit that selected theme. As I sit here today having written two books and working on a third, I no longer think that is the case.
With Origins and Centurion’s Rise I got the story all down in the first draft and then found opportunities to add my themes in on the second pass. I am still in the first draft of my third book, but I am discovering the themes are bubbling up to the surface through the writing as I go. I am altering plans for later chapters and going back to make notes of changes to make a theme I just touched on in a later chapter connect.
I still can’t see starting with a theme and working backwards into the story, but I am evolving as a writer where it is a collaboration as I go now rather than step 1 – write it, step 2 – strap some themes to it. I am really anxious to see if it results in a deeper story for book 3; only time will tell.
