Theme v. plot…

In essay-land (that includes op-ed, of course), theme rules: you have to have at least one theme to opine. For writing fiction, not so much. And, perhaps because I do both, I make a semantical distinction between theme and plot when I write fiction. A good story doesn’t need themes per se, but it does need a plot. But one or two themes make for a better story—they enhance the plot. The theme or themes in a story are motivating issues: spousal infidelity or abuse, mental illness, the horrors o...