Have You Tested Your Theme Against Your Plot?

Creative Writing Tips ?

How we usually begin the preparation stage in the writing process is?

  • We think of an idea for a story

  • We think of a suitable theme

  • We plot

Once we come up with a theme and we begin plotting, we have to see how the theme and the plot match up. Sometimes as we plot we find that the theme we had initially chosen won't do.

For example?

'Winning The Lottery Makes Your Life Easier'

Plotting with this theme in mind, we have our characters pay off all their debts, go on endless shopping sprees, go on holidays, etc. We find though that this won't make a very interesting story. So we spice it up, adding to the theme or coming up with a different one.

"Winning The Lottery Makes Your Life Easier But Everything Has Its Price."

We can show the characters living the life of the rich for a while before they realize that being wealthy has its problems too...

  • They now fear for their safety

  • Their friends and relatives are constantly harping at their door asking for assistance

  • Etc

This second scenario creates more problems for the characters, so it's more interesting for us readers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The preparation stage is there to prepare before you write. It's our workbench where we figure everything out. We test our theme, we test our plot and once everything passes the test, then we begin writing.

You can change the theme as many times as you feel it needs changing, while you are in the preparation stage.

The main thing is to make your story interesting.

It's not a good idea to keep changing the theme when writing the story because then you will have to keep changing the story. This means rewriting.

Figure everything out then write.

Have you tested your theme against your plot?

About The Author

Besides his passion for writing, Nick Vernon runs an online gift site where you will find gift information, articles and readers' funny stories. Visit http://www.we-recommend.com

mail@we-recommend.com

In The News:

pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


10 Tips on Writing Effective Dialogue

1. Become an EavesdropperListen carefully to the way people REALLY... Read More

The Power of Punctuation

Punctuation, when used creatively, is powerful. Note, however, that when... Read More

The Writers Identity: Exploring the Writer Within

Les Edgerton writes in his book, Finding Your Voice, that... Read More

The Bottomless Notebook

Reading through a writer's notebook or journal is like discovering... Read More

How To Publish Your Own Newsletter

With the expansion and diversion of businesses, manufacturers, and even... Read More

Seven Suggestions To Develop a Superb Writing Style

Every writer eventually develops her own unique style of writing.... Read More

How New Authors Can Keep Their Manuscripts Coherent

In large publishing houses, many manuscripts penned by first-time authors,... Read More

Writing Help

Whether you are working for a small business, large corporation,... Read More

Before You Write Your Book, Organize Its Parts - Part 2

If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More

Kick-Start your Juices

Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time... Read More

On Giving and Receiving Feedback

Writing is a personal and introspective process. To share with... Read More

How to Catch the Writing Bug

----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute,... Read More

Be Your Own Literary Agent and Get Published

So you're one of 20 million Americans who want to... Read More

7 Essential Letter Writing Strategies

Based on the feedback that I have been getting from... Read More

Eight Ways To Write Your Novel Faster

I asked several writers how long it took them to... Read More

How to Write a Short Story

Everybody knows writing a story is not easy. Like the... Read More

Building Character

Names are important. Names give clues about us, where we... Read More

Time to Write

SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?Many people have entertained... Read More

Passionate About Writing?

I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide,... Read More

3 Quick and Easy Ways to Generate Story Ideas

There are many ways you can generate ideas you can... Read More

Italics Part 2 - Using Italics to Show Thoughts

Way back in your early school years, you were probably... Read More

The Writing Game

There are a lot of tapes and books and CD... Read More

Freewriting: A Strategy That Will Bring Your Writing To Life

Freewriting is a release from the prison of rules. It... Read More

Apotheosis - the Seminal Insight of the Hero for Screenwriting

Every hero has a seminal insight - the apotheosis. Once... Read More

The Opportunities As A Freelance Proofreader in the UK

A UK based freelance proofreader should be able to provide... Read More

Apostrophe Usage Made Simple

According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More

5 Easy Steps To Writing Your Appealing Letter

You must write a hypnotic persuasion letter to help you... Read More

Keys to Characterisation

Far too many inexperienced writers create flat, stereotypical characters: the... Read More

Secrets Of Successful Authors

When the writing bug hits you, get out your pencil,... Read More

Review In 29 Steps Plus One

I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More

Starting a Local Writers Group

My husband is no poet, so when I offer my... Read More

The Makings of a Personal Essay, Really

Sometimes I can be dense when it comes to realizing... Read More

Sick of the Traditional Publishing Path?

A book coaching client recently emailed me that she was... Read More