I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Does a story necessarily need a theme?

A story without a theme would be a story without focus, aimlessly skirting around various random topics. Not every story needs to be saying something groundbreaking, but a good story will have at least one central theme, and it’ll feel all the more cohesive for it.

Can a story be without a theme?

A story MUST have a theme. It may have several, or it may be a theme so convoluted it’s hard to spot it, but it will be there. Travel, self-discovery, self-improvement (or opposite), love, greed, morality versus survival, and so on. Without a theme, you’ll have a word noodle, not a story.

Is there always a theme in a story?

You want your story to have a message. You can’t have a theme without a message, since your message is the vehicle on which your story’s theme will reach your readers. The problem is when you try to make your message into your theme.

Are themes necessary?

The theme of a story is important because a story’s theme is part of the reason why the author wrote the story. The author has a message he wants to share with readers, and he uses his story as a way to get that message across.

Does your book need a theme?

Every good story has a plot and every good plot needs a theme. The story is a series of events. The plot is a structure that the storyteller uses to show how the events are connected. The theme is the central message behind the story.

How do you pick a theme for a story?

How to Develop a Theme for Your Story

  1. Seek Universal Themes. …
  2. Choose a Theme That Sticks With Your Reader. …
  3. Start With Another Story Element. …
  4. Create an Outline. …
  5. Weave Your Theme Throughout the Narrative. …
  6. Include Multiple Themes. …
  7. Don’t Limit Yourself.


What are the 5 themes of a story?

A book’s central theme can be anything the author chooses to focus on. Certainly, courage, death, friendship, revenge, and love are five themes that abound. Let’s take a closer look at these common themes, as well as some interesting examples from popular works of fiction.

Why is it important to have a theme?

A theme is the general message or statement about a subject that all the elements of a story or a poem work together to develop. Without a unifying theme, a story contains only arbitrary events and characters. Theme functions as the understated but essential ingredient to make a story or poem meaningful.

Why is there a need to include theme when writing a story?

Why is theme important in novels and writing? Simply put: If a story lacks theme, the reader might not connect with it. Remember that theme is connected to the protagonist’s internal journey.

What is the purpose of theme in literature?

The theme is the underlining idea an author is trying to convey to an audience. A story without major ideas for the character and reader to experience, think through, and learn from is not a story at all. A story, by its very nature, must have a theme, sometimes many major and minor themes, all throughout.

How many themes should a book have?

A story will often have more than one theme, especially if it’s a novel as opposed to a short story. Short stories, due to their length, tend to only have one major theme, while a longer novel has time to elaborate on several themes at once. To return to our example, The Great Gatsbyhas several themes.

What are examples of themes?

Six common themes in literature are:

  • Good vs. evil.
  • Love.
  • Redemption.
  • Courage and perseverance.
  • Coming of age.
  • Revenge.




Does all literature have themes?

Theme describes the central idea(s) that a piece of writing explores. All works of literature have these “central ideas,” even if those ideas aren’t immediately understandable. Justice, for example, is a theme that shows up in a lot of classical works.

Can a story have more than 1 theme?

A story will often have more than one theme, especially if it’s a novel as opposed to a short story. Short stories, due to their length, tend to only have one major theme, while a longer novel has time to elaborate on several themes at once.

What are examples of themes?

Six common themes in literature are:

  • Good vs. evil.
  • Love.
  • Redemption.
  • Courage and perseverance.
  • Coming of age.
  • Revenge.


Is theme and setting same?

Theme is the meaning of a story. It is the moral or message that the writer wants to send to the audience. It is usually expressed in one sentence. Setting is where and when a story takes place.



What makes up a story?

A story has five basic but important elements. These five components are: the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution. These essential elements keep the story running smoothly and allow the action to develop in a logical way that the reader can follow.

What are the 7 elements of a story?

Did you know there are seven basic elements in every successful story?

  • Character. This is so important, because unless your reader feels something for the characters, they won’t care what happens to them, and they won’t read on. …
  • Plot. …
  • Setting. …
  • Point of View. …
  • Style. …
  • Theme. …
  • Literary Devices.