The most pondered question in the history of storytelling is one that every writer has had to find their own answer to. Consider it for yourself:
What is the most important element of storytelling?
One person screeches, “character,” and another chimes out, “plot”. Nobody’s wrong, more or less - there’s no fact in Sorkin’s opinion, nor Socrates’s. I say this to say, in my opinion, the theme stands slightly ahead of all else in terms of importance, and it does so for one reason in particular: everything in a good story, every bit of action or dialogue, is strategically written to honor the story’s theme. People can easily make the argument that plot demands the same level of dedication from the writer, but it’s not for the same cause. Plot works for the theme, not the other way around. You’ll observe the same relationship with any other screenwriting facet; Character, dialogue, action, motivations, etc. All of these elements are employees of the theme. They are working hard to explain to the audience the message the plot is trying to convey. Why?
Theme is the soul of your story — it’s the entire point!
Again, it’s just my opinion, but it’s an idea I’ve religiously practiced in the scripts that I’ve written for myself and the scripts that I’ve sold. Holding the story’s theme above all else has empowered my writing and helped me to remember why I write in the first place — to one day change the world. Isn’t that the entire reason ancient storytellers would tell stories in the first place? All of the nursery rhymes and parables we’ve collected over hundreds or thousands of years all were written or told with the same purpose: to persuade an audience towards a more productive, moral or beneficial behavior.
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We, as writers, must understand that our greatest tool for changing people’s hearts is a powerful, meaningful and genuine theme.
So how do we create powerful themes for our stories?
A decent theme isn’t difficult to find. Nearly anything can be a theme depending on who you ask. Escape is theme. Rejecting escapism is also a theme. What makes for an impactful theme is an emotional writer who has been moved by something in life so greatly that they feel an unrelenting urge to remodel their emotion or experience into a lesson for the benefit of others. For instance, a writer visiting an impoverished area of a foreign country might be inspired to write a story that instructs us to be more grateful for what we have rather than pity ourselves for what we don’t. A writer who’s battled and overcome alcoholism or addiction might be moved to write a tale of redemption that reminds us that we might be down, but we’re never out. Whatever you decide your theme will be, just make sure it’s moved you. Your story is always made much stronger by a genuine connection to the theme; always. If you’re writing a story with a theme you can’t totally identify with, do some research or speak with people who can. Never underestimate your ability to empathize and experience thoughts and emotions vicariously.
So how do you weave a good theme into your story?
I’ll be honest, I’m sort of shooting myself in the foot by asking this because it’s way too loaded a question to answer in the next paragraph. I’ll be leading a screenwriting workshop in the next month — if you’re there, you’ll get a much more in-depth explanation. For those of you who won’t make it, I’m hoping you can appreciate the following tips.
A good theme, orchestrated by a good writer, is woven into every page of your script. One trick you can use to make sure you’re properly considering the theme when writing: write out your theme on a sticky note and attach it to the top of your monitor or laptop. Believe it or not, it works wonders. When you find yourself writing questionable dialogue or action lines, refer to your sticky note and ask yourself whether or not the dialogue helps your story demonstrate its underlying message. Another trick you can use: display your protagonist’s ignorance to the controlling theme early on in your script. This doesn’t apply to all stories, but when telling stories that call for your protagonist’s growth and transformation, it’s useful to show the dramatic irony in your protagonist’s journey. If your story is about men learning to treat women with respect, like Tootsie, having your protagonist be a chauvinist in the early pages will strengthen your theme. This is because by giving your protagonist a longer way to go (morally) you’re giving the audience, who is forced to identify with that character, much more to learn alongside them.
I wish I could go on, but I think I’ll save some thoughts for future articles and workshops. Just remember, if you want to tell good stories, tell them with a message that moves you. Nothing less. As always, good luck.