I am unsure if this would go here, as it is a question pertaining to literature, and is from one writer to the many other writers who populate this wonderful message board.
I have been developing a large sci-fi series for just over a year now. I’ve been taking lots of inspiration from the incredibly large sci-fi universes like Bionicle, Halo, and Star Wars, to name a few. I have begun writing the base plot for the first book as of the beginning of this year, and have recently realized a great roadblock; there isn’t a specific, set theme to this book in particular, and I already have lots of the plot planned out.
So my question is, how would you (message board member who is also a writer), go about implementing a theme into a plot that is already, for the most part, constructed? Is a plot still a plot if it has been developed without a theme in mind, having been specifically developed from multiple different ideas that themselves are based on the characters and setting?
Unfortunately, I am not in such a viable situation that I would consider scrapping what I have currently plot-wise for this book, as the entirety of the series after this book is based on much of what is established within.
You don’t generally create a story with a specific theme in mind. A theme should come up naturally based on the plot, characters, and ideas that you write if they interact in a way that makes sense. You shouldn’t bend the plot and characters in order to conform to a theme. Besides, even if you don’t have a theme in mind by the end, someone else will be able to read something into it.
I’m not saying you should never have a theme in mind, just that if you don’t have one you shouldn’t worry, and that your themes shouldn’t come at the cost of plot and characters.
As @fangface1 said, I would advise you to just keep outlining the plot. Much of the thematic content for your story will come from characters’ thoughts and interactions, so if you’re interested in seeing what the themes of your work might end up being, try creating more detailed outlines, such as scene-by-scene ones, which focus on what your characters say and think in whatever circumstances they find themselves in. Comparing these reactions and interactions will then help you get a sense of what each character believes in, which will really clue you in on what themes run through your story.
Because writing is such a personal and involved process, don’t expect to see themes cropping up right away. When I was working on my first longer work, it took me at least four chapters of actual writing to see some sort of running theme emerge, and that theme wasn’t even a major one, just something that arose from the history between two of my main characters. Sometimes it’s good to pick an issue that you feel strongly about and try making it a theme by incorporating it into various scenes. It may not always go smoothly, but try it out and you may have good results.
In short, I’d say this: because all stories have a point, no matter how plot-driven they may seem to you, when you write them, they will have a theme. Often that theme is inextricably tied to the plot, and comes up without you even seeing it. So don’t worry about it too much, just keep going at it and watch the magic happen…
@Toa_Heatwave Wow, you make it seem like something to very much look forward to, lol. I’ve done LOTS more planning than actual writing, for better or for worse.
Well, there’s not much I can say here that would be of better help than what other people have said, but I will say also that you don’t always need to worry about a theme.
If this is your first time writing, or heck, your first time making a creative work, just focus on getting it done. It shouldn’t matter how good/bad it is or if it has a theme or not, if it’s your first work, all your attention and decisions should go towards making sure a finished product gets made.
If that means maybe reining in the scale of your world, then those are the kinds of decisions you have to make. Then it’s all about sticking to it and making sure you get it finished. Then you’ll have the experience to build on and grow from, and maybe in the future when you’re bigger and better you can re-implement those ideas you might have had to scrap in your first work, or do a reboot, I don’t know…
