Jabrosky
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As someone who has always had difficulty devising plots, but has recently generated a number of theme ideas, I find this claim that theme rather than plot should provide the base for stories very appealing if not completely liberating. Reflecting on my own previous work, thinking about my themes or messages as I write does help me finish stories even if I don't begin with the theme already in mind.
Any thoughts on this article?
Thematism, to put it succinctly, is the idea that themes are the best bases for stories due to their natural existence as the pith of and inspiration for a written text; plots are merely the byproduct of the means to establish and convey a story’s message. Authors who employ Thematist strategies pay little attention to outlining, let alone think about what should occur in a given chapter or section. Rather, by basing themes at the center of what they write, they keep constant the overall message and meaning of a piece while leaving its narrative side open to revision.
As someone who has always had difficulty devising plots, but has recently generated a number of theme ideas, I find this claim that theme rather than plot should provide the base for stories very appealing if not completely liberating. Reflecting on my own previous work, thinking about my themes or messages as I write does help me finish stories even if I don't begin with the theme already in mind.
Any thoughts on this article?