>>33905740>TotT: How much thought do you put into maintaining a strong theme throughout your work?Themes are very important, and often different themes will overlap. I spend a lot of time planning the major theme before I write, because it's something I can continue address with the plot of the story. For more minor themes, as in a topic contained within a single or cluster of chapters, those happen spontaneously. If they work well, then they stick around.
The big-ticket items: Morality, truth, justice, vengeance, they're all ways to elicit emotions. The characters are the ones literally dealing with these overarching themes, but the reader is also a part of their experiences. He or she may be compelled by a theme a certain way, differing from that of a main character. That's why I think having plenty of well-thought-out characters is important. Protagonists, antagonists, supporting cast, and everyone between, they should argue about these things through their actions, and their accompanying tone made appropriate considering their unique perspectives.
>TL;DRHaving a thematic message is a top priority, second to finishing the piece of literature.
