Comments on: Lesson 4 Adding Theme http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/ Where Happily Ever After is Always on the Menu! Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Lyn Cote http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/comment-page-1/#comment-6295 Lyn Cote Thu, 31 May 2007 14:55:38 +0000 http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/#comment-6295 Terri and Melanie, Theme is difficult. But it's all in your character's mind and emotions. Keep prodding their internal conflicts till the theme pops up. Melanie, Yes, those are themes. In an inspirational, it would be stated, "Perfect love casts out fear." And "God looks on the heart while man looks on the outside." Hope this is helping you! Lyn Terri and Melanie,
Theme is difficult. But it’s all in your character’s mind and emotions. Keep prodding their internal conflicts till the theme pops up.
Melanie, Yes, those are themes. In an inspirational, it would be stated, “Perfect love casts out fear.”
And “God looks on the heart while man looks on the outside.”
Hope this is helping you!
Lyn

]]> By: Melanie Dickerson http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/comment-page-1/#comment-5483 Melanie Dickerson Thu, 24 May 2007 20:57:13 +0000 http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/#comment-5483 In my medieval romance, the hero is scarred from a wolf attack many years ago, and even more scarred emotionally from a bad marriage. He falls in love with the heroine, but he doesn't believe she could love him back. The heroine has fear issues. She avoids men and doesn't even realize she's fallen in love with the hero until his life is endangered. There are other themes in the story, but I suppose my romance themes are, beauty is internal not external, and love drives out fear. In my medieval romance, the hero is scarred from a wolf attack many years ago, and even more scarred emotionally from a bad marriage. He falls in love with the heroine, but he doesn’t believe she could love him back.
The heroine has fear issues. She avoids men and doesn’t even realize she’s fallen in love with the hero until his life is endangered.
There are other themes in the story, but I suppose my romance themes are, beauty is internal not external, and love drives out fear.

]]> By: terri prizzi http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/comment-page-1/#comment-5482 terri prizzi Thu, 24 May 2007 20:44:35 +0000 http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/#comment-5482 Misty, Thanks for sharing. Your process is helpful to me because I see how I can apply that to my own work. I think part of the problem lies in that it isn't written yet. LOL! But I think I am getting the idea. terri Misty,

Thanks for sharing. Your process is helpful to me because I see how I can apply that to my own work. I think part of the problem lies in that it isn’t written yet. LOL!

But I think I am getting the idea.

terri

]]> By: Lyn Cote http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/comment-page-1/#comment-5480 Lyn Cote Thu, 24 May 2007 20:31:32 +0000 http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/#comment-5480 I'm so glad that this discussion is bearing fruit for you! I think theme is so essential for a strong proposal and knowing and using it to make your story more powerful can only put you on top of the pile headed into the process that leads to acceptance. Or at least, a personal rejection! And thanks, Kathy, for your gracious offer of a free A NOVEL APPROACH for one participant. You helped me so much! Well, tomorrow is the final lesson! Lyn I’m so glad that this discussion is bearing fruit for you! I think theme is so essential for a strong proposal and knowing and using it to make your story more powerful can only put you on top of the pile headed into the process that leads to acceptance. Or at least, a personal rejection!

And thanks, Kathy, for your gracious offer of a free A NOVEL APPROACH for one participant. You helped me so much!

Well, tomorrow is the final lesson!
Lyn

]]> By: Misty Fanderclai http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/comment-page-1/#comment-5474 Misty Fanderclai Thu, 24 May 2007 19:40:44 +0000 http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/pubbedauthors/2007/05/24/lesson-4-adding-theme/#comment-5474 My theme involves resolving the past too, Terri. My h/h both have muliple conflicts with family and careers, but the internal conflict keeping them apart involves an incident which occurred during their past relationship. Katelynn was accused of stealing a diamond necklace belonging to Nick's mother and was blackmailed into leaving town by Nick's father. Only Kate and HER father know the truth about what happened. Nick believes Kate didn't love him, only used him to obtain access to his mother's necklace in order to steal it. Hence, his dangerous life-truth is: "Women can't be trusted. They only want me for my money/family name/social status." Kate believes if she tells Nick the truth, she'll endanger her father, and Nick won't believe her anyway. Hence, her dangerous life-truth is: "No matter what I do or how successful I am, I'm a failure because of my past. I have to continually try to prove I'm a good person." Epiphanies: Nick figures out Kate did not steal the necklace but took the blame in order to protect her father. Since this action mirrors his own personal code of honor with his family, he realizes she values love and family as much as he does. Kate realizes Nick believes she's a good person when her father dies on her live cooking show and she's accused of poisoning him. When everyone else deserts her, Nick steps in to prove her innocence. Theme: search for truth leads to love My theme involves resolving the past too, Terri. My h/h both have muliple conflicts with family and careers, but the internal conflict keeping them apart involves an incident which occurred during their past relationship. Katelynn was accused of stealing a diamond necklace belonging to Nick’s mother and was blackmailed into leaving town by Nick’s father. Only Kate and HER father know the truth about what happened.

Nick believes Kate didn’t love him, only used him to obtain access to his mother’s necklace in order to steal it. Hence, his dangerous life-truth is: “Women can’t be trusted. They only want me for my money/family name/social status.”

Kate believes if she tells Nick the truth, she’ll endanger her father, and Nick won’t believe her anyway. Hence, her dangerous life-truth is: “No matter what I do or how successful I am, I’m a failure because of my past. I have to continually try to prove I’m a good person.”

Epiphanies: Nick figures out Kate did not steal the necklace but took the blame in order to protect her father. Since this action mirrors his own personal code of honor with his family, he realizes she values love and family as much as he does. Kate realizes Nick believes she’s a good person when her father dies on her live cooking show and she’s accused of poisoning him. When everyone else deserts her, Nick steps in to prove her innocence.

Theme: search for truth leads to love

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