This is K.M. Wyland and you are listening to the Helping Writers

Become Authors Podcast.

I hope you enjoy this week's episode,

Deepening your story's theme with the thematic square.

How can you deepen your story's theme?

This is a question most writers find themselves asking at one point or another.

And there are many answers. As an inherently abstract concept, theme can

be approached from many different directions and still feel hard to get at.

But as one of the most important factors in creating a story with meaning, cohesion, and

resonance, theme must be approached with practical understanding at least at some point in the writing process.

I've talked extensively on this podcast and in my book writing your story's theme about how

writers can use a practical understanding of plot structure and character

arc to consciously craft and hone integral themes.

Basically, this approach revolves around the realization that character arc reveals and proves theme,

while plot structure creates and unfolds character arc.

In order for any of the big three of plot, character, and theme to truly work,

all three must be in alignment. This means that if you've got a

plot that works or a character arc that works, it's pretty likely you also have a theme that works and if any of the three doesn't work

You'll at least have clear problems to solve on your way to strengthening. That said, are there any other practical tools you can use in deepening your story's theme?

First of all, what does it even mean to deepen theme?

It might mean simply to improve the theme.

But often, writers who are seeking a deeper theme

...