A while back, Beth Fred and I were talking about mission statements and the common theme in the books we write. Now, you all know I write across genres and age levels, so you can imagine my reaction when Beth said there must be a common theme in all my books.
Um… Yeah, that was me. I've always said I'm not one to write to trends. I write the stories I feel I need to tell. And that's led me to having a pen name for romance while I write speculative fiction under my own name. But after a while, I realized Beth was right. There IS a common theme in all my books. It's self-discovery.
In my Touch of Death series, Jodi finds out she's a special kind of necromancer descended from the Gorgon Medusa. She struggles with what this means for her and how she'll have to adapt her life now that she's poisonous to humans.
In The Monster Within books, Sam dies of cancer at seventeen and is brought back from the dead as a monster who has to kill to survive. She struggles to figure out where she fits into the world and whether or not she's willing to kill others in order to live.
In Perfect For You (Ashelyn Drake title), Meg is trying to find herself again after having her heart broken in a very public and humiliating way. As much as it's about her finding the right guy, it's about her finding herself.
In A Lion's Song (my most recent picture book), Amara is trying to figure out her place in the pride when she's the only lion who can't roar.
I could keep going with all my books, but I think you can see the common thread. All my MCs are struggling to figure out who they are in this world and what that means for them. So I do have a common theme after all, even if I didn't know I did at the time I wrote these books.
What common theme pops up in your work?
I agree with Beth here, you do have a common theme. I heard this somewhere else too, can't recall where. I think it had to do with branding. The marketing expert said to find a common theme in your works and use it to brand yourself. My common thread - in all my books released and not released - is parallel universes and people with extraordinary gifts. I've been thinking on how I can parlay that into a brand... still thinking. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is for branding purposes, Dawn. That's exactly why Beth encouraged me to find the common theme in my books. Good luck figuring out how to use your common thread in your branding.
DeleteStrangely, orphans seem to be an underlying thread for my writing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, William.
DeleteInteresting. I have no idea what my common theme is, but I'm going to look for it, if it's there. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to bet it is.
DeleteInteresting topic, Kelly! I guess mine would ultimately be life lessons, how they effect and how we accept. We're never too young--or too old to learn something new about life and our ever-evolving selves.
ReplyDeleteVery true, Diedre.
DeleteYour common thread is a universal literary theme. A GREAT one.
ReplyDelete:) Thanks, Mirka.
DeleteSome of my works deal with bullying and abuse. I'll have to think about the others.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you have a common theme in them, Medeia. I didn't think I did until I really went through my books and discovered it.
DeleteHmm, I'll have to think about this one! It's a great question to ask one's self.
ReplyDeleteIt is. I'm glad Beth posed the question to me.
DeleteWhat an interesting post and definitely some good food for thought. Mine might be believe in yourself. But- I need to give this more thought. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
I had to give it real thought and then when I figured it out it seemed so obvious. lol
DeleteAgreed ;) My stories tend to deal with self-discovery too. The characters are usually outcasts.
ReplyDeleteNice!
DeleteI think it's interesting how many books are about self-discovery...perhaps that captures the fact that no matter how long we live, we're always on that quest.
ReplyDeleteThat's very true, Stephanie. I think it's something everyone can relate to.
DeleteMine would be the discovery that one is braver than one thinks.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great theme, Claudine.
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