In this video, we tackle a common writing challenge: how can you take a familiar theme, like “honesty is the best policy,” and make it feel fresh and original?
We explore how infusing your story with unique characters, settings, and incidents is key, moving beyond general concepts to concrete storytelling choices that are distinctly yours.
I illustrate a powerful technique using the example of a mother and daughter who approach the world differently, exploring the impact this contrast has in both exploring a classic theme and adding conflict and dimension to the story concept.
Hello, Jane Cleland here.
How do I take a familiar theme and make it feel original? This is of course, something that all of us deal with, and the answer is to come up with your own story to use incidents, characters setting that are unique to you. For example, let’s take the idea that honesty is the best policy. Well, this thematic investigation of honesty, integrity, the consequences of telling the truth, of telling a lie has been written about forever.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee.
Crime and Punishment, dostoevsky.
One specific approach to making it your own is to mirror it. For example, how about a mother who believes that honesty is the best policy and never tells a lie, consequences be damned. Let the chips fall where they may. And she ends up hurting people. She ends up scaring people. And then her daughter, you know, takes a different approach. The daughter only tells people what they want to hear. She doesn’t want to offend, she doesn’t want to hurt, she doesn’t think it matters all that much that we be all that honest, but people need support. They need encouragement. Well, these are very different views of the world, and the conflict is an inherent in that mirroring. It sounds like a good book. I’d like to read it. I hope you write it. I know you can do this.
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