Writing Themes

An author whose podcast I follow (TBH, I've yet to read any of his works) intersperses his commentary with the ways in which writing and political and cultural issues are intertwined. He is big on "message" in writing; not a blatant message, but the underlying viewpoint the author holds or adheres to. To him, this is the point of all fiction writing.

My first reaction to this is, if I began a story with the intent of espousing my beliefs, it would be a really crappy story. But I don't think this is what he's saying. I'm hoping he means that a writer's philosophy subconsciously drives his or her narrative. 

I write about everyday life. I have a very ordinary protagonist, generally inhabiting a very ordinary world. I never even have a destination for her in mind when I begin. Things just happen, like they do in the real world. Perhaps they happen a bit more dramatically, but they're not events outside the realm of possibility. She's not abducted by aliens, for example.

When I look back on something I've written, which is rare, I think about the events. I don't try to diagnose the "whys" or the meaning of it all. The story has no profound meaning. That I know of.

They all do have similar archetypes, however. In a nutshell, the main character is thoroughly convinced of what she wants, only to later find out she didn't want that at all. Or she has no idea what she wants and doesn't necessarily recognize it when it she finds it ~ at least at first.

If I look at the similarities across my novellas, what do I find? The first thing that jumps out at me is that almost none of these women have mothers in the picture. Writing a mother character is difficult, because I don't know how a regular mother interacts with her offspring. Probably not the way I experienced it in real life. And my stories have no room in them for psychological drama, at least not that kind. If my protagonist needs a parental figure to confide in, it's going to be her dad. But often in my stories, the parents are gone ~ either distant (physically or emotionally) or flat-out deceased.

Is that a theme? I don't think so. It's a narrative choice. If parents don't play prominently in the story, why are these extra characters even needed? Bear in mind, I write novellas; not lengthy tomes. 

So, do I have a theme? Perhaps. Reviewing my titles, it seems that a big theme is, "No one is going to save you; you have to save yourself". As themes go, I absolutely believe that. And luckily for me, that is also fodder for a compelling storyline.

I don't like thinking about themes too much. That could easily turn my writing too self-conscious. It's one thing if my story naturally settles into one; it's quite another to deliberately aim for it. 

I'll soon be ready to begin another novella. Time will tell whether the theme continues.