22 - Themes in Storytelling: Beyond The Single Words
- Renee Ella
- Oct 20, 2025
- 3 min read
If I asked you right now what the theme of your story is, what would you say?
Would your answer be love, sacrifice, friendship?
Here’s your kind wake-up call: single-word “themes” aren’t actually themes (even though that’s exactly what we were taught back in school.)
It’s time to forget what you think you know about themes and discover what it really means for your story.
“Theme may be the most misunderstood of all major aspects of storytelling. Most people think of theme as subject matter, in categories such as moral, psychological and social, citing examples such as death, good vs evil, redemption, class, responsibility, corruption and love.” — John Truby, The Anatomy of Story
What Is a Subject Matter?
Subject matters are the broad concepts your story touches on again and again like grief, loyalty, acceptance, or love versus hate.
The good news? Subject matter tends to weave itself naturally into your story. You don’t need to spend endless hours choosing “the perfect ones” before you even start writing.
What Is a Theme?
Themes go deeper. It’s what your story is saying about those core subject matters.
Themes aren’t usually spelled out on the page. Instead, they’re woven through your plot, your characters’ choices, and the world you’ve created. Themes show up as the lesson, message, or moral your reader walks away with — the thing they feel in their bones after finishing your book.
Themes may require a little more thought and planning than subject matters do but I personally wouldn’t stress about this until after completing the first draft.
“Good writers express their moral vision slowly and subtly, primarily through the story structure and the way the main character deals with a particular situation. Your moral vision is communicated by how your main character pursues his/her goal while competing with one or more opponents and by what they learn, or fail to learn, over the course of this struggle.” — John Truby, The Anatomy of Story
What Themes Are Not vs. What They Are
Love → Love will always overcome hate.
Courage vs Fear → The most important value a person can have is courage.
Communication → Communication is vital, but overcommunication can be destructive.
Acceptance → True happiness is impossible without self-acceptance.
See the difference? Subject matter is the topic. Theme is the truth your story is telling about that topic.
Examples of Themes in Popular Stories
Harry Potter
Subject matter: Love
Theme: Love is the greatest power of all. From Lily’s sacrifice to Harry’s triumph, love is the through-line that shapes the story.
Spiderman
Subject matter: Power
Theme: With great power comes great responsibility. Uncle Ben’s words bring the theme front and center.
Pride and Prejudice
Subject matter: Pride and prejudice (obviously!)
Theme: We must be open-minded and willing to listen before making judgments about others.
Why Themes Matter
Themes are one of the biggest reasons we write stories in the first place. We’re not just stringing together events—we’re saying something about the human experience.
Your theme is the emotional heartbeat of your story. It’s what lingers in your reader long after they’ve closed the book.
So ask yourself: What do I want my readers to walk away with?
What To Do Next
Once you’ve finished the first draft of your novel, try this exercise:
👉 Summarise your story’s theme in 15 words or less.
This one sentence is the message you’re leaving with your readers. The reason your story matters.
Themes aren’t just “big words” like love or loss. They’re the unique perspective only you can bring to the page.
Happy writing,
Renee Ella x
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