Since I've been trying to focus on the story lately, today's Thoughtful Thursday is about the struggle to write a coherent story with an underlying theme.
If you haven't already, I highly recommend
Invisible Ink by Brian McDonald
https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Ink-Practical-Building-Resonate/dp/0984178627
His main profession is in script writing for TV/movies. I've found it directly applicable to script-writing for games, with the caption that you (as a writer) need to allow freedom for how the player lives out the story.
The fundamental point I gleaned from Brian's book is about defining a theme (e.g. 'pride goes before destruction') and foreshadowing this throughout the story. Ways you can do this is to have a side character put a question or raise a discussion with the main character in the first act.
I've been listening to
Jane Eyre lately and noticed how Charlotte Bronte uses a secondary character, little Helen Burns, to discuss with Jane how we should not blame others for our actions, but rather serve with love regardless of how people treat use. Although Helen doesn't remain in the story, the rest of Jane Eyre is an exploration of how Jane reacts to different trials caused by other people's actions.
(Jane) "... you are good to those who are good to you. It is all I ever desire to be. If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way: they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse. When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should — so hard as to teach the person who struck us never to do it again."
(Helen) "You will change your mind, I hope, when you grow older: as yet you are but a little untaught girl."
"But I feel this, Helen; I must dislike those who, whatever I do to please them, persist in disliking me; I must resist those who punish me unjustly. It is as natural as that I should love those who show me affection, or submit to punishment when I feel it is deserved."
"Heathens and savage tribes hold that doctrine, but Christians and civilised nations disown it."
"How? I don't understand."
"It is not violence that best overcomes hate — nor vengeance that most certainly heals injury."
"What then?"
"Read the New Testament, and observe what Christ says, and how He acts; make His word your rule, and His conduct your example."
"What does He say?"
"Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you."
