Great stories stay with us. They make us think about or feel things long after we’ve reached the end. That, really, is the point. It’s also the Theme.

How do you want readers to feel after they’ve finished your story? What do you want them to think about?

After reading your story, readers will think about your MC’s growth or change. They’ll also think about what your MC learned along the way. Make sure these parts of your story leave the impression you have in mind.

Don’t tell readers what to think or how to feel. No one likes that. You want to entertain. Everyone likes that.

If you’ve shown your MC’s change and the reasons for the change, readers will get your point. They’ll draw their own conclusions just like they do every day in real life.

Besides, you know showing is tons more effective than telling, right?

Now it’s time to move on to some other tricks writers use to involve readers. Follow the link to Pull Them In.

To practice the tips and techniques on this page, go to the activities page For Themes.