Why your Story’s Message Matters Way More Than you Think

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

“Not all that glitters is gold.”

So why the list of wise proverbs? These timeless sayings are just a few examples of what is found in every story since the beginning of time: a message.

When a story lacks a strong message, readers can sense it. Even if they can’t put their finger on it, readers can tell when a story feels weak, when it’s meandering or lacking focus.

So what is a great message for your story and why does it matter so much? Because your message is your story’s north star. So let’s dissect what that means right now, friend.

A story’s message is an age-old adage (wise proverb) that you prove through your hero’s journey.

So for instance, “Let your conscience be your guide”, or “Love conquers all” are all good examples of age-old adages or messages that have been told over and over in fresh, awesome styles.

Having a message helps you narrow in on which character(s) fully embodies this message, at what pivotal point this message is made clear in your story and what obstacles your character(s) will overcome to get there.

But now what’s the difference between a message and a theme? (IS there a difference??)

Now you might be saying “Rae, isn’t theme more important than a message?”

Well, first of all, what’s the difference between theme and a message?

A theme is a general, slightly unspecific idea. For instance, “The quest for power is the underlying theme of the book”.

“A quest for power” doesn’t tell us which way the hero needs to go, which way the villain will go, or how the power will affect their lives.

But a message fully formulates that half-baked thought into a concise, focused idea– like so, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

This tells us a strict path we now need to follow throughout our story. Perhaps our hero is a poor man who gets a BUTTLOAD of money as an inheritance from a dead uncle. So, according to our message, what sort of journey should our hero now experience?

Should he…

A)  Share his inheritance with other needy folks

B) Flounder his inheritance at the casino

C) Buy some revenge he can now afford to take on a boss who fired him after 20 years of service

According to our message, our hero would experience option C – (aka make his ex-boss eat dirt). And thus, absolute power corrupts absolutely. We get the sense that this is a revenge story and that our hero’s mistakes will make it clear to our reader that choices of this kind lead to bad results.

See how a message acts as a north star in your story? It’s like a string that binds your novel together from beginning to end. It will help you make every important decision in your novel.

A message also makes outlining your plot MUCH easier and narrowing in on your story’s overarching climax more simple as well.

So ok sure, a message is important, but how many stories out there actually have a message? Good question compadre *cracks knuckles* allow me to break it down…

People have been telling stories for thousands of years. And the point of each story was to teach a lesson to its listener. So what are some examples of great stories with distinctive messages?:

“Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover”

“Not all that Glitters is Gold”

“Love Conquers All”

There are COUNTLESS more stories I could list here but the point is clearly made: all great stories have a message. And there are countless messages out there eagerly waiting to be chosen by you. Which one will embody your story?

Choose a strong message that you believe in and it will resonate with readers. Use this message as a guide throughout your novel, helping you make decisions that further cement the point.

If you do this you will give the world a powerful story– one for the ages!

What is your favorite book’s message? Think you can narrow in on it? Is it a rags to riches message? A “follow your dreams” type of message? Whatever it may be, share it with me below! I’d love to see what you discover for yourself!