Recently I’ve been musing about the relationship between plot and theme in fantasy novels… and how these relate to what a book is about.
Most fantasy readers want an emotional reading experience — to ride the rollercoaster of an epic love story, a desperate quest, or a spine-tingling conflict… or even (increasingly) cosy up with a book that’s a heartwarming hug. The deeper the emotional experience, the more memorable the book — even years after we’ve forgotten the plot details.
So, if a book thrills the reader as they journey through its pages, how much of that comes down to theme and an underlying deeper message?
Beyond the Humming Downs
Several weeks ago, I came across my first journalling notebook for Beyond the Humming Downs (dated 2011). The very first line I wrote stated the book was going to be about—
“an ideological battle: who should have the opportunity to experience ellir? … It is, after all, the soul of the world, why shouldn’t all the peoples of the world have the chance?”
(Ellir is the earth magic or energy of my fantasy world… the main character, Adehl, isn’t supposed to meld with it due to her “tainted blood”.)
As you might imagine, after 14 years of writing and revising that book, I was beyond thrilled to see my original premise held strong until the end.
I knew from the start what the underlying message of Beyond the Humming Downs was going to be, and multiple revisions served to strengthen the messages of hope, kindness and equality. As a result, the book is appealing to readers who look for deeper meaning in books — including many non-fantasy readers among friends and family.
(Which brings me to another thing I’ve been pondering: does deeper meaning give fantasy broader appeal?)
And I realise not all readers search for, or even notice, underlying messages in fantasy adventure-love stories. (My Dad’s blank expression when I mentioned my notebook find is testament to that.) But if a reader doesn’t consciously notice what the author is trying to “say”, perhaps that depth enhances their reading experience regardless.
The Rungakk WIP
The reason for all this deliberation relates to the new fantasy book I’m writing, known as the “Rungakk WIP”. I began this novel differently… for starters, it was going to be a fantasy adventure novella; a light-hearted, fantasy escapade.
Basically, I wanted to explore the lost city of Rungakk in my fantasy world, so I began with the setting and tried to come up with a reason for characters to go there.
I love and adore everything I’ve written of the Rungakk WIP so far. It has interesting characters, heaps more action than Beyond the Humming Downs, and ranger types with animal companions. (Needless to say, it is not precisely light-hearted; nor is it a novella. I ought to have known better.)
But it occurred to me, as I resumed working on the novel after a few years, that I didn’t know what the Rungakk WIP is about beneath the surface.
What am I trying to say with this book? Why am I writing it? Does it matter if I don’t know yet?
What if it doesn’t live up to the quality of Beyond the Humming Downs?
This small crisis prompted a degree of spiralling, and I delved into various writing craft articles collected over the years to refine my thinking. I haven’t written too many first draft novels — I tend to pour everything into the story I’m working on and deepen through revisions, a process that has historically taken years.
But, while I acknowledge I’ll never be an author who can write three books a year, I would really like to improve on a decade (or more) per book. Besides, I was pretty sure the Rungakk book does have something to say… I just needed to figure out what it is.
The good news
After weeks of brainstorming and mapping character arcs, I’ve come to the conclusion I’ve written about half the Rungakk novel, and there will be at least a second book and very likely a third.
On one level, this book/series is a fantasy adventure; on another, it’s a story about the relationship between two sisters. And, deeper down, over a 2–3 book arc, the series will indeed have an underlying meaning that keys in with themes in Beyond the Humming Downs. (Though this will probably evolve as I continue writing… After all, some say discovering what a book is about is the very role of the first draft.)
Although I would rather not have stalled in writing the new book, I’m pleased to have done the work and edged closer to some answers. For one thing, I have more clarity around what needs to happen next, along with insight around the deeper conflicts and stakes at play.
Overall, I believe having some conscious understanding of what my book is about at a deeper level will help me write a better book (without needing five rewrites). This makes me very happy!
Now… back to writing that first draft.