Blogger KRISTI HOLL is the author of 35 books, including WRITER'S FIRST AID.

Writers First Aid

Theme for Your Writing Life

March 4, 2009

theme We have theme parks, themes for parties, and themes for decorating our homes. It implies unity of purpose, whether it’s seeing sea animals at a Sea World theme park, or celebrating with noise makers at a New Year’s Eve party, or decorating our home with a country theme.

Too Many Themes?

Themes help us focus. If we’re decorating our house with a country theme, it makes it easier to know what to include and what to leave out. Yes to the braided rugs and heavy wooden rockers. No to the chrome book shelves and glass end table. Without themes, whether for parties or decorating, you have a jumbled mess.

Turns out, the same is true for your writing.

This year I decided to focus on advanced learning. I knew I had become stagnant, and finally this year I had the opportunity (time) to do something about it. So I set out to do a self-study program. That’s my year-long goal. It included studying books on craft, reading and studying at least one middle-grade novel per week, being in a weekly critique group, and LOTS of writing.

I also had a fairly full life outside of writing, involved with children, grandchildren and church work. In order to fulfill my study program, I found I had to include much more sleep, more exercise, and better eating habits to deal with physical issues that got in the way of the writing.

Goal Overload

Soon I discovered that I had too many goals to fit into any 24-hour day or 6-day work week. It looked good on paper, but there was no wiggle room for life happening. (You know the old saying: “Life is what happens when you’ve made other plans.”) So while I’ve been very productive, 2009 has also been frustrating. I wanted to focus on too many things–and I haven’t had time.

Then I read an article online about themes, and how to apply them to your goals. I had never considered having a writing theme–not until I read Scott Young’s article on “How to Stay Focused.” I’ll quote parts of it, but I encourage you to read the entire post. He said:

Focus is important for making improvements. If your focus is spread too widely, you won’t make much progress. If you can’t stay focused on one project for long, you won’t be able to reach a foothold before you slide back to where you started.

One trick I like to use to stay focused is to decide on a theme for my life. Summed up in only a word or two, this theme gives me a specific direction I want to invest in for several months. Deciding on a theme helps you focus on what is important to you if you find yourself getting off track.

What’s Your Theme?

Have you considered choosing a theme for your writing? I’m working on that right now. I’m breaking down my year into themes of study, marketing, and other writing-related goals. Some themes will probably only last a couple of months. A few will be six months or longer.

I really like the idea of being able to focus on one or two things at a time instead of half a dozen. I believe I’ll get a lot more accomplished that way–and ENJOY myself a lot more! I’m not a multi-tasking writer who can skip happily from one writing project to another (like many writers who can.) I like to work on one manuscript at a time.

Choosing a Theme

Near the end of Scott’s post, he gave three criteria for choosing a life theme, and they are easily adaptable to writing. Here they are:

What do I really want to accomplish?
What accomplishments would benefit my life most right now?
What opportunities do I have, that would make growth easier in one theme?

I’ve listed those three questions in order of importance, but consider all three before you decide on a theme.

It’s Your Party

No one can choose your theme for you, but if you’re overloaded with varied responsibilities, I encourage you to think about these questions in relation to your writing career. Sometimes we are overwhelmed with the advice from others. (”You have to do this in order to be published!”) Few of us live alone on an island, have perfect health, and are independently wealthy. So we can’t do it all, all at the same time. We need to make choices. We need to focus.

Is there a “writing theme” that describes your life right now? What “themes” would you like to see in the coming year? Do you think a “theme” would help you focus and get more done? I’ll be interested to see what you think about themes.

Post tags: focus, goals

Posted in: focusing, goals | |

14 Comments »

I just recently came across your blog, and I am very impressed. I have been really struggling with completely my course study with the Institute and I think your posts will really help. I am going to give the “theme” idea a try. Thank you!

Comment by Caitlin Murphy — March 4, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
Caitlin, thanks for leaving your comment–and your compliment! I do hope the ideas you read here–and none of my ideas are hard to understand–that it will encourage you to complete your studies. I mostly want writers to know that we ALL struggle with so many of the very same issues–and that there are often some fairly simple ways to deal with them. Good luck!

Comment by Kristi Holl — March 4, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
Dear Kristi,
I’ve always written with themes in mind.
Since entering my thirties, my main writing theme which I bring into my poetry and cildren’s literature is my personal theme of my Maternal Lineage. Speaking to my Maternal Grandmother has enabled me to grow in my writing goals for I have been able to stretch my imagination by putting myself in the place of my ancestors. Writing about my Maternal Lineage has been extremely fulfilling!!!

Comment by Camille Hurlburt — March 4, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
Camille, thank you for sharing that! What an unusual theme–and apparently a very fulfilling one. Immediately my mind went to two things–what impact did your grandmother have on you, and also how can I have such an impact on my own grandkids? Fascinating theme!

Comment by Kristi Holl — March 4, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
What an interesting idea; themes for life, sounds like it would simplify things.
If I had to choose a theme right now it would be learning. I am focusing on learning my craft right now by taking a course on writing and reading related books. My theme will probably change by the fall as I chagne focus from actually learning to applying what I have learned; not too sure what I would call that theme yet

Comment by Ally M — March 4, 2009 @ 12:44 pm
I just had another thought as I sent my previous post. I will have a short theme called “Planning” as I plan my next move and transition from “Learning” to “Writing for Life”. :p

Comment by Ally M — March 4, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
Ally, it sounds as if the themes of your writing life are a natural progression. You’re very wise to realize that there is a stage between learning and writing for life. That planning stage (usually involving goal-setting among other things) is critical. It’s a “theme” I have to re-visit about every eighteen months or so. Calling it a theme–and devoting time to it–will make it more helpful and less stressful, I imagine.

Comment by Kristi Holl — March 4, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
This is an interesting thought. I believe I have a themed life and can see how that has eliminated deadweight, but I never thought about themed writing. I have to think about it more. I’m not sure how to apply it. I’d like to hear what the answers to those questions are by other writers who read your blog.

Comment by Beth Mac — March 4, 2009 @ 5:58 pm
Beth, I think this is also why the idea intrigued me. I have a themed life too (service for God, love of family, etc.) but hadn’t applied it to writing. Anything that helps me focus and determine daily priorities is a big help though!

Comment by Kristi Holl — March 5, 2009 @ 5:37 am
So your writing theme might contain layers, like a learning layer, an observing layer, a planning layer, a thinking layer, and a writing layer?

Comment by Beth Mac — March 5, 2009 @ 11:01 am
Beth, I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I guess your theme could easily have layers or branches off the main theme. Or sub-themes. In the article I quoted, the young man once had a theme of “habits,” where he spent the year creating various habits he needed in order to be more successful in his life. There was more than one habit he worked on. I know when I get to my “marketing theme” or emphasis, it’s going to cover several different avenues, online and off.

Comment by Kristi Holl — March 5, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
[...] admin posted a noteworthy aricle today onHere’s a small snippetSoon I discovered that I had too many goals to fit into any 24-hour day or 6-day work week. It looked good on paper, but there was no wiggle room for life happening. (You know the old saying: “Life is what happens when you’ve made other … [...]

Pingback by Ask the leadership coach » Writers First Aid » Theme for Your Writing Life — March 5, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
Hey Kristi,
I’ve been thinking about a theme for my writing, and instead someone presented me with another interesting theme. I was griping to my friends about getting pressure from my family and friends to finish my doctoral degree, whether I wanted to write or not. It was along the lines of “blah blah I hate the UCA, blah blah it’s not up to my standards, blah blah” and my friend said I had a choice “Be bitter, or better.” She got it from a bumper sticker, but I think it’s great for the writers who sit around, grumbling “blah blah” instead of writing. Writer’s Write!

Comment by Samantha Marks — March 12, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
Samantha, that’s a terrific ‘life theme for writing’! Yes, writers write, and there’s no getting around that! And it sure beats grumbling!

Comment by Kristi Holl — March 12, 2009 @ 7:07 pm