The advantages (and challenges) of starting a novel with a theme

Most of the writers that book coach Susan DeFreitas has worked with will start their novels with either a character idea or a plot idea.

But there’s a third camp: those who begin with a theme idea.

This method can be extremely challenging, DeFreitas says, but also extremely rewarding.

She shares the three strengths and three obstacles for novels that start with a theme idea, along with examples of outstanding novels that have chosen this route, in a post on Jane Friedman’s blog.

Related posts 

• What to watch for when starting your novel with a plot idea 

• How to keep your novel on track if you start with a character idea