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Description
So, you want to write your own story.  Sure, it sounds simple, but there's a whole lot more to it than just writing down words.  Stories have many underlying backbones hidden from the reader; but without them, your story has nothing to live off of.  What are these backbones?  Themes and symbols often tie into each other in story writing.  Symbols can represent themes, and themes can represent symbols.  Themes and symbols often come hand in hand while writing and rely on each other in order to be used to their full potential.  But, one thing is certain, without themes and symbols, your story will suffer.

What is theme?  You've probably heard that term while having to write a book report for class.  So, you probably went on Google and copied an answer off a website without thinking about it twice.  But, what is it exactly?  Themes are universal and reoccurring ideas or things.  Themes can be elusive when you're trying to find them.  This is because they are never directly stated; they are inferred through characters actions and the plot.  You as the writer need to come up with a clever and easy way for the readers to figure out your theme.  Though, that may not always be as easy as it seems.  Themes can give a great level of deep thinking to your story, which can benefit you and your readers greatly.  But, what is an example of theme?

"Justice will always prevail" is one of the most commonly known themes.  This theme can be found in numerous movies dealing with the police or military.   It is also found in the popular manga "Death Note".  This theme is what fueled the entire purpose of the story.  For example, a cop chases a mastermind across the country in an all out high-speed chase.  The mastermind finds ways to weasel out of the cops grasp, but in the end of the story, the cop manages to slap on those handcuffs and lock them away.  Or in Death Note, Light always found a way to deceive those around him in order to cover up him being Kira.  Despite the fact he seemed impossible to beat; Light was found out and finally convicted, because "justice will always prevail".  Even though it was never directly stated, "justice will always prevail"; the cop won in the end, Near and the police agency won in the end.  Do you see?  That is what theme is and how you use it in your story.

Without a good theme, there really isn't anything there to fuel your plot or to give your characters a purpose.  Your theme should be the backbone and centerpiece to focus your plot around.  Your characters actions should mirror that of the theme in order for it to be conveyed.  So, before you start writing your story, think really long and hard to yourself; what is something that you feel to be important?  What's a theme you want to convey in your story?  Once you figure out a theme, find a way to tie your characters actions into it, so the plot can be focused around the general theme.

Now, what is a symbol?  Symbols are a person or an object that represents something much larger than what it really is, usually a theme.  For example, crows are meant to symbolize death, or an impending omen of some sort.  That's why you see in movies, crows hopping around gravestones in a dark and dreary graveyard.  Those crows represent something that is much larger than what they really are; they represent a theme, that theme is death.  Something as simple as water can be a symbol.  Water is often used to symbolize cleansing; rebirth.  This symbolism is derived from Christian Baptisms; where they are submerged in water to be rinsed of impurities, so to speak.  Using "Death Note" again for an example; apples were something commonly represented throughout the story. What those apples were meant to symbolize was the "forbidden fruit".  Apples received this symbolism from Genesis of the Bible, where Eve ate the "forbidden fruit" in the Garden of Eden, which brought sin to the human world.  So, apples are meant to symbolize that sin and corruption; which tied in well with "Death Note" because it was about Light's dramatic shift towards evil.

Symbols are usually used to be tied into a specific theme.  Like the apples in Death Note; the symbolism was never directly stated because they are only inferred.  You as the reader must be able to grasp that yourself; it requires thinking.  You would have to just know that apples symbolize the forbidden fruit then put two and two together.  The apples tie into the theme, because "justice will always prevail", because you have had a taste of the "forbidden fruit".  Make sense?
Your task as the writer is to understand these core concepts so you can put them into your story.  These are beneficial to your story and it's development, as you now know.

So, are you going to start thinking this through for your story?  I sure hope so.

:) (Smile) — Description
So, you want to write your own story.  Sure, it sounds simple, but there's a whole lot more to it than just writing down words.  Stories have many underlying backbones hidden from the reader; but without them, your story has nothing to live off of.  What are these backbones?  Themes and symbols often tie into each other in story writing.  Symbols can represent themes, and themes can represent symbols.  Themes and symbols often come hand in hand while writing and rely on each other in order to be used to their full potential.  But, one thing is certain, without themes and symbols, your story will suffer.

What is theme?  You've probably heard that term while having to write a book report for class.  So, you probably went on Google and copied an answer off a website without thinking about it twice.  But, what is it exactly?  Themes are universal and reoccurring ideas or things.  Themes can be elusive when you're trying to find them.  This is because they are never directly stated; they are inferred through characters actions and the plot.  You as the writer need to come up with a clever and easy way for the readers to figure out your theme.  Though, that may not always be as easy as it seems.  Themes can give a great level of deep thinking to your story, which can benefit you and your readers greatly.  But, what is an example of theme?

"Justice will always prevail" is one of the most commonly known themes.  This theme can be found in numerous movies dealing with the police or military.   It is also found in the popular manga "Death Note".  This theme is what fueled the entire purpose of the story.  For example, a cop chases a mastermind across the country in an all out high-speed chase.  The mastermind finds ways to weasel out of the cops grasp, but in the end of the story, the cop manages to slap on those handcuffs and lock them away.  Or in Death Note, Light always found a way to deceive those around him in order to cover up him being Kira.  Despite the fact he seemed impossible to beat; Light was found out and finally convicted, because "justice will always prevail".  Even though it was never directly stated, "justice will always prevail"; the cop won in the end, Near and the police agency won in the end.  Do you see?  That is what theme is and how you use it in your story.

Without a good theme, there really isn't anything there to fuel your plot or to give your characters a purpose.  Your theme should be the backbone and centerpiece to focus your plot around.  Your characters actions should mirror that of the theme in order for it to be conveyed.  So, before you start writing your story, think really long and hard to yourself; what is something that you feel to be important?  What's a theme you want to convey in your story?  Once you figure out a theme, find a way to tie your characters actions into it, so the plot can be focused around the general theme.

Now, what is a symbol?  Symbols are a person or an object that represents something much larger than what it really is, usually a theme.  For example, crows are meant to symbolize death, or an impending omen of some sort.  That's why you see in movies, crows hopping around gravestones in a dark and dreary graveyard.  Those crows represent something that is much larger than what they really are; they represent a theme, that theme is death.  Something as simple as water can be a symbol.  Water is often used to symbolize cleansing; rebirth.  This symbolism is derived from Christian Baptisms; where they are submerged in water to be rinsed of impurities, so to speak.  Using "Death Note" again for an example; apples were something commonly represented throughout the story. What those apples were meant to symbolize was the "forbidden fruit".  Apples received this symbolism from Genesis of the Bible, where Eve ate the "forbidden fruit" in the Garden of Eden, which brought sin to the human world.  So, apples are meant to symbolize that sin and corruption; which tied in well with "Death Note" because it was about Light's dramatic shift towards evil.

Symbols are usually used to be tied into a specific theme.  Like the apples in Death Note; the symbolism was never directly stated because they are only inferred.  You as the reader must be able to grasp that yourself; it requires thinking.  You would have to just know that apples symbolize the forbidden fruit then put two and two together.  The apples tie into the theme, because "justice will always prevail", because you have had a taste of the "forbidden fruit".  Make sense?
Your task as the writer is to understand these core concepts so you can put them into your story.  These are beneficial to your story and it's development, as you now know.

So, are you going to start thinking this through for your story?  I sure hope so.