Use Your Story’s Takeaway (Theme) to Trim Extraneous Content

Note: Choosing a Takeaway doesn’t mean everything in your book will feel the same, or that every character in your book will view the world the same way, which is pushback I often hear from writers who don’t want to be restricted. In fact, your Takeaway will open up multiple directions for your scenes to go while delivering an experience to your reader that feels cohesive and incredibly satisfying (even if they have no idea how you did it – that’s the magic and the behind-the-scenes of writing).

With your Takeaway handy, take a look at each scene, event, action, or character’s reaction you want to include in your book. Does it somehow compare, contrast, mirror, challenge, or support your Takeaway? If it does one of these things, it belongs in your book. If it doesn’t? It’s off-topic and will feel out of place to your reader. Cut it.

A Takeaway Example

Let’s imagine that Blood is Thicker than Water is your Takeaway. Scenes that support this Takeaway will obviously show family bonds that are stronger than anything else in a character’s life.

But… don’t forget to include ideas and scenes that will compare, contrast, mirror, or challenge this Takeaway, such as:

• A subplot showing a dysfunctional family with no loyalty among them, and the result
• A character who has no family trying to find their place in the world
• A storyline where supporting one’s blood relatives results in disaster
• A character who feels burdened by their family, even if the relationships benefit them

PRO TIP: The Theme & Symbolism Thesaurus at One Stop for Writers explores many popular story themes and thematic statements like the ones above that might work for your story.

You can include any number of ideas that revolve around your Takeaway. Remember, if you have a scene that doesn’t fit this bill, take it out, even if you love it (in writing we call this killing your darlings!). If you dig in your heels and leave it in, your readers will miss out on the incredibly satisfying experience of having everything in your book pointing in the same direction as your plot unfolds, leading readers to love and share your book with others.

Once your Takeaway is woven into every scene, you’ll start to see possibilities and connections you didn’t see before, and readers will be pulled deep into your story. With your Takeaway as a guide to what belongs in your book, your message will come through without you having to hit readers over the head with it, and it will linger long after they reach The End.

And those deleted scenes? You can always release them later as bonus material for your loyal readers, or you can include them in a future book that revolves around a different Takeaway. So they’re never really lost.

Defining your Takeaway and ensuring everything you’ve included in your book aligns or evokes it in some way is the secret sauce that will hold your reader’s attention and push their experience over the top. So keep your Takeaway top of mind while you plan and revise your book to make it as impactful as it can be.

Want more practical tips on writing that you can apply to your book today? Take a listen to my brand new podcast, Show, Don’t Tell Writing.

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