Admittedly, I struggle with the topics of Theme and Dramatic Question. Developing a Theme for the Story is easy. Developing a great Theme and maintaining it throughout the Story is the challenge. The Theme should be stated by a character other than the Hero early in Act 1 then Restated by the Hero at the end of Act 2. Each Scene should either reinforce or discourage the Hero's belief in achieving the Goal of the Theme. There are stories that literally go back and forth with each Scene, a "yes I can" Scene then a "no, I can't" Scene. Because the Theme is first stated by another character it is External or impersonal to the Hero. By the end of Act 2 the Hero has taken ownership of the Theme and Restates it from a personal standpoint. After the Theme is stated, the Dramatic Question is raised of the Hero and the rest of the Story involves answering that question. Think of the Dramatic Question as "do you have what it takes to fulfill the Theme?"
There are endless resources to help you define and refine your Theme and resulting Dramatic Question.
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Story Builder Express Workbook
Non-FictionLearn How to Tell Your Story using the Story Development Tools that got me Published! A step-by-step guide to develop and structure your ideas into a meaningful story that will capture the readers and enhance the great ideas you already have. Experi...
