What's your message?

Day.In.Everyones.Shoes — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:30:36 -0500

What do you want readers to take away from your novel? I hope to get people to see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. My story deals a lot with suicide and the inability of humans to take a break during which they don't think, or feel, or worry (in the sense that mammals hibernate, insects go through diapause)--for us it's either deal with all of it or none of it. So I guess the moral of the story is that there may seem to be only one way out, but weathering the storm leads to beauty and a better perspective on life.

Re: What's your message?

Jayne2 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:00:54 -0500

Everything a write seems to deal with the ideas of 'good verses evil' and finding that there is instead a grey area there. In this book I also want to explore the idea of the 'underdog' and being able to do something to help someone regardless of where you are or where you have been - instead I want there to be known that where you're going matters the most. Or I just want them to have a good read...whatever works :P. I might edit back late October when my outline is done to see if there is anything else I could add...

Re: What's your message?

jefflion — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:04:13 -0500

Your message seems really serious, but I like it. Sounds like something worth reading. My novel... Let me see. I think it's about the fact bad things, heavy things, seem "normal" if you're used to them. And that only after something shakes you up you realize how awkward it was, but it doesn't matter, because that's the only life you know and it made you who you are. Oh, and it's also about following your dreams, no matter what. PS- Yes, I know "message" is an overused and abused word. But I do think knowing what you want to invoke with your novel/what you want to say is ok. As long as you demand for people to interpret your novel the exact same way you do.

Re: What's your message?

jefflion — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:05:20 -0500

I like the idea of the grey area.

Re: What's your message?

Beacon80 — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:06:58 -0500

I myself was at a bit of a loss when I started getting an idea for a story about angels. I shed organized religion for Agnosticism a long time ago. I wasn't sure how I could possibly do the story justice. Then in a moment of clarity, I realized that instead of trying to have my main character discover some sort of answer that I myself never could, I could focus on her learning how to ask the right questions. And that's what I want people to take away from my novel. That faith, no matter its form, doesn't require you to have all the answers, as long as you know what questions you want to be asking.

Re: What's your message?

brianarants — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:11:19 -0500

I'm not sure I have a message...well according to my title maybe I do. Basically, it's about letting go, moving on. At least I think. Yeah, it's the exact opposite of my title. Ugh, never mind. I don't know yet. I'm going to have to work on that.

Re: What's your message?

kitandkat — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:27:14 -0500

Mine did start with a theme or idea, along with my main character - I wanted to write a book from the perspective of a cancer patient. There are LOTS of books with characters who have cancer, but they're usually secondary characters and often only serve to further the development of the other characters. Some of these, I think, are well-written... but I've always wanted to read something from that character's perspective. Surely they are growing from their experience too and they aren't in wise/inspirational mode all the time. How does the disease affect THEIR daily life and relationships? The message is more to normalize the experience, and help people understand what it's like. I've had cancer and some other serious illnesses, and often peoples' reactions are either a) "How do you do all of it?!?! I could never do it." (because I totally wake up some days and just decide, "You know, I want to have a brain tumour today. That's ALWAYS what I've wanted to do with my life") or b) "You are sooooooooo inspirational to me." Which almost always, unless I know you well and you are paying me a genuine compliment, comes out like you pity me and are just using my disease to make you feel better about your life. I'm more than my disease, and I want people to see that in this character. Then there are the people who just cannot function once they find out I've had cancer or the other diseases/problems, and totally ignore me or the opposite, totally ignore the effects it might have on my life and pretend like it doesn't exist (because yes, I have lasting side effects/disabilities, and you ignoring them makes it that much harder for me to be able to function normally). So I hope to make them more comfortable with relating to someone with cancer or another serious illness by being able to read about my character's life and realizing that maybe they have things in common even if she has a life-threatening disease and they don't. So hopefully what people get from my novel is what it can be like to live as a cancer patient (my main character, by the way, has in some ways a totally different outlook toward her disease than I do, which is purposeful because I thought it would be interesting to explore another perspective) and moreover that she's just a normal person and you can still relate to someone even if they have a disease that seems scary to you.

Re: What's your message?

kitandkat — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:30:47 -0500

I love your message! That's kind-of how I view my life, people are always asking me how I "cope" or whatever but it's just normal to me. I often don't realize how bad some of the things in my life could have been until after. I kind-of said more in my message, so I won't repeat myself, but your book sounds really interesting.

Re: What's your message?

JMGilligan — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:39:06 -0500

I love that your message isn't all about the wise/inspirational side of dealing with cancer. I have a friend who has been battling a disease for 4 years and I can honestly say I've learned as much (if not more) from the times I've seen her struggling to cope as I have from the times when she handles it all with grace and makes it look effortless. I think the struggles just make the grace moments even more astonishing, if that makes any sense.

Re: What's your message?

JMGilligan — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:45:16 -0500

I was just thinking about the message of my story. My MC is dealing with all kinds of teenage woes. He feels pressure from his dad, deals with being labeled as a bully due to the company he keeps, and worries he'll end up like his mom who abandoned the family - and that's all in the backstory. I think his message is to be true to who you are and don't let others define you.

Re: What's your message?

fredtheflyingfish — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:55:55 -0500

I haven't finished planning all of my story yet, but as of right now my message is, like my title, about hope. Mostly about how hope can be found in the most unlikely of places from the strangest sources, but that it is always there.Even if you can't always see it, things always can get better.

Re: What's your message?

AmericanGirl — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:26:52 -0500

My message is also about hope. It's about how much it sucks to be an outsider in your own family, and be trapped as a teenager in a life you don't like, but that eventually you grow up and get to leave and make your own life.

Re: What's your message?

im_a_riting_rebel — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:28:24 -0500

My messages all tend to lean towards the truth, or the inability to really distinguish truth. After all, "truth" - whatever it is - changes depending on perception. I feel that there is a difference between fact and truth. Truth is very difficult to pinpoint and I like to point that out. I also like to cover the gray area. None of my characters are all good or all bad. Even my antagonist. There are redeeming qualities in everyone, so there are no "good guys" or "bad guys," even if I sometimes refer to them as such because it's easier while explaining. Those two usually show up in all my stories, but this NaNo has those plus its own message: balance. You can't have night without day, happiness without sadness, good without bad. Balance in the world is important. If everything is happy, then nothing is happy, because you have no comparison. Does that make sense? I feel like I'm over-explaining.

Re: What's your message?

myyearinlists — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:40:02 -0500

Ugh, there are a lot of gray areas and clashing ideas in my story, but basically, it boils down to these three points: - Science in and of itself isn't immoral, though people often use it in dubious ways. It can be as dangerous as it is useful, but ultimately, knowledge is better than ignorance. - Xenophobia isn't cool. Even when you're dealing with a clone of yourself grown in Russia. - This is the big one: the government is often corrupt, especially when it comes to starting an unnecessary war so that defense contractors can profit. When you figure this out, you're going to want to revolt, start a revolution, tell everyone - but the honest truth is, you're one person. There's next to nothing you can do, and the people in power will probably not hesitate to consider you collateral damage - look at what happened to David Kelly. You won't always save the day. They're all kind of depressing messages, huh? There's no It Gets Better campaign to be had here. I just really want to write a YA story with a serious downer ending, where the spunky kid doesn't outsmart the grown-ups and save the day.

Re: What's your message?

im_a_riting_rebel — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:26:40 -0500

That was my goal last year. I have no positive messages in last year's NaNoNovel, at least none that I can find. Good luck! It's really fun to write a downer ending, actually.

Re: What's your message?

Chautona — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:17:23 -0500

Summarized as concisely as possible-- Vengeance has a short-lived satisfaction. It has a voracious appetite that, if not killed, eventually consumes you.

Re: What's your message?

Dennis Dunjinman — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:27:26 -0500

The message in my story is "The terms 'hero' and 'villain' are often misused. A hero is a person that wakes up every day trying to make the world a better place". It's a place where everyone has varying degrees of extraordinary, and my hero is relatively unendowed compared to many other higher-order heroes. But he's also the one who makes effort to make sense of an insidious crisis going on before it destroys his home. He begins his quest on the simple basis that he wants freedom, and continues when he finds out that something is defintely not right out there. I don't see why so many stories need downer endings and downer messages. I'm actually hoping to downplay the ugly parts (in this case, division by fear and domination by corporate mercenaries in the wake of an alien invasion) by showing they are there, but not making too large a deal of them. But then again, I am planning for the hero to win and then end up discredited (or at least, someone tries to discredit him but only succeeds in fading him to obscurity rather than infamy due to a lack of evidence he did anything wrong, and then the hero vanishes without a trace). Even with a "bad ending", he still shall emerge victorious and his efforts will not be in vain.

Re: What's your message?

EricASatchwill — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:44:03 -0500

I know the feeling. Mostly I didn't realize how bad things were until they got better, but they did, and now I'm glad for it.

Re: What's your message?

EricASatchwill — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:53:22 -0500

I love that message. As someone who is just now moving *towards* organized religion, I feel that knowing how to ask questions is the key to figuring out what you believe, and that it's ok for that to change over time :)

Re: What's your message?

EricASatchwill — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:57:17 -0500

Mine's about diversity, acceptance, and fighting for the right to exist. It's a reaction to #yesGayYA, so a lot of it has to do with queer themes, and deals with racism and ableism. And with all that, I'm hoping it doesn't come off too terribly beating-you-over-the-head-with-it, message-wise >.>

Re: What's your message?

EricASatchwill — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:09:56 -0500

I get very similar reactions when people find out I'm trans. A lot of "you're so brave!"s, "I can't imagine what that would be like!"s and questions that, while I personally don't mind answering, are way more personal than what you'd ask anyone else. One person even said she was "honoured to meet someone like me," which I never quite understood.

Re: What's your message?

Mz_Ima_Hoot_likes_to_write_too — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:35:42 -0500

I hope readers are more able to accept themselves for who they are and to realize they have a lot to offer-they don't need to change who they are to make others happy. I also want them to realize that happiness comes from within and that there's more to life than a boyfriend or girlfriend. Other people don't make us who we are but rather enhance our lives.

Re: What's your message?

EricASatchwill — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:37:05 -0500

Kudos. I think downer messages are just as important as happy endings, even(especially?) for youth who are just starting to find out that the world isn't all fluffy bunnies.

Re: What's your message?

A.Rose — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:47:05 -0500

Mine deals with temptation - so I'm aiming for my message to deal with surviving peer pressure. Let's hope I can pull it off well.

Re: What's your message?

ValerieValerah — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:18:36 -0500

Message, ugh! Haven't really thought about it. I am writing about a girl who makes a really stupid mistake, but doesn't know why she did it. So in a large part my novel is going to be about regret and how the MC learns to cope with it. This topic also got me thinking about YA/MG books and how they are often expected to teach something. Do we expect the same from adult books? How did a book's message/theme/ get morphed into a moral?

Re: What's your message?

kitandkat — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:39:17 -0500

@JMGilligan - yeah, that totally makes sense! I guess that's kind-of what I was getting at when I differentiated between real compliments and fake inspirational stuff. I've definitely felt like I had a deeper appreciation for my friends/family when I've seen their low moments too - not because I feel bad for them but because I've seen how whatever they are dealing with has affected them so I can better appreciate the strength it took for them to transcend that. I like your message too, I think it's something most teens could probably relate to and something that I think is important to figure out :) @EricASatchwill - oooh yes, the questions. I think FMC has that more when she is getting active treatment; very few people in her teen/adult life know about her disease (as a teen/adult it's controlled by daily medication; as a kid that wasn't available yet so she has more active treatment like chemo, etc.but then it came back). But I think that's also part of why she is so private. I used to get a lot of questions because I'm really short for my age; now, it's only with certain populations (like everyone at airports... do not get). But I will definitely make sure to include those... The "honoured to meet" thing IS weird. In middle school I had surgery on my feet and one day one of my teachers held me back after class and had this like 15-minute-long conversation about how inspiring I was to her and now she wasn't afraid of the back surgery she was going to have. Most awkward conversation of my life... haha. It seems like your book has sort-of similar themes, as in accepting people for who they are and seeing past their differences. It sounds like something I would like to read, especially because I don't know much about the queer community at all, so hopefully I would learn something from it.

Re: What's your message?

Chautona — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:13:18 -0500

I think there is always a moral (or lack of one) emphasized in any book. Think about the classics, the new wildly successful authors etc... you can find a theme in any of them that has a moral (or deliberate lack of one).

Re: What's your message?

Gatcha — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:50:54 -0500

Hmm...since mine will most likely be a story about a teen who gets obsessed with learning is dead grandfather's secrets and will probably include a girl who has unrequited feelings for said boy, the message will probably be something about the importance of learning how to let go. Although I've always wanted to write about the pitfalls of vanity and greed...I hope I can somehow include that too, without making the story sound too preachy.

Re: What's your message?

justkate — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:04:37 -0500

My MC judges her 'antagonist' because she's 'perfect' - good grades, perfect friends, perfect looks, everything. The 'antagonist' isn't really antagonizing at all - it's my MC's desire to break free from her mother's idea of her perfectly tailored life that makes her despise the girl her mother wanted her to be just like. The antagonist, in reality, isn't really as snobby as she is proud, a distinction my MC makes later in the novel. I want people to take away not only that we sometimes despise what we envy, but that when people are pushing us to do bigger and better things, it's not because they think we're not good enough - it's because they know we are capable of anything.

Re: What's your message?

August. — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:10:29 -0500

Lie, cheat, steal, manipulate people, cause unnecessary confusion and drama, put your friends in bad situations, spend most of your time drunk and never study. It will at least be interesting, and you will learn invaluable life skills for extricating yourself from trouble! Possibly I am not very good at messages.

Re: What's your message?

jefflion — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:24:58 -0500

I am a bit surprised when I see people are shocked about my life. Most of them give me the "oooh, that must have been tough", or "what is like to... " speech. And I'm confused, because that's the only life I know. Now that I think about it, there were some crappy stuff (a parent's suicide, another parent's alcoholism, war and economic embargo), and no, it wasn't fun, but those were my teen years and I don't know what is like to grow up without it. I still managed to find the time to all the "usual" teen drama (first love, highschool problems, mean popular girls, etc. ) I guess what I'm saying is that only when somebody point it to me I realize how crazy the whole situation was. My novel is about some of those things, namely, suicide in the family on one hand and dealing with autism (Asperger's syndrome to be exact) on the other.

Re: What's your message?

EricASatchwill — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:01:48 -0500

Just read your full synopsis; yours looks really interesting, too! Definitely something I'm interested in reading now. And I'd hazard that studying in Scotland *corrected* your spelling, but then I'm a Canadian who leans towards UK in most things ;) I hope mine does come off as educational as well as entertaining. Queer issues are near and dear to me (imagine that) and I want kids like me to have something they can relate to, and other kids to realize that there's more to the world than the 'normalized' society that would deny that either of us exist :P

Re: What's your message?

jefflion — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:17:03 -0500

Now, when it comes to my novel, I tell the story from the MC's POV (obviously), so the heavy things are quite peripheral, because she's not aware how bad they are. I will explore some of those heavy issues in the climax, though. But most of the time, they will be pushed to the background- because they are part of MC's life, just like other, "normal" things.

Re: What's your message?

Deebauch — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:17:48 -0500

Hm, I guess that the unexamined life isn't something something :) I hate conformity for conformity's sake, and I think people can interact happily without a set of rules and characteristics they must follow to make others feel comfortable, and I think that comes across loud and clear.

Re: What's your message?

jefflion — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:30:12 -0500

I absolutely love your message. You're right: cancer patients are often used for inspirational purposes and authors rarely make an effort to normalize the experience. As if authors forget that people are not their illnesses, or their sexual orientation, gender identity, or their race. My grandmother survived two cancers and she never let people pity her, patronize her or see her as an inspiration. I'd love to read your story.

Re: What's your message?

Stoloniferous — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:42:08 -0500

Oooh, I like what you are up to, Beacon. Mine will be about a youth who comes to question and ultimately reject his (fictional) religion. Hopefully it will encourage readers to ask serious questions about their own beliefs.

Re: What's your message?

Stoloniferous — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:44:00 -0500

kitandkat - I hope I'll be able to read your novel when it is ready!

Re: What's your message?

WrittenWord — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:52:08 -0500

I'm not sure what my message is, exactly. I'm writing a book from the perspective of a high school boy who lives in Arlington, from July 4, 2000 - probably June something 2004, when he graduates, so it's going to show the shift in both the country's mentality and also in his personal life from a pre- to post-9/11 world. My target audience is the 11-17 age group, and the children in that group barely, if at all, remember a world before the Age of Terror. At most, they would have been seven years old when the Twin Towers fell, so a world of invasive TSA screening and Terror Alerts is more or less all they know. I guess the point of the book is that life can change in an instant, and even if it seems devastating at first, it can bring about positive changes in the long run...

Re: What's your message?

Cubby 2000 — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:17:32 -0500

Mine is something along the lines of 'value what you have'. The novel entails one (particularly hedonistic) character following his dead brother's letters across the country, but not only do these letters lead him to clues surrounding his brother's death, but lead him to places/characters which teach him the value of family/friendship/education/trust etc. Basically, the message I'd like people to take away is to just count your blessings.

Re: What's your message?

kitandkat — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:29:45 -0500

@EricASatchwell - haha I actually like the UK system better (some of their punctuation rules make more sense to me... and I'm just a fan of the UK in general) but I get in trouble for it at school ;) It's probably more of an issue when I get lazy and switch between systems in the same paragraph without even realising it. Most of my novel documents are set to UK English. I should *probably* pick one and stick with it, but that's no fun. And yes, I agree with you, I hope mine is educational and entertaining for the same reason. @jefflion - I think I'm going to end up doing my senior thesis on this topic. I'm glad you can relate because of your grandmother's experience, I hope she is doing well. @Stoloniferous - Thanks!

Re: What's your message?

jutsihh — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:07:35 -0500

I hadn't really thought of the message until reading this thread - but yeah, as it turns out, I do actually have one, even though I hadn't thought of it. I guess it's simply a follow-your-dreams kind of thing; you can do the things that *you* want to do, even if other people don't understand why you would want to do them. And also that you can find happiness in the weirdest, most unexpected places. It has really bothered me lately, how a lot of people seem to think that the only way to happiness is getting married, having two or three kids, a good, steady job and a nice house. (Well, usually it's the people who have all those things and are happy with it... obviously... but still!) I guess I want to point out that it's not always the case and that the model doesn't fit everyone. Or something.

Re: What's your message?

DefyGravy — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:10:12 -0500

Loyalty=important. The whole story is the relationship between eight really good friends. One defects to the dark side halfway through and all of them (including the traitor) are absolutely crushed. Never mind the remaining seven are trying to save the world, what actually matters is them surviving the betrayal.

Re: What's your message?

Pashleyy — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:34:12 -0500

My message is this: "What we think, we become."

Re: What's your message?

daqu — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:34:28 -0500

I guess something like…evil isn't always where you think it is, and…well, yeah, pretty much something like that. And that there is no such thing as absolute good or absolute evil. The most monstrous character in my story has a few redeeming qualities, and my most virtuous character goes back on her principles and dips a little into the realm of evil in order to get what she wants.

Re: What's your message?

Eika — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:10:29 -0500

Based on my last completed story, the message is probably: It's never good to let someone be demonically possessed.

Re: What's your message?

Artaxiad Prescott — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:39:30 -0500

Violence is bad and ends in making everyone miserable. I didn't mean for that to be the "message", but whatever, I can roll with it.

Re: What's your message?

Lempicka — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:18:48 -0500

I ... don't have one. I just want to write an entertaining story, so I haven't intentionally thought up a message and can't really see one emerging from what I have planned.

Re: What's your message?

muffinsplanned — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:03:45 -0500

My message typically becomes more clear as I write. I'm not much of a planner and tend to take the tsory where the character goes. But the general idea is that the writer will take hope from the story, hope that even though life is dire and seem like there is not much of a future, fighting for it will get you there. And, helping people always pays off in some ways.

Re: What's your message?

indigowriter — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:45:05 -0500

My message is currently that we all have our things. No one has it all worked out, and everyone's past plays a part in who they are today. I'll be focusing mainly on why people are who they are based on their pasts.

Re: What's your message?

lizo27 — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:28:07 -0500

I guess it could be summed up as: Good motivations don't always make good people, and things aren't always as clear-cut as they seem.

Re: What's your message?

Ender Delphiki — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:22:18 -0500

Don't be someone you are not. My story makes the illusion from the start that making smart decisions is the way to go, but that's not the message at all, and in fact, all the characters who think their decisions through before making them wind up 'losing' in the end. Sometimes it's not about the decisions that are important. Those can be redeemed. It's who you are. That cannot be redeemed.

Re: What's your message?

Agent Pendergast — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:22:12 -0500

Burned fur is not edible . REMOVE the fur before cooking..and the inards. Can openers are more beloved than baby jesus.

Re: What's your message?

Joselyn — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:58:10 -0500

That sounds really awesome. It's something really interesting and good to experiment with in terms of organized religion, because organized religion, I think, seems to have so many "rules" to people, and exploring your faith by asking questions is something I think can get a little lost in that sometimes.

Re: What's your message?

Joselyn — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:59:59 -0500

Well, I tend to only have vague ideas of my novel's message before I write, but, um, something about death, I think. Hopefully not in a cliched or morbid way LOL. Really, I guess, it's about looking at life and figuring out what it all means. Or something.

Re: What's your message?

lindseymatysik — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:02:43 -0500

You are not the sum of your parent's mistakes. You do not need to live with their regrets. On a more broad level, I also have "it's time to let go. Move on. Do not dwell."

Re: What's your message?

KatrinasForest — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:23:59 -0500

The message I'd like readers to take away form my novel is, "Hey, reading doesn't suck." If it means something to them beyond that, bonus points. :)

Re: What's your message?

JennyGibali — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:03:18 -0500

I'm finishing my two previous nano novels, so I'll tell ya both my messages. Er, what I think they are... :P One is about waiting and deciding to enjoy life in the process. The other is finding who you are and being happy with it. :) Ha! Rather classic messages I guess. :P :)

Re: What's your message?

JennyGibali — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:05:42 -0500

Nice! Mine has the "be YOU" goin' on too. :)

Re: What's your message?

Lynnielois — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:54:49 -0500

My message is either, A. True love conquers all. B. God is there through it all. OR C. You can learn something from everyone in the world. It's your choice if you use it or not.

Re: What's your message?

agalamode — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:39:56 -0500

Not sure...affairs are bad. Do not have affairs, especially with your two best guy friends and a guy whom you met while studying abroad in the States. That was the half-serious, half-joking version. My novel is mainly about a girl and her fatal flaw- indecisiveness. It's about how her indecisiveness turns into deceit and ends up backfiring on her. At the end, she is left with nobody except for her two daughters. I need to work on a message, but for now, I will stick with some mistakes are permanent, and it's best not to live a lie.

Re: What's your message?

lizo27 — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:45:28 -0500

Ha! The ideal message for any YA writer.

Re: What's your message?

bissybear — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:27:20 -0500

I had a bit of an epiphany today while trying to think of the message of my novel, so I feel like I have to post it here. Basically the main idea is that you have to tell the people you love that you love them, and not be afraid to do so. My MC is a bit of a commitment-phobe and constantly holds people at arms length - even his best friend, who he says is the most important person in his life. Throughout the novel, I kind of plan on having him learn that it's okay to tell people you care about them. To be honest, I kind of got inspired by John Green because I was listening to the book club episode he did for the podcast Smartmouths, and he talks about how almost taboo it is to tell people we love them, and enjoy spending time with them. I don't know, it's a bit of a work in progress, but I'm liking it so far :)

Re: What's your message?

Cossette729 — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:28:04 -0500

I always write YA and the only message I really ever care about is: "You are not alone."

Re: What's your message?

LightlessRain — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:49:37 -0500

Hmm...I think my message is something along the lines of "When things seem dark in your life, holding onto even the smallest of hopes will help you get through." Basically put, it means finding "light" inside yourself, in the middle of "darkness". I guess it's metaphorical, in a way.

Re: What's your message?

Lisiche — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:41:30 -0500

I really hope no one takes a message out of my story because if they do it would be something like: "You're not special, no one loves you, life sucks." ...and, well, yeah there's a lot of that in there but it's not PERSONAL. XD It's just a great big slog through trials and tribulations alongside people with very different goals and priorities. No betrayal is out of spite, no abandonment out of malice; there is affection but it's tempered with the knowledge that the end-goal is far more important in the scheme of things and that affection can't be allowed to endanger it.

Re: What's your message?

ItMustBeThomas — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:15:16 -0500

My message is probably going to be: "It's okay to dream but look around you every once and a while; you've got a lot already." or something like that.

Re: What's your message?

Vyctori — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:04:59 -0500

I don't leave messages I write stories that I think are interesting and let the reader take what they want from it.

Re: What's your message?

7Babbitt — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 01:04:46 -0500

Not so much a message, but I find myself writing about the weight of the past and how to deal with the consequences of past sins even when the protagonist herself/himself didn't do anything wrong. (I might be thinking of white privilege in particular.) "Sins of the father" is too specific a way to put it because those stories always end in redemption (ie, somehow making up for the past sin) or proving to oneself and others that one is different. There's not getting off that easy-- this is more complex than that and the message is accordingly the same. I think you could generically boil it (and my other stuff) down to "actively engage with the wider world around you."

Re: What's your message?

kimby — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:40:08 -0500

Family... it isn't just blood. And sometimes the family that is blood is bat tushied crazy.

Re: What's your message?

mariah125 — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:23:48 -0500

Ugh, messages. No offense, but when someone can easily come up with an definite reply to this thread, that should sound an alert in your head. Just sayin'. My main character makes all the wrong decisions (in my eyes anyway). She falls in love with someone who she has nothing in common with. She gives up a desirable career in mathematics to pursue this romantic interest. She fails to realize when she's being manipulated by him and the officials (but then again, she is autistic, so she can't really see these things). And in the end, she opts for a neurosurgical procedure that basically "corrects" her autism. This is why I never write with a message. My novel is not a guidebook about love and autism and society - it's an exploration of these things. BUT, if I wanted to get a point across to my readers, I wouldn't change a thing. I find cautionary tales to be far more effective than preachy books that basically put a viewpoint into practice. And although I've made it clear that I disagree with my protagonist's choices, my novel's dystopia isn't a place where making the "right" choices necessarily helps you in the end. And our world isn't like that, either. Just a healthy dose of cynism for you guys. :)

Re: What's your message?

Ronka — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:02:04 -0500

I haven't really planned any message, but if I sit down and think, I guess it's about learning your own limitations and understanding that the optimistic world you imagine isn't always the world that exists. It's kind of a somber message, especially considering mine's a doofy superhero story, but I think that's what Cliff (my MC)'s journey is about-- it's a reality check.

Re: What's your message?

Myushi — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:04:32 -0500

My message is either going to be A Wait until you're mentally ready for children or else you're gonna go through hell as a parent B Don't become a babysitter C Don't be a lazy parent My novel is basically a story about the summer and fall I spent babysitting (it's still going on), so I'm not sure I'm gonna send much of a message that isn't along the lines of "Kids are crazy"

Re: What's your message?

AdrienEtienne — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:29:00 -0500

I'm not sure message is exactly the right word, but some sort of motivations/themes that are showing up in my planning (and that characters keep telling me all about)... 1) People can do extraordinary things in bad situations and not even realize it because they are just trying to cope with that situation and keep moving forward. Basically, people rise to challenges I guess. 2) Gender/sexuality/sex do not make a person, and all people deserve respect as people regardless of anything else. I guess that this is partially from my own perspective as a bi, trans (FtM) guy. It sort of creeps into everything I write. But it actually looks like it is going to come up in a plot relevant and important way this year because of a fight that two characters seem determined to get in about one of them being an idiot towards a third character. 3) The future can always surprise you, no matter how good your plans are (because when a cast that is almost entirely pre-cognizant is routinely surprised, mere-mortals shouldn't expect not to be). Adrien Etienne

Re: What's your message?

bissybear — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:55:13 -0500

To be fair though, I don't think a lot of people write with a message in mind; they may just sort of realize there is one there during the planning/writing process, and it can also help give the characters/plot some direction (at least in my case it did).

Re: What's your message?

mariah125 — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:07:11 -0500

I think it's different for everyone. Some people can actually pull off the whole message thing - J.K. Rowling did it brilliantly, in my opinion. But for beginning authors, I think it's more important to write from your heart rather than your head. I also think it's important to portray your method in a setting/world other than the obvious, to show that it's true throughout the spectrum of human experience. However, what you say is true - but I think THEMES are much better for this purpose than messages.

Re: What's your message?

bissybear — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:06:28 -0500

Very true. And I definitely agree that theme is probably a better word, mainly because of the negative connotations that 'message' has.

Re: What's your message?

incroyable — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:47:00 -0500

Since mine is mainly literary/character driven, it's entire purpose is to make one think, leading to messages and morals. Nothing lasts forever, and you should cherish what you have while you have them. FMC grew up during the Roaring 20s, now is living through the Great Depression, and while her family is still well-off (coming from old money and her father being a professor), she is aware of the suffering of those around her. Then her best friend/soul mate dies of pneumonia after she realizes how important he is to her (he has polio). Conventional beauty should be overlooked. FMC has a lovely, natural beauty and is surrounded by other beautiful people (best girl friend, family, high society). She falls for the new boy (with polio) after seeing only his upper body, then is weary to get to know him when she finds he's diseased and in a wheel chair. But their relationship is the best she has ever had and will have.

Re: What's your message?

Flenzaikie — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:29:28 -0500

Oh. Message. Right. Well, I don't write with a message in mind (apart from hoping for people to have a good read) and when I'm required to write a message, it always ends up being way too forced. But I think it ended up as 'the things you do affect people, whether done with good or bad intentions.' Either that or survival of the fittest.

Re: What's your message?

littlehurricane — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:09:02 -0500

I love the idea of the grey area, as well.

Re: What's your message?

MTeson — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:18:04 -0500

My book is a story where a girl discovers some alternative phiolosophies of life, from existentialism to emotivism to zen. So I would guess that the message of my story is that there is no message. Or rather, that your life is the message. :)

Re: What's your message?

LDRobwell — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:50:56 -0500

It's okay to use drugs and have sex. Not really. I like to ask questions not give answers. I hope any reader walks away saying "why did this happen?" And what is "lust"?

Re: What's your message?

SailorEm — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:06:50 -0500

My aim is always to entertain, first and foremost as I see books as an escape from our daily (real life) lives. After that comes education, where I have one moral I want to push for each novel. So as long as I can entertain my readers and teach them a little life lesson like share your toys or eat all your vegetables (or don't drink when you shouldn't because then when you're kidnapped you don't have all your faculties on you haha <- actually used this one), I feel I've contributed to the world in a positive way and I'm very happy with my work. :D

Re: What's your message?

thelazyafternoon — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:18:24 -0500

Mine's about choosing between the life expected of you and the life you want, and the sort of discovery that sometimes the "bad" isn't always so bad and that the "grass on the other side" might be a little greener, but not that much so. That just as you mature and experience life and relationships you learn to deal with things much differently than you would have thought you might.

Re: What's your message?

Arianna Erlaine — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:09:36 -0500

Uh. Message? There has to be a message? Uhm... "It could always be worse"? xD Mine's an adventure story in which the main character grows up, but it's growing up in the sense of I-survived-a-terrible-war rather than I-had-a-coming-of-age-moment. She has bouts of homesickness that would be typical of anyone her age, none of her loved ones save her, and she doesn't save herself. There is, at the end, a fortunate coincidence in which the biggest mystery is explained (to the reader more than to the character, but still explained) and she gets to go home alive. Nothing significant has changed at home, and the entire episode is only a footnote in the annuls of a nation's history, if that. She lives 'happily ever after,' but with horrible nightmares and a loss of innocence, partially dissociated from the rest of her society due to the extreme strangeness of her experiences. I don't think of stories with messages, at least not deliberately, not if I want anyone to read them (/I/ wouldn't read them). I just write stories. Does there /have/ to be a message?

Re: What's your message?

TheArchimage — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:04:32 -0500

My story has two messages. The first is, "If you focus your energies on 'what might have been', you will never be able to learn from and appreciate 'what is'." Some characters deal with this in a direct fashion; they have a past or previous bad decisions they feel responsible for, and they cannot move on until they come to grips with it. Others deal with it more indirectly; they get a glimpse on how their lives may have turned out differently, and this gives them a new perspective on how things actually are. The entire story actually begins with one character being unable to accept the reality of her situation, though in the circumstances it can't be expected of her. The second is, "Your talents are not what define you, but rather it is what you do with your talents that define you." Every major character experiences this differently: Mamoto sees himself as a tool whose only real value lies in his unique ability, and must learn he is appreciated for who he is more than what he does. Fuuka's talents are small, but ignoring them leaves her in a crisis. Ryu's former mis-use of his powers wracks him with guilt, but denying his powers entirely leaves him unfulfilled. Ai's ability is incredible, and deciding what the best use of that ability is occupies most of her time.

Re: What's your message?

Teide — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:41:16 -0500

I hadn't really thought about it, but now that I have... I'm not sure, I think perhaps my message would be that you can't mope through life, blaming everything bad that happens to you on somebody else, and expect to be happy. Sometimes you need to stand up, really look at yourself and reassess your goals. Figure out what you're doing, where you're going and how you're going to get there! Something along those lines.

Re: What's your message?

lefty013 — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:44:46 -0500

The message of my novel is that you can't run away from your problems-- you have to face them. It's also about high school cliques and how we have to define ourselves.

Re: What's your message?

hutchi285 — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:00:50 -0500

My novel's main characters are two girls (Kara and Megan) aged 15/16. My message is the devestating results of peer pressure and bullying. Is anyone else writing about peer pressure?

Re: What's your message?

Coffeedrinker — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:46:28 -0500

Yes, but only peripherally. I usually write not for messages, but to provide an interesting story, possibly some information, and a few hours outside reality.

Re: What's your message?

NaNo_Eri — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:39:09 -0500

I'm not entirely sure the message my novel will be sending yet. I really only have a basic outline of a plot and I don't know exactly how my characters will be reacting to certain things yet. I haven't even really thought about messages until I saw this thread. Is that bad? All I do know is that I will be on a careful look out for anything that could send a bad message and avoid it.

Re: What's your message?

aly_blythe — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:34:07 -0500

I think I have a message! Choose who you want to be, embrace it and live it fully. The only hope of perfection is in the art of being yourself. Interesting to see what the message is after November....

Re: What's your message?

iamgr_8 — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:33:01 -0500

My "message" is about being a strong leader and dealing with your insecurties in a time of crisis, especially when you aresponsible for other people's safety. It's basically, "Yeah, girl power!"

Re: What's your message?

sharkjelly — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:07:16 -0500

"Stay away from sea monsters." I don't really think there is some deep underlying moral in my story. Just weird, mysterious, adventurous, magical...fun :D

Re: What's your message?

Lalatin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:32:38 -0500

My message...would just have to be "Love is love, there is no need for titles" :D

Re: What's your message?

little.fox — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:07:31 -0500

I want readers to understand that love and sex are things they need to figure out for themselves, and not get wrapped up in what is expected of them. (:

Re: What's your message?

TabsyKat — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:19:19 -0500

QUESTION AUTHORITY! Okay, that's what people will likely take away. What i'm aiming for is more of a be-yourself thing. :p

Re: What's your message?

saltzworks — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:27:29 -0500

Quote from someone I admire: "Pity'll kill ya if you let it" I too like the non-pity-me storyline! Go for it!

Re: What's your message?

saltzworks — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:38:33 -0500

My message starts with Arthur C. Clarke's third law, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." continues with inspiration from a Yogi Berra quote, "The future ain't what it used to be" and through it all, we learn the truth of the, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely" ... Live long enough to live forever ya'all!

Re: What's your message?

ImmaSammich — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:58:51 -0500

The amount of darkness that's gotten into Young Adult literature, and even Children's literature made me want to write something lighter. There's some heavy stuff in there, but the message I think I want to get through anyway, is that things can get better. You're not alone. Keep looking toward the future. Friendship is awesome!!! A lot of cheesy messages like that. But hopefully handled in a genuine manner.

Re: What's your message?

craftytexangirl — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 08:44:38 -0500

Originally, mine was about growing up in a bad family and with a bad background but still managing to come out clean from it all. However I've yet to uh ... mention the title's "bad situation."

Re: What's your message?

acousticphoenix — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:07:09 -0500

I feel like when I'm done, my story will have a message. I'm just not sure exactly what it is right now. I think it will have something to do with putting your own happiness before what others think of you. Don't worry what other people will say about something. If there is something that could help you, or something you want to do in your life, go for it! Also, I hope that people (when and if anyone reads it) understand that self-injury and eating disorders are very real issues, not just stuff teen girls with low self-esteem do (that is the stereotype of it, I believe). My MC struggles with self-harm and knows she should get help, but is so afraid of what her family and friends will think of her that she hides it and lets it ruin her life for a while, until someone finds out and helps her realize that she needs to stop caring so much about other people and get her life back together, because she deserves to feel good again. :) Also, for anyone going through it, that things get better. Once you seek help and find something that works (therapy, positive coping skills, medication) you really can have a real life again, and your issues will not be everything that you are. I hope that if someone struggling with a mental health problem(s) ends up reading it, it will encourage them to get help, and make them see that it's okay to have those kinds of problems and to need help and such. :)

Re: What's your message?

emilyisabella30 — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:13:41 -0500

My novel is geared towards elementary aged kids. I am throwing things in that a lot of kids can relate to - either about themselves or a classmate. So far Diabetes, facial scar, bullying, nightmares. The book isn't about any of these things, but I want kids to see someone else with these things and have it be okay. Actually, bullying is a major part of the story.

Re: What's your message?

-amanda-b- — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:45:32 -0500

This sounds like a really awesome message for young adults (anyone, really) to receive. I love the idea of asking the right questions rather than getting a specific answer.

Re: What's your message?

saltzworks — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:25:28 -0600

It's been a few more days into my novel - and my theme/messag has evolved... anyone else finding the same thing happening? My new message/theme: To be human is to have flaws. No matter the machine, if it has a human element, it can never be perfect. But, it is only that human-ness (our huamnity) that we can we be perfected in the end. ...it's deep. I think I'm going to need a novel to explain it all. Hmmm, good thing I've got at least 50,000 words to get it done in!

Re: What's your message?

D.M. Lansberry — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:55:21 -0600

My novels message is to be content no matter what the circumstance. :)

Re: What's your message?

Prinkes — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:01:18 -0600

That everyone has value, something to give to the world. Everyone is worthwhile. Even if they can't see that for themselves.

Re: What's your message?

MeghanM — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:16:01 -0600

In the fantasy world I'm creating there's an understanding of mind, matter, and spirit. Mind and matter are calculable, they can be measured and tested, spirit is unmeasurable and has no limitations or boundaries There’s the good side, where self control and other virtues make strength but there’s also the bad side where anger and selfishness make strength, the further you develop your character in either direction the more powerful you’ll be, but if you go the direction of evil it wears away your body while the path of good rejuvenates your body. Mostly it's going to be about following the life of the MC and relating to his choices as he navigates his way through things that cultivate a strong spirit, good or bad.

Re: What's your message?

baka_kit — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:50:39 -0600

Being a teenager is hell. Do whatever you have to to survive.

Re: What's your message?

JasmineAdero — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:00:22 -0600

Mine has a few undertones of race and choice. My character is dark skinned with bright hair, i am planning on using a few racial slurs, but this is only because i have met this kind of discrimination myself. I also want readers to see that any character has a choice in their life and what they do with it.

Re: What's your message?

Hanka — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:19:04 -0600

Making plans is pretty useless. Just live your life and take things as they come.

Re: What's your message?

Star-Gidget-chan — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:33:59 -0600

Mine is "you can always get up, and start again".

Re: What's your message?

R_C_LandPsMommy05 — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:46:28 -0600

I think, in a nutshell, mine is: "Be who you are, find your strengths and don't give a damn what other people think about who you are." I know there are contradictions to the message in this world, but in general, that's what I believe. I think I should add "within reason" to that because obviously if you are a really bad person, you should try and find another way to do things. lol. Two of my characters have "disabilities" of sorts--one has an actual disability and one has an "ability to see things others can't see" that he thinks is really freaky and doesn't like. The other two are just "normal" I guess, whatever that is, but they have problems too.

Re: What's your message?

M. Marie — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:13:15 -0600

"Enjoy the story!"

Re: What's your message?

Harajuku Otaku — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:00:37 -0600

Mine is that you don't have to be the world's definition of 'extraordinary' to be extraordinary, if that makes any sense at all. A character (not a main one, but he's like semi-main) is the only one in the 'group' without powers, and he's really bitter about it (mostly because his twin has them) until another character towards the end points out that he's the only one who uses common sense and thinks things through instead of thinking only about what their powers could do in any given situation.

Re: What's your message?

R_C_LandPsMommy05 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:05:10 -0600

Don't be who other people tell you to be. Fight for what you love. Be brave and bold. Don't be content to go with the status quo. If you want change, you need to make it. Because that's how life is.

Re: What's your message?

rckjones — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:15:07 -0600

There will always be someone in the world who hates you, and sometimes they will be bigger and stronger and more well-liked. You, however, have the ability to decide how you are going to react. "Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good."

Re: What's your message?

Enna-Isilee — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:19:51 -0600

Mine is based on a quote from a book that goes something like this: Loving is never wrong. It may be impossible, it may be the deepest agony, but it is never wrong.

Re: What's your message?

Princeshelby — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:59:00 -0600

MIne is meant to have several: -Challenge things as they are (Pun/Play on words intended. Congratulations to those of you who got it) -Never give up, no matter how hopeless the situation looks -Winning or losing doesn't matter as much as what you actually did. -I'm planning on finding another during finishing and rewriting. To be totally honest, I'm only about one third through my book.

Re: What's your message?

Kaserl — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:57:14 -0600

Umm..... I don't think I have one..... Friendship is important? Yeah. We'll go with that. It actually isn't emphasized enough to me, because I care about most of my friends more than most of my family, and everything else I see or read seems to go the other way. It drives me nuts sometimes. By the way, that message was completely unplanned. I didn't really want to have one, since stories with obvious messages also drive me nuts, because I'm 14, and just old enough to pick up on it and think it's stupid. Most of the time. The books I like best are normally the ones with no visible message.

Re: What's your message?

beanza3 — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:59:19 -0600

Mine would probably be that you don't have to be a genius or "special" to be awesome and do great things... :D Not a message, but the way I look at my characters, so... I hope it might seep though a bit! Don't really like obvious messages though.

Re: What's your message?

Kayla Rain — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:08:43 -0600

It took me forever to figure out that I even have one. It is the 'more than meets the eye' sort of thing - there's much more out there, don't you dare settle for a life you aren't happy with.