If someone is going to invest several hours of their time in your book, they’re going to want something in return. Entertainment, of course. To be touched emotionally and be involved in your story and characters’ lives.
But at some point the writer should address what the take-away value is going to be, just to make sure they’re aware of everything that’s enveloped within the pages of their story (intentionally or otherwise). With non-fiction it’s right out there: the author is trying to enlighten or educate their readers. But with fiction it’s a bit more subtle.
I’ve had readers tell me they’ve learned something from my books, which is great, something to savor to be sure. But it’s almost incidental if someone learns something about another day and age, or a detail about farming, or something about genetics. What really thrills me is when someone tells me my book has helped them articulate some of the feelings they’ve had but never really addressed. That’s a more personal form of take-away value.
So, as I’m still editing my Book One (we really need to come up with an acceptable title for this, don’t we?) I decided to look again at what I thought the take-away value might be for this story. For me, theme and take-away value are closely connected. In this story an underlying theme is the feud and how it touches everyone living in this little French village, both before and during a German invasion and occupation. Will any of my readers be able to identify with the foolishness of holding on to old bitterness when it’s apparent they need to let it go?
Another thing I’m hoping readers will take away is looking at misguided faith. Some seasons of life hold more opportunities to put our faith in the wrong place: in ourselves, for example (when things are going really well, that is!), or our career, our spouse, even our pastor or church or the work we might volunteer to do there. I’m hoping that when my character keeps pointing to God, reminding others it’s Him who’s used her in the past (not that she’s so special in and of herself) that it’ll point the reader’s thoughts to God, too. Even our faith comes from God; it’s all about Him, not us.
And to me, pointing anyone’s thoughts to God is the best kind of take-away value a book can offer.
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