Messages in a novel

[Alice]

Is it okay to put a message in my novel? I want it to be strong, but I don't want to beat the reader over the head with it. It's relevant to the story, but the story can go on without it, really. I'm trying to keep it subtle, but evident.

The problem is, if I do it wrong, there's a big chance that the entire story will seem to serve no purpose than to shove a sugary moral down the reader's throat, like...Saturday morning cartoons.

I certainly hope it's more than a "sugary moral", though.

[Hay Hay]

You could have someone telling it to another character in the story. Maybe the character A does something, and therefore character B tells them the message you want to get across. Or it could be just a story a person is telling someone with the message in it. I think then it would be interesting....as far as your message goes, and I wouldn't think it would make the story bad then. It would just be a little icing on the cake. :)

[EmmVeePi]

First of all I will admit I am a bit torn on this one. I am a very opinionated person and a person with very strong convictions. Nevertheless I have always felt that literature is at its finest as entertainment. People have to deal with "stuff": Opinions, messages, causes, etc... all life long. When I write I try my very best to give them an escape from these sorts of things. Enough about me. If there is something you feel strongly about, and there is many a noble cause, and if you feel this the best use of your medium and talents then by all means. One more thing, I have always disdained those who tried to hide there messages, if you have something to say than say it otherwise don't try to slip something by your audience.

[Alice]

I have always disdained those who tried to hide their messages, if you have something to say than say it otherwise don't try to slip something by your audience.

If you try to hide your message, there's not much point in having one, is there? :confused: If I hid mine, I'd feel like it detracted from the novel and would be better off not including it at all.

I don't want to scream it in the reader's face, but I'd rather say it outright. I guess I'll guess I'll see how it goes, and if it doesn't work, I'll have to rework it in the next draft.

[TokeBernbole]

I think if you want to get a message across, you should. You don't have to make it a main point in your story, but it can be a kind of subtle part. My book has a message, it's one involving meth/crack. The bad guys are using it's addictive properties to enslave isolated populations. (It's not called meth/crack however) The main character occasionally smokes some pot (also not called pot/weed etc) in the book, but mostly has no time for it and doesn't think about it much. I don't straight up say "This is bad." I simply describe it's effects and let the reader decide. And of course it effects some worse than others. Anyway, hope this helps.