Willamette Writers Hillsboro Chapter Presents

Exploring the Power of Themes with Fran McReynolds

This meeting is online and in-person.

Themes are a fundamental component of impactful writing that engages the reader. In written and oral storytelling, a theme adds strength to our narrative. For writers, themes provide guidance.  Themes can help determine what to include from a broad topic area.  A theme and related sub-themes can provide a framework and a logical progression.
For readers, a theme leads to a greater understanding of the writer’s message.  Themes help provide connections and relevance between the writer and reader. Frequent repetition of the theme idea can help embed meanings into the reader’s memory.

In my career as a naturalist-interpreter (park ranger), I have used themes as an effective way to hone my work. For example, if my topic is salmon, I might be tempted to start with an all-inclusive theme: The life history, adaptations, and behaviors of salmon are fascinating. What doesn’t fit under this theme? I have limited program time or article space, so I can use a narrower theme to define my focus:  A salmon’s migration is an epic journey filled with hazards and challenges. 

This session will give participants the opportunity to explore an interpretive approach to theme writing and to engage in a variety of activities, all geared at improving theme writing skills. The meeting will take place on June 13, 2023, and the doors will open at 6:15 PM. 

To attend virtually, please read Zoom Details below and then register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqcOmrpjsoGtKyIXeOhaGv3Utko4qKecfN

About Fran McReynolds

Fran has over 35 years of experience as a front-line interpreter, writer, manager, and trainer for a broad range of cultural and natural heritage interpretive organizations.  Fran has taught interpretive theme writing to hundreds of interpreters, nationally as well as internationally.  She retired as the Director of the Tillamook Forest Center for the Oregon Department of Forestry in 2020. In addition to teaching certification courses for the National Association for Interpretation, Fran is a book artist, birder, and gardener.

About your chapter meetings

Willamette Writers meetings are open to all writers, 18 and up. Guests are welcome to make a donation to help support the cost of the meeting (we believe in paying our speakers for their time and skills). This meeting is run by volunteers. We look forward to seeing you there!

Young writers are encouraged to join our Young Willamette Writers meetings. Sign Up! Any high school or middle-grade writers are welcome to join us. Sign up for our email list at: http://eepurl.com/hRubBf  A registration link will be sent to our email list before our next meeting.

MASKING: MASKING: Willamette Writers continues to encourage mask-wearing at our in-person, indoor meetings. We also invite you to join us at one of our online Chapter Meetings.

Zoom Details

You have to be logged into your own personal Zoom account to attend this meeting (to create a FREE account, go to Zoom.us).

Once you are logged in to your own personal Zoom account, register for the meeting at the link provided above.

On the day of the meeting, log into your Zoom account and then click the link Zoom sent you in your email when you registered with the link above. If you are logged into your personal Zoom account, you can also click the link above and register again if you need to. If you have not done this before, we encourage you to try logging in a half hour before the meeting begins. We had to change our meeting access because of a few inappropriate guests, but we want to continue to keep our meetings open to the public.