The Golden Theme: How to Make Your Writing Appeal to the Highest Common Denominator Paperback – October 20, 2010

Here is an example of an author who has chosen his words wisely, and who has clearly devoted the time and consideration necessary to write on such important subjects. You will not find any fat, fluff, or wasted space in The Golden Theme's 122 pages. Like his previous book, "Invisible Ink" it is a refreshingly direct book that helped me question myself in the right ways, and helped steer me towards writing much better stories. But keep in mind that this is more of a guide than a "how-to" book, like "how to draw animals" etc.--he encourages reflection and application over simple hand-holding.Thankfully, McDonald is an author who writes with a mission in mind, and with the experience to back it. I knocked this book down in a day and a half at a casual pace, and have read it over twice now. As with Invisible Ink (I'm on my third read of that) I always find that either I learn something new, or I have been reminded of something old and important.Some viewers would discount the wisdom and experience that he shares in this book, mistaking his precision and consideration of the subject as mere brevity and hastiness, when in fact it was most likely **hastily read**. It's a short book; do yourself a favor when you get it and read it slow. It's worth it.McDonald also does a great job of relating some of his views on morality, and his own personal experiences in facing and growing up around prejudice to The Golden Theme. Whether or not you agree exactly with his views on morality is completely up to you, and it never stopped me from learning from and enjoying this guide.Any artist knows that the personal experiences from life directly inform your work, and if you are honest, and you really know your craft, then the reverse will be true as well. Your work will inform the lives of others, and hopefully not just once, but many times over. As an artist myself, and an aspiring writer, Brian McDonald's "Golden Theme" has done this for me, and if you are willing to listen up, McDonald's words will do the same for your work as well.

“The Golden Theme” by Brian McDonald is perhaps one of the truest books on writing I have ever read. It showcases some very simple topics that will help improve your writing tremendously: Good writing is true writing. In order to be a compelling author you must be honest with yourself. All stories are those of survival. This is a fairly short book which makes for an easy read in the night. Upon reading this book I can say that my thought process as a writer has changed drastically. My ability to read between the lines as a reader has improved greatly. This book makes me think about writing in a very different way, and see beyond the surface story. While this may sound complex, the beauty of this book is the ability to express these ideas in a simple format. I was blown away by “The Golden Theme” as it is relevant to every writer, every reader, every storyteller, every book, every plotline, and every genre. If there is one book for authors and readers alike to read, this is it. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It’s practically guaranteed to improve your writing, reading comprehension, and thought process when creating an outline as well as developing characters. This book scratches the surface of great character development, and the differences between a well created hero and a poorly constructed hero, as well as a villain. It gives you the perfect amount of information to refine your own creativity and imagination. If you are a reader, read this. If you are a writer, read this. If you simply want to understand stories and characters better, read this. Regardless of who you are or what you do, this book is for you.

After reading Invisible Ink, I was really hoping this book might be a list of popular themes/theme ideas for film and stories. What I found instead was Brian McDonald's thesis on humanity and storytelling. It's a pretty interesting book, but not quite what I was hoping for. I really hope Brian will one day make a book listing popular themes or ideas, but until then, this was a pretty intriguing extension of Invisible Ink

Recommend to writers and artists. Anyone creative and looking to understand storytelling in a big picture sort of way, and even people who just love stories, and would like to understand what makes the stories they love so great.It's a fast read, but I'll definitely be reading it more than once. There are a lot of ideas to soak in and fully understand. Very thought provoking and will make you look at life differently, as well as the stories you want to tell andthe stories others have told that you enjoy

Brian McDonald has some amazing things to say about storytelling. I started with his book, Invisible Ink, and it was wonderful, he simplifies concepts into easy-to-digest nuggets of wisdom that suddenly snap into place with stories and movies you've already encountered, it's pretty brilliant. Unfortunately, The Golden Theme really doesn't add much to that, most of it is a rehashing of a lot of things he's already written. It seemed very vague to me, maybe it just went from simplified to overly simplified. If you've read Invisible Ink, you don't need this one. If you haven't read Invisible Ink, you should.

Read the author's book, invisible ink, then read this book. Both are excellently crafted and simply explain story telling. The Golden Theme discusses the reason that we tell stories: we need them to survive. One thing that really sticks out to me is his discussion of why poorly written stories are dangerous. A quick, great read for anyone looking to get to know story telling better.

For me, learning to write fiction to my own satifsaction has been a process of finding disparate pieces of information and fitting them into the puzzle. McDonald's book is something approaching a corner piece of that puzzle, if not the keystone of the arch. This is in no way a how-to book; rather, it's a gentle reminder that we are all human together. When the words are well-written, our manuscript becomes the means for one human being to speak directly to another, affirming that shared humanity.We shouldn't forget that.

It is used as a guide by people writing screenplays that touch millions of people, and you can see why. This little book goes to the heart of why it's worth writing at all. It offers clarity on how stories work, universally. It won't take you more than an hour to read it, but it will be a well-spent hour.i've been a writer all my life, published since early adolescence, and have absorbed a lot of varied opinions on what makes writing really work, but this is by far the most profound. And yet it is also the most simply written. The author has nowhere to hide!

Just brilliant. Short, easy to digest chapters but each with a profound realisation within it. I'm an artist and this book's insights will definitely help me in my work. Recommended to everyone interested in storytelling and will make you realise the 'secret' ingredient to make your work shine. Buy it!

This is an excellent book from a man who's thought long and hard on the subject of writing. I also recommend his other books, Invisible Ink and Ink Spots.

I loved this book. The author has seen right into the heart of stories and shows perfectly why they effect us so deeply.

I found so much of this book rang true for me that I've cherry-picked quotes and keep them by my side when I write. Loved it.