I'm still working away on my novel, I've finally got the different sections of my story in the order I think I want to stick with (really, the way it was structured had a massive impact on the theme) but I'm still not 100% sure on my ending. What do you guys do to figure out weird plot things when you aren't really sure how you want to conclude things in a good way?
Also, because I'm curious, does anyone use lots of heavy themes or motifs in their writing? Personally, I cover a lot of broad topics in my novel, like love, death, and the concept of fate. I guess the over-arching theme of the story is that we are all in charge of our own destinies and we're all capable of doing great things regardless of what anyone (or any deity) says. A huge motif within my novel is space & stars, which really tie my different sections together and symbolize the theme. I think English teachers would appreciate it.
When it comes to something like endings, here's the thing you want to have to think out- you have to tie up most, if not all, of your loose ends by the end of the story. Now, if you plan on writing a sequel, you can leave a little wiggle room for one, but the main overarching issues of the story need to be resolved. Have you tried doing an outline? Sometimes, I find that process can be really helpful to think things out, especially when I'm hitting a moment of writer's block.
As for themes used, it depends on the story. For something like the
The Hero's Essence, I tend to get a bit more symbolic, due to the abstract nature of the story. The cover I created for the story does use the image of a lotus flower, which symbolizes rebirth/reincarnation, rising up from the depths of adversity, purity, and enlightenment. As I have only just started the story (it's posted here in the writing section for anyone interested), I haven't quite gotten far enough to include such symbolism. Themes can be interesting, but overall, I try to be more about narrative and character development than I do themes. If I do explore themes, it's typically on a chapter by chapter basis- one theme I recently explored was memory and distinguishing the self.