Tag Archives: subplot

Technique

Subplot caveats

This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series Subplots

Subplots can be tricky little devils, eh? If you’ve already determined your subplots are definitely necessary (or you made them that indispensable) and they’re not trying to take over your story, here are a few things to look out for when using a subplot.

subplots series. Photo by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Mirroring subplots

When using a subplot to mirror the main character’s journey, one danger is to make the subplot superfluous by too closely mirroring the main plot. A second identical plot doesn’t add anything to the book.

Fix it: Brainstorm ways to differentiate the plots, such as:

  • How can I show something unique about the main/secondary character through this subplot?
  • How can I refine or clarify the main plot/theme through this subplot?
  • How can I foreshadow the main plot without giving it away in this subplot?

With mirroring subplots, however, it’s also possible to go too far the other direction. Remember that the purpose of a mirroring subplot is to reinforce a part of the main story: the character’s internal journey, the external plot, characterization, etc. If we mirror that piece of the main story, but cast it in a contradictory light, we’re undercutting our main story instead of reinforcing it.

For example, if we’re mirroring the main character’s arc, but the secondary character does the “wrong” thing, refuses to grow, we can’t reward them by giving them what they want. That doesn’t show the main character that their path to growth is a good thing!

Contrasting subplots

A contrasting subplot shows the opposite sort of progress, growth or change as the main plot—for example, a secondary character exhibits the same weakness as the main character, but refuses to go on a journey to growth like the main character does.

To make sure this works in your subplot, be sure that:

  • The secondary character’s weakness is the same as or highly similar to the main character’s.
  • The secondary character does not go on a journey to growth, despite having the same opportunity.
  • When the secondary character refuses to grow, she reaps negative consequences.
  • The ultimate outcome for the character is negative.

This way the contrasting subplot reinforces the character’s arc.

Complicating subplots

When your subplot is affecting the main character, but the secondary characters aren’t growing or changing, you may have a complicating subplot. Personally, I’d double check to make sure you really want a complicating subplot rather than a mirroring or contrasting one, since those add extra depth.

One of the major dangers of complicating subplots is appearing superfluous. Make sure that your characters really affect the main plot and main characters, and nothing else could do the same job.

Conversely, you could be making your secondary characters or subplot work too hard—if they’re the only thing that propels the main plot or the main character, that could indicate a proactivity problem with the main parts of your book.

Meddling secondary characters are great for creating conflict in a book. But if your secondary characters are coming out of the woodwork to resolve all the main characters’ problems—without the protagonists really working for them—it feels like the main character is relying on a deus ex machina for resolution, rather than learning, growing and becoming a stronger person. And which of those would you rather read?

What are other common dangers of subplots?

Photo credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

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Technique

Subplot, or cut bait?

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series Subplots

Sometimes, subplots refuse to say “sub.” Or they have no usefulness to our story, when we really look deep into our souls (and story structure, characters, etc.). Sometimes, they just have to go.

The Detour Ends Here!Know when to hold ’em

A subplot can probably stay in the story if the events of the subplot change the course of the main character’s actions. If the main character would not go on to do things in the main plot without the subplot’s influence, step away from the delete key! Likewise, if the events or people in the subplot change the main character’s trajectory on his internal journey, keep it.

Often, even if the only function of the subplot within the greater whole of the story is to make things more difficult for your character, it can stay, as long as the subplot remains in proportion to the main plot. However, this one can be harder to pull off. Think of a rival for the hero’s affections in a romance. Once the hero and heroine are together (i.e., before the black moment), we either need closure on the issue of the rival or to see her again. This subplot line is in danger of leaving you with loose threads!

However, a subplot that’s worth keeping isn’t necessarily perfect. Even if a subplot is pretty vital to the story, you may still need to bring it back into balance with the main plot.

Remember, subplots make your story richer—as long as they don’t take over the whole thing!

Know when to run

It’s usually best to cut out any subplot that:the delete key is your friend

  • Undermines the theme of your story
  • Presents your main characters in a way that’s contradictory to their nature or their course on the internal journey
  • Hijacks the story (You might rewrite the story if you really love this subplot.)
  • Overshadows the story without adding anything to the “main” plot.
  • Duplicates the main plotline or character journey without creating an impact on the main character (or reader) beyond repetition.
  • Doesn’t change your main characters & the main plot.

Going under the knife

Before you cut willy-nilly, look at how your subplot intersects with your main plot and your main characters. When does it affect them, and how? Could you achieve that effect another way? Do you need to? Is that necessary for your story?

If the subplot never affects your main characters—and it doesn’t offer a good parallel or counterexample—start cutting!

Still struggling to let go of that subplot? Next time, we’ll take a look at how to take a seemingly extraneous subplot and integrate it into your story better!

There are many more times when the delete key is your friend. What do you think? When is it best to let your subplots go the way of all the digital files? Come share!

Photo by 7 Bits of Truth

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Technique

Balancing the subplot and the main plot

This entry is part 3 of 7 in the series Subplots

The biggest difference between a subplot and a main plot is that whole “sub” thing. How can we make sure our subplots don’t overtake the main plot? A fine sense of balance and a lot of analysis.

subplots series. Photo by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Identifying your main plot

This might seem obvious, but if you’re struggling to balance your subplots and your main plot, maybe your main plot . . . isn’t.
fitshelf

  • Describe your book in 20 words or less—one, maybe two sentences. (Check out edittorrent for some help writing a logline)
  • Think about where your book would go on the shelves. What’s it next to? What genre does it fall into?
  • Look at your character’s arc. What plot line most affects (or effects!) your character’s internal growth?
  • Examine the opening. What problem is presented first? What’s biggest? What has the highest stakes?
  • Examine the turning points. What changes at Plot Point I, the Midpoint and Plot Point II?
  • Examine the climax. What problem is resolved last? What problem forms the crux of the whole book?
  • Ask your antagonist. Who or what is the strongest external force working against your character?

Naturally, several subplots will be intertwined with each of these elements. But if you’re writing a mystery, for instance, and all your turning points are set pieces for the adventure plot, maybe those mystery elements are actually a subplot, and we need to adjust the beginning and end (and character arc) to reflect the main plot better.

If you find your manuscript still to be indefinable, perhaps it needs to be more focused in general.

Analyze the subplot

Once you’ve identified the main plot, take a look at the subplot(s) that’s competing for your readers’ attention. A few things we want to determine about the subplot:

  • What type of subplot is it? Mirroring, contrasting, complicating?
  • If it doesn’t fall into one of those types, how does it intersect with the main plot? How does it change the main character’s trajectory?
  • What characters are involved in this subplot? Only secondary characters? All main characters?
  • How much page time does the subplot occupy? You don’t have to analyze quite to the level that Livia Blackburne analyzed the use of backstory in published novels, but at least on a scene level, go through each scene of the story and figure out not only how long the scene is, but whether it pertains more to the main plot or the subplot. Total it up. What percentage of the story deals with the main plot? Each subplot?

Again, if one of our subplots far outweighs the others, or even the main plot, it might be a good idea to figure out if perhaps the “main” plot . . . isn’t.

Otherwise, if things are out of whack, it’s probably time to work on that balance.

balance scale

Striving for balance

Aside from making sure the main plot reigns supreme, there aren’t any hard and fast rules about how much subplot is too much. As always, your intuition and feedback from impartial readers are both invaluable.

Of course, that’s not a super helpful answer, is it? A few good guidelines to fall back on:

  • If you’re worried about it, it might be an issue.
  • If more than one reader (or one very astute reader whose judgment you trust) picks up on it, it might be an issue.
  • If you enjoy writing the subplot more than the main plot—trim it or switch it!
  • If your characters are more engaged by the subplot—trim it or switch it!
  • If the subplot deals primarily with secondary characters, and affects very little of the main plot or the main characters, those secondaries may be trying to upstage your story. Reel them in!
  • If your subplot doesn’t “go” anywhere—the characters don’t grow, it doesn’t affect the main plot or dramatically change the main characters’ trajectories—it might need to go (More about that another time)

In trimming a subplot, you don’t have to cut it entirely. Readers are usually pretty astute, and can infer a lot without being shown everything. Try to stick with the most important events from the subplot to make it work. These are the events that trace the outline of the subplot, and the events that affect the main plot the most.

When you switch a subplot to a main plot, naturally you have to trim back the old main plot to make room. You’ll also probably need to expand the subplot—but most of all, you’ll need to make sure that all the key turning points of the story involve the new main plot, especially the character’s emotional turning points.

A word about romantic elements

Romantic subplots are very popular. But how can you tell if you’re writing a book with romantic elements, or an adventure romance, or a romance with adventure elements?

First and foremost, if the relationship does not end with a happily-ever-after (or at least a happily-ever-right-now), you’re looking at a book with romantic elements. It’s the codified definition of a “romance” from Romance Writers of America. Period.

If the romance plots and the adventure plots are nearly equal—in page time, in effect on the characters, in turning points, in beginnings and endings—adventure romance is a safe bet.

If the romance plot takes far more page time, or if it affects the characters’ journeys far more than the adventure plot, then it’s probably a romance with adventure elements. Most likely, you’ll want to stick to publishers in the romance arena—but be careful that your adventure elements aren’t too buried in the romance story, or you run the risk of disappointing your readers.

Subplots make your story richer—as long as they don’t take over the whole thing! Balancing your subplots helps to keep your story on course.

What do you think? How do you make sure your subplots are balanced against the main plot? Come share!

Photo credits: submarine—Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; bookshelf—Josh; balance—winnifredxoxo

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Technique

Elizabeth S. Craig’s Secret Sauce: Subplots

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ESC Head ShotWe’re kicking off our guest author secret sauce series today!

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’m a real fan of subplots. In fact, subplots are frequently my favorite parts of books and movies. I love to see relationships develop or fail or watch in horror as the protagonist gets thwarted again. Subplots also often show a faster, more linear progression than the main plot (and I’m the tidy sort of person who loves seeing that type of progression.)

So what makes a great subplot?  Here are some different things that subplots might accomplish:

Subplots can create complications or a conflict of interest for the protagonist as they try to reach their goals.

Frequently, subplots are relationships between a protagonist and a minor character (for example, in detective fiction, this could be the detective’s private life and relationships, away from work.) Arguments with a teenage child, the collapse of a troubled marriage, or a budding relationship can add either tension or joy to the story.

Subplots could offer a different side of our protagonist and provide him with more emotional complexity and texture.

Subplots can help provide integration of a theme or hook in your book.

If you’ve got a serious book, subplots can provide moments of levity—or vice versa.  They can help make your story better-rounded.

Subplots can give readers a feeling of satisfaction in terms of plot progression . . . particularly if the main plot seems to be stalling out or if the protagonist’s goal appears out of reach.

Tips for approaching subplot inclusion:

It’s helpful to have a clear arc with your subplots—as with your main plot.  You introduce it, develop it, then tie it up at the end (it’s particularly effective if you tie the subplot into the main plot.)

I like to add subplots in as a separate layer after my first draft is over.  Somehow, this helps me organize it better and weave it more seamlessly into the story.

My subplots will sometimes intersect with my main plots in unusual ways—to save the sleuth in a moment of danger, or provide important clues to help solve the case or gain added perspective on the puzzle.

More help online:            

Here are a couple of my favorite posts on writing subplots.

The first is from a screenwriting site, Cracking Yarns, and the post is “The One Subplot You Really Need.” Interesting reading and very helpful.

The second is from Writer’s Digest (if you haven’t discovered their archives, you’re missing a great resource.) The post is by Elizabeth Sims: “7 Ways to Add Great Subplots to Your Novel.” In it, she covers different ways of including subplots in your story.  A must-read.

Are you a fan of subplots, as a reader or writer? What are your favorite types of subplots to include?

Rubbed OutAbout the Author

Elizabeth’s latest book,  Rubbed Out, launches July 2. Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin/NAL, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink and independently.
Writer’s Knowledge Base–the Search Engine for Writers
Twitter: @elizabethscraig

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