Just as a tree needs secondary roots to help it stay upright, a good story is strengthened by the smaller events happening alongside it. Without any support, the perfect plot just collapses in on itself.
That’s why all good stories need a subplot. In fact, they need several. Subplots can turn any flat narrative into compelling, evocative, and multifaceted reads.
What Is a Subplot?
First, let’s define what a plot is: a series of events that affect each other and are connected by cause and effect. Subplots are smaller plots that run parallel to the main plot.
Think of it this way: When it comes to role-playing games, there’s a main quest that players must complete to finish the game. Along the way, you can accomplish side quests, which are, essentially, the subplots of the game.
It can go on tangents, depicting scenes and characters that don’t appear in the main plot. However, a subplot’s goal is to strengthen the main storyline, not overpower it.
Readers should always understand that the information contained in a subplot contributes to the overall plot in some way, even if it’s not apparent yet. This connection can be through the theme, setting, characters, or action.
Many subplots eventually connect back to the main storyline. This is usually near the end where everything has to be resolved.
A good example of this can be found in The One with the Blackout episode of Friends. The main plot follows five of the gang while they’re stuck in the apartment because of a blackout. Meanwhile, Chandler’s inside an ATM vestibule with a model, whom he nervously tries to impress.
5 Ways to Introduce Subplots to Your Story
Finding the right way to incorporate your subplots can be problematic, but there are a few ways you can do so successfully:
1. Ask yourself these two questions.
How will this affect the main storyline? What is its goal?
Subplots must be connected to the main plot in some way. Without a connection, it serves no purpose. As I mentioned above, connections can be established through themes, settings, characters, or action.
Keep in mind that subplots run alongside the main story. Any actions that happen within the subplots can change the whole story. If you miss details or make mistakes, it will open up plot holes that can ruin the reading experience.
This is also why you need to set down what the goal is. Will it enhance a character, a setting, or your world’s history? How do you start it and when will it end?
You create a cohesive story by knowing how your subplots fit into the bigger picture. You don’t want to end up with a chunk of narrative that feels out of place or disconnected.
2. Use a different POV.
Remember, your protagonist is not omnipresent or omniscient. There will be things that they miss or are unaware of. You can fill in those gaps by using a different character’s point of view (learn more about doing this right in our post on point of view).
Include scenes of other characters experiencing situations that the protagonist isn’t part of. You can also use a different type of POV. If your main story is told in the first person, try writing your subplots in the third person instead.
For example, let’s say your main characters are desperately defending a key position in the war. The fighting is fierce and hasn’t let up for days. Supplies are dwindling and they are severely outnumbered. All of a sudden, reinforcements come and save the day.
A solution like this feels like a deus ex machina, and it’s not satisfying because there’s no explanation. You can prevent this by showing how these reinforcements journeyed to help the embattled people. Perhaps have a supporting character leave earlier in the story to seek help.
3. Create a narrative arc.
Subplots are stories too, they must have a clear progression from start to finish. Take care to wrap things up by the time the main plot ends. You don’t want to end up with loose ends that the readers will question. Subplots may have less of an impact on the story compared to the main plot, but they are important nonetheless.
Also, take a look at where you can place subplots. You might have accidentally skipped parts of the hero’s journey, or maybe you feel that some parts lack “meat” and need something extra. These are the things that naturally lend themselves to subplots.
The Wheel of Time does this a lot. While Rand is the main protagonist, his two friends, Mat and Perrin are given massive character development through subplots. This makes sense as they’re also ta’veren like Rand (focal points of destiny in the Pattern). Developing the three of them solely through the main plot will likely confuse readers.
4. Interrupt the Flow.
A lot of writers hesitate to interrupt the momentum they’ve built with their main plot. But sometimes, that interruption is exactly what the story needs to get to the next level.
Because a subplot essentially shows a different angle of the story, it ultimately enriches the experience of the main plot. A classic example is shown in The Odyssey. The main plot follows Odysseus attempting to get home, while his son, Telemachos, tries to find his father.
Another reason to interrupt the flow is to build excitement and anxiety. Most stories have high and low points. Create mini cliffhangers by pivoting to a different narrative thread during the high points. This amps up their eagerness to read while still keeping in mind the importance of your sudden shift.
5. Patch up Holes.
It’s inevitable for a story to have plot holes because you’ll always be blind to some elements of your story. It’s when you edit the story that you truly see the glaring gaps you’ve left behind. Patch these up using subplots.
Look at your story from a reader’s perspective and see what’s missing or hasn’t been expounded on. The goal is to create an understandable world. If, for example, you create a magic system but miss out on its basic rules, the readers won’t be able to know how it works.
Subplots help as they’re a way to provide information without saturating the main storyline. Integrate them into your narrative to specifically tackle things that need to be explored more.
Why You Should Develop Subplots
Subplots are one of the most common plot elements in literature. Here are several reasons why authors use them in their works:
Depth
A story with only the main plot can come off as flat and too straightforward. Adding subplots gives the story more complexity and depth.
Because they create multilevel narrative arcs, subplots give readers access to more information, which helps them to understand the story better. And when these arcs start to converge, your readers get a sense of excitement, which leads to greater satisfaction.
Additional Character Development
Because of the added information, subplots are an excellent opportunity to flesh out a character, especially when it comes to their backstories. Through more interactions, dialogue, and exposition, you can bring out more of the characters’ traits and flaws.
Plus, there are only so many characters you can fit into a scene. Include too many, and you risk making long-winded chapters just to fit all of their thoughts, emotions, and dialogue. Or worse, some characters are there but serve no purpose.
You can prevent this by dividing the cast and developing some of them through subplots. This is why A Song of Ice and Fire has so many memorable characters like Sandor Clegane, Arya Stark, and Jamie Lannister.
Worldbuilding
Similar to #2, subplots are also the perfect way for more worldbuilding. If you only had the main plot, you’ll probably commit a lot of info dumps to provide readers with context about your world.
Subplots help spread this information around. You can feature new settings and re-explore old ones, discuss world rules, and introduce the history of your world.
This is best used in stories that unfold in fictional worlds. Imagine reading about the events of The Princess Bride without having any clue about its setting. Readers won’t be able to understand the implications of Buttercup’s supposed kidnapping and murder.
A Sense of Space
A story that only has one narrative thread feels tight. There’s only ever one point of view that explores the world, experiences the action, and feels the emotions within your prose.
As a result, it feels like things are only happening in a narrow space. Everything is so focused on the main plot that the rest becomes irrelevant.
The Lord of the Rings could have easily been a short story about two hobbits trying to destroy a ring. But thanks to the subplots involving the other members of the Fellowship, you’re able to see the whole story on an epic scale.
By writing different storylines that explore different facets of the world and the characters that populate it, you can give readers a better sense of its space.
Conflict
Subplots can be used to unveil new obstacles, provide twists, and set the mood of the story. All of these are used to add to your primary conflict.
With every piece of additional information, you raise the stakes and slowly build tension. Eventually, the readers are treated to an avalanche of events as everything is wrapped up.
Final Thoughts
Stories without subplots are too linear, too constrained, and too predictable. It’s hard to expand on any story element when the space you’re working on is so small. You can only do so much with a straight path from point A to point B.
Good subplots introduce understandable chaos to a story. You give readers more characters, settings, and events that interact with each other in an increasingly elaborate narrative. Your audience will welcome this, as they can explore the world you created more deeply, with the added excitement of not knowing how things will go.
However, make sure that your subplots always remain secondary. They’re there to support the main plot, so if you’ve developed any to the point that they can stand on their own, you should probably save them for their own book.
Did you find this post useful? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Plot Holes: What They Are and How to Avoid Them
- How to Use a Beat Sheet to Plot Your Novel or Screenplay (Includes Free Template)
- Understanding Plot: Key Elements and Examples
- Story Pacing: 8 Tips To Keep Your Story Moving
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
