“Subplots are like the adjectives of your main story/sentence. You can still understand the sentence without them, but it’s not as fascinating.” ~Charlie Holmberg
I love this quote because I think it captures the nature of subplots to a T. The main plot is like a noun or verb in a sentence, it’s the part that conveys meaning and tells us what’s really going on. The subplot, on the other hand, really is like an adjective or maybe an adverb. It may add interest, but the main story can still exist without it.
Lately, I’ve had subplots on the brain, and today I wanted to talk about why subplots matter in the first place. If subplots are “sub” to the main plot, why do we even need them? If they don’t contribute to the main story, what’s the point? Why do subplots matter? Here are five good reasons.
1) A subplot makes the story more interesting.
Theoretically, we could go through life using mostly only nouns and verbs. I’m imagining a story set in a dystopian society where adjectives and adverbs are outlawed. People could still communicate and get their ideas across, but it would be boring. Adjectives and adverbs are what give sentences their flavor and make the language more interesting.
The same thing is true when it comes to plots and subplots. The main plot might drive the story forward, but the subplots add interest and give that main plot flavor. Without the subplot, the main plot might get boring.
For example, take the Wicked Witch of the West subplot in the film The Wizard of Oz. The main plot in that movie is Dorothy trying to get back to Kansas, but the Wicked Witch’s quest for the ruby slippers adds complications and makes the story more interesting. If it weren’t for the Wicked Witch, Dorothy could just meander through Oz at her leisure, and that would be boring. It’s the Witch who creates urgency and makes Dorothy want to get home right away. The Witch also complicates Dorothy’s journey, creating obstacles that she and her friends must overcome.
2) A subplot helps you get through the “muddle in the middle.”
Maybe you can relate to this experience. You start writing a story, and at first everything is zipping right along. You like the characters, the plot is interesting, you come up with a great series of events to kick off the story. But then, somewhere about fifty pages in… you stall out.
Welcome to the “muddle in the middle.”
The second act in any story is going to be a long slog. This is because this act is at least twice as long as acts one and three, sometimes even longer. The best way to get through that long stretch of the sagging middle is to add wrinkles in the form of subplots.
Keep in mind, shorter form work (like short stories, novelettes, or novellas) may forego subplots because they don’t have the space to include them. In short pieces, the main plot is sufficient to carry the story forward, and that’s good because the story’s meant to be short. We don’t want it to sprawl ad infinitum.
In novels, on the other hand, we need subplots to keep the story’s momentum moving forward. These subplots give the story variation, letting us focus on other threads aside from the main plot. This is especially important in the second act of the story, where momentum tends to flag and the plot tends to sag.
3) A subplot can help show a different side of the main character.
We all want characters who are three-dimensional and don’t feel flat. Yet sometimes it can be hard to do that without making your character do something that’s “out of character.” This is where subplots can help. They give you opportunities to show different sides of your main character, so we can see they’re not just hitting the same note over and over.
For example, in The Hunger Games, the subplot of Peeta being in love with Katniss gives opportunities for Katniss to show her softer side. When she hides out in the cave with him and feeds him the broth, we see Katniss playing “nurse,” which is definitely not something we would expect from her. Similarly, the Rue friendship subplot in The Hunger Games gives Katniss the opportunity to play the “protective big sister” role, and we see just how devastated she becomes when Rue dies and Katniss is unable to save her. Both of these subplots give us a chance to see a side to Katniss that she would not ordinarily show, especially not when she’s in survival mode.
4) A subplot can add complications to the main story.
Sometimes, a subplot can be used to raise the stakes of the main story. For example, in The Hunger Games, the Peeta subplot raises the stakes for the whole story. It is a foregone conclusion that in order for Katniss to win the games, everyone else must die. So, when Peeta declares his love for her, that’s a BIG problem and it makes her furious. After all, if she’s to win, at some point in the games, she’ll have to kill Peeta. And it’s that much harder for her to kill him if she knows he’s in love with her.
The Peeta love story adds additional complications to the main plot as the story evolves. For instance, at the start of act three, the Gamemakers announce that there has been a change of rules and now two tributes may be crowned victors, provided they’re from the same district. With this plot twist in play, Katniss can now allow herself to develop feelings for Peeta because she won’t have to kill him. If it were not for that change in the rules, Katniss would never have gone looking for Peeta and subsequently would not have nursed him back to health or kissed him in the cave.
Then, of course, when the Gamemakers change the rules yet again and reveal that only one tribute can win, at that point Katniss has had enough. Her frustration with the Gamemakers, coupled with a hint of feelings for Peeta, prompt her to pull out the berries and give them to Peeta. The two—seemingly out of their undying love for each other—pretend they’re about to eat the berries until the Gamemakers stop them and crown them both victors.
5) If a story is moving too fast, a subplot can help it slow down.
We see this in action movies all the time. The hero is out shooting up bad guys, but eventually, there comes a quiet moment where the hero and the love interest get together. That snippet of a love story slows the pace a little bit and gives the audience a chance to catch their breath.
For example, consider Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. For most of the film, Marion’s character is almost like a partner in crime with Indy, going with him to Cairo and trying to find the Lost Ark. They get trapped together in the Well of Souls, but eventually escape and manage to get the Ark and get it onto a steamer to transport it back to London. It seems like they have escaped the bad guys, and they have a romantic moment. This scene serves to slow the plot and give the audience a moment to relax after all the action-packed tension.
Up until this point in the story, we have had very little actual romance between Marion and Indy. We know they have a romantic history because it’s alluded to in earlier scenes, and we know there’s romantic tension between them as well. But we don’t really get a romantic moment between these two characters until well into act three. This makes sense because the filmmakers would not want to slow the plot down too much too early in the story. At this late point in the plot, the film has earned a respite and the romantic subplot can come to the forefront for one quick scene.
As you can see, a subplot is an important part of the storytelling process. We use a subplot in any number of ways: to add interest to the main plot, to raise the stakes, or to show a different side of the main character. While you don’t want your subplot to overshadow your main plot, it can be a useful technique to help keep that story momentum going.
Now it’s your turn…
Consider your work-in-progress and ask yourself a few things about subplots. Grab a journal or a notebook and pen and noodle on the following questions.
- Do you have a subplot in your current project?
- If so, why is it necessary to your story?
- Does it fulfill any of the above reasons?
- Or does it serve an additional purpose not listed here?
- If the latter, what purpose does it serve?
Until next time, keep writing and keep being awesome!
P.S. For more info on Gabriela Pereira, the founder and instigator of DIY MFA, check out her profile page.
