Beyond the Main Story—How to Write Better Subplots
What Is A Subplot?
Imagine real-world situations. If your life were a book, what would be the central story line? Surely that’s your most significant life goal? You work towards it every day. However, your life is full of other things happening at once. Family, friends, finances, job pressures, and health concerns all compete for your time and attention. These subplots all contribute to the main storyline in one way or another.
A common writing mistake is crafting a good subplot then failing to tie it to the main storyline. While this subplot might seem unconnected initially, it should eventually merge with and affect the main plot.
Why Do Subplots Matter?
It’s tempting to view the subplots as a distraction from the main plot. But think about your own life. Your biggest goal at any given moment isn’t the only thing happening. It’s a mix of relationships, responsibilities, and personal struggles that really shape your decisions. Stories work the same way. So when you add subplots, you make your story more realistic.
Subplots serve several key purposes:
- Character development. The way a character reacts and deals with the complications of the subplot shows the reader what they’re made of.
- Enhance the theme. Let’s talk about a classic here: Shakespeare’s King Lear. King Lear’s tragedy stems from dividing his kingdom based on his daughters’ flattery. It explores betrayal, madness, and hubris. Gloucester also suffers a similar tragedy with his sons. The subplot features Gloucester and his sons. Gloucester is also deceived, but by his illegitimate son, Edmund, who betrays his legitimate son, Edgar. It’s not just a coincidence, though. Shakespeare’s using that subplot to drive home the play’s themes. It’s like a resonant echo, showing us that the betrayal and familial breakdown aren’t isolated incidents, but rather a reflection of a deeper, more pervasive human failing. The tragedy becomes a commentary on the fragility of relationships and chaotic existence.
- Raise the stakes. Sometimes what happens in the subplot throws obstacles in the protagonist’s way and complicates the main plot. It adds layers of tension and consequences.
- World-building. Subplots offer you a way to expand the world you’ve created and flesh out secondary characters and events.
Three Types of Subplots
Subplots serve different purposes. Pick the most suitable subplot for your story
- Mirror subplot. This is when you write a secondary conflict that mirrors the main one, but not completely. For instance, in a romance novel, a secondary character might also fall in love, but things don’t turn out great for her. However, this subplot allows the protagonist to learn something valuable that helps her through her own conflict.
- Contrasting subplot. This is when you create a similar problem for a side character and have them do the opposite you want your protagonist to do. When they fail, the protagonist learns how not to make the same mistake.
- Complicating subplot. A side character creates complications for your protagonist. Readers love it when the character struggles because it allows their true self to shine through.
Weave the Subplot into the Main Narrative
A subplot shouldn’t feel like a separate story — it should actively influence the main plot. If it can be removed without affecting the main story, it probably isn’t strong enough.
Think about some of your favorite stories and pin point their subplots. The subplot is always relevant.
Tips for Writing Better Subplots
When you’re outlining a new story, always brainstorm the best subplot ideas that can deepen the tension and make your protagonist’s conflict more layered. If you’re not sure how to write a good subplot try these 3 tips:
- A good subplot should complicate the central plot line. Even running parallel, the subplot needs to feed into the main story and cause trouble for the hero.
- A good subplot needs a clear structure. Just like the main plot, it should also have a beginning, middle, and end, with turning points.
- Pro Tip: us the pacing to your advantage. The pacing of the subplot should complement the pace of the main plot. To do so, alternate moments of high tension of the subplot with low tension in the main plot and vice versa. Also consider how to stack them together to create narrative peaks. See how your protagonist deals when nothing goes well.
Final Thoughts — The Takeaway
Storytelling uses subplots like undercurrents to give stories depth. They provide space to explore characters’ internal struggles, reinforce themes, and raise the stakes — all while making the world feel richer and more lived-in.
So keep this in mind when you’re writing your next story. It’s not just about what happens next. Ask yourself what else could be happening beneath the surface. What hidden threads can you weave in to make your story feel more alive?