Everybody loves a good subplot. I know that I certainly do! They are a great way to distract the reader from thinking of the central conflict of the story as a simple Point A-Point B scenario by throwing in smaller conflicts. Sometimes they can even add to the main plot and make it stronger. They can make characters more developed, solve problems within the main plot, add new levels of depth to your story and lead to epic twist.
For every bit as great as they are, though, subplots can be absolutely horrible. Subplots are extremely difficult to handle (yet new writers continue to try to use them for some reason) and many times are what breaks what could have been a good story. So here to help out any writers interested in them, here are five tips for using subplots in stories.
1. All Subplots Have A Purpose
All subplots have a purpose beyond just being there for the sake of being there. Far too often a writer will have a sudden "what if we did this" idea and work in pointless sub plots just because they wanted to have a cool scene in their story. Every subplot has to have a reason to exist that truly affects the story in the form of either having an effect on the main plot, developing a character, creating a setting or something of that sort. If you can read your story and skip the sub plot part and not even notice, it does not need to exist.
2. Tying Them To The Main Plot
Another way that sub plots are easily ruined is when the writer tries to tie them to the main plot. Before you even start writing you need to know exactly how your subplot affects the main plot. It is a lot harder to tie a string to a hook when the hook is already in the water. There are many cliches involving subplots and main plots that are easy to fall for as well and should be avoided if you want to avoid predictability in your story. Some examples would be a good character suddenly turning evil or someone thought to have died coming back to life at the end or something the main characters thought was irrelevant miraculously being the thing they needed, love interest subplots and so much more. These are all tropes that have been done a million times in stories and need to be handled carefully and subtly to avoid making your story bland.
3. Managing Multiple Subplots
Managing sub plots can get pretty messy at times. The best thing that you can do to keep track of them all and ensure they are being done properly is to go ahead and write down exactly what you want to happen with each subplot, that way, as you write, you can work in your plans instead of trying to make things up on the fly. This also gives you time to think of new ways to improve on them and tie your plots up nicely to avoid plot holes.
4. How Many Should A Story Have
I personally follow a rule that there should be no more than two subplots for each character in your story. More than that and things are going to get tangled fast and not in a good way. Of course, this is dependent though. Short subplots, for instance, can be resolved quickly so having multiple of them is not a terrible idea, especially for long series. Long-term subplots should be far and in between though so as not to make the reading muddled.
5. Subplot Resolutions
Subplots are made to be resolved! Whether they are resolved by dipping into the main plot or by their own mini stories they should always eventually be resolved unless you are writing a series, in which case they need to at least be alluded to in a way near the end that keeps the reader invested. Leaving open subplots a lot of times seems like a good way to set up a mystery or let readers decide the ending for themselves. That sounds good and all, but it is also usually unnecessary as making the reader think should be the job of the main plot! That is why you are writing in the first place, after all!
