as a few others have said, in novels sub-plots are necessary, not only can they enhance the story, but they can keep you interested in writing it. I for one tend to get a bit bored writing the same story, so it keeps me entertained diverting from the main plot on occation
hmmm alright it seems like i'm unable to avoid the subject of subplots. Would it be better to expand on the main character? or would it be better to include more characters and have a separate plot that would tie in to the main one?
You got to walk That lonesome valley You got to walk It by yourself Ain't nobody here can walk if for you You got to walk it by yourself.
Please credit song lyrics (or any other quoted material), @EdFromNY. In this case, the song is "The Reverend Mr. Black." The songwriters are Billy Wheeler, Jerry Lieber, and Mike Stoller.
@Mystovation : The best answers to any writing question, you will get from your favourite novels. You want to figure out how subplots work? Take a book that is either most similar to your story, or that inspired you in some way, and analyse what kind of subplots they had. Not to copy them, obviously, but to learn. Subplots are usually (not always) in different points of view, so you can analyse when the pop up, which chapter, how much 'stage time' they get, how they relate etc. Do that with ten of your favourite books, do that for ten writing questions you have, and you'll have a wealth of knowledge and examples. Another thing is, it sounds like your knowledge of creative writing is less then rudimentary, since you weren't aware that subplots are as integral to a narrative as the main story. It's difficult to write before you know enough about writing. Buy some books on writing. You have loads of recommendations on the forum, or search for them on line and see which one appeals to you. Writing is a difficult craft, and there are many things to consider. I think you'd find educating yourself about it useful.
Actually, the text is a traditional spiritual, based on the 23rd Psalm (according to my parish hymnal). Woody Guthrie adapted it and added several verses not quoted here. I never heard of "The Reverend Mr. Black."
Now, that's just funny... in a warped, truly sick sense of humor sort of way. I am currently figuring out just how much of a sort of unnecessary sub-plot in my current WIP is going to have to be ripped out, re-written, moved, or manipulated. It's put the skids on forward progression because I realized it was actually slowing down the story. But, at least to a certain extent, much of what is going on is really necessary. In other words: subplots? Yes. Difficult? Sometimes. And, thanks, I really needed that reminder to make me feel incompetent! ;p
sorry, ed, but the version you posted is the song 'lonesome valley' that is credited to joan baez as 'songwriter'... so it should have been cited, regardless of where she got the inspiration for the paraphrasing of an old, bible-based spiritual... even if it was only the traditional spiritual, that should have been cited as the origin of the wording you posted, so it wouldn't seem you were claiming to have written it... which is what one must assume, whenever something is quoted in a post with no attribution... minstrel... wheeler, et al. used that part as the chorus to their song... but i agree baez & company should have been cited...
Please let's not get into another spat over quoting lyrics. It's off-topic and the issue has been dealt with.
OMG! I'm not the only one who assumed it was obvious one was quoting a well known song lyric. Even though I didn't know who wrote the lyric, it was obvious from the context @EdFromNY wasn't writing an original lyric there. OK, I already conceded it was best to cite the author and it wasn't wrong to point it out. But I feel you there @EdFromNY, truly I do.
I didn't think too much about my subplots. They exist as conflicts in addition to the main conflict just as characters exist in addition to the main characters.
