Guys, please help me out here. I'm so stuck. Subplots. Can someone please talk me through how a writer is meant to create these in a novel? Everybody talks about subplots in such breezy tones, as though having multiple subplots in your novel is the most obvious and easy thing in the world. And then there's me. Sitting over here biting my fingernails, thinking, "Well, I've got a really solid plan for my plot... so that's something..." What is the deal with these pesky subplots? How does one incorporate them? What are they? I mean, I know what they are. I know how they work. I can identify them in other books, and see their value and why they're there and why they're subplots and not part of the main plot. But when it comes to my own book, I've just got a really intricate and in-depth plan for my main plot. But there are no spider-webby ideas and events and characters that branch off of that main plotline. S.O.S.!!
Chase, Before you can put a subplot into a story, you need to understand the purpose of a subplot. A subplot is meant to explore the theme of your story. Let's us take a look at Lord of the Rings. One of the themes in the story is how the smallest thing or person can change the world. The subplot in the story is actually Aragorn's quest. He is able to save men from Annihilation at the battle of Helm's deep and Gondor, however, this is all meaningless. As long as the one ring exist, nothing he does truly matters. In the end, he willingly marches to a battle he knows he can't win so that Frodo might have a chance to destroy the one ring. This does not mean that Aragorn is any less of a Hero, but it is meant to show that sometimes it is the small people in this world that make the most difference.
I personally work through subplots by making my characters past and traits as intricate as I can. Subplots seem to spring from this. I try to envision what situations my characters past or traits could get them into. Examples: I have a character who has a lot of money and not a lot of self control. So it's within reason that she has a prescription drug addiction. Boom, side-plot. Another character of mine has a butt load of honor, his side plot is that he was married and has two sons. He's struggling with what to do, whether he should do the honorable thing and let them go (Because he's a danger to them,) or do what he wants to do and take them. Both are within the realms of possibility for his character. The more complex I make my characters the easier it is for me to come up with side plots.
Maybe I'm misidentifying elements of my novel as 'plot' when in fact they are actually 'subplot'. How do you draw the line between? Argh. I don't know why I'm struggling so much with the mechanical side of writing this novel. The story is there in my head and I just want to write it, but I keep getting stumped by the logistical questions.
I'm in the same boat. Actually now that you mention it it's pretty difficult to define the line between sub and plot. On that note though, I think you're doing a good job if the line is blurred. You can use subplot to further main plot.
For me the main plot is the actual focus of the book - if you took it out there wouldn't really be anything else. Subplots help prop up the main plot, but they're not necessary for it to make sense. That's definitely not a surefire distinction, but it's the one that I use, I guess? My wip has a romantic subplot that helps deepen and inform the main relationship, but the main relationship would still exist and make sense without it. The main relationship isn't actually what I think of as the 'plot' but the story couldn't exist without it. Hmm. Yeah, it's awkward to pick apart.
What needs to change for your story to end? Answering this question will tell you what the main plot is.
This is helpful. Thanks, Izzy. I think, using your comment as a guide, I have created subplots without knowing, thinking they're main plot. So that's good, I guess??
You tend to find subplots in books that have a lot of characters. Catch-22 comes to mind. Every character in that book was a subplot to some extent if I remember correctly.
I like to look at it like this: the basis of characters is usually 'desire'. Your main character's desire is usually the main plot--does he or does he not accomplish his story goal? But when you break it down, every other character has a desire, too. Every character has a reason that they're going out of their way to help or hinder the protagonist. Couldn't that be at least as many sub-plots as you have characters? Maybe they accomplish their desires along the way, too!
I don't think I've ever heard the basics of 'subplot' explained better, or more simply, than this. When people start talking about 'subplot' I think they envision this as something intricate that needs to be 'constructed.' In fact, a subplot just emerges as you tell your story. You let it be known what other characters also want, and follow their stories as they entwine with your main one. Just keep in mind that subplots relate to the main plot. What Elmer wants, if he's a secondary character, will probably only relate to what the main character Frieda is doing or what he wants from her. What Elmer wants in other parts of his life probably doesn't enter in here—although it can, if you want to go there. Subplotting is a natural extension of storytelling, really. I'd say to any new writer, don't obsess over deliberately creating 'subplots.' Just write your story. If you take your time and include lots of characters and events, as novelists do, the subplot will emerge.
Fist off here is your S.O.S. As for subplots, I thought was the filler stuff between main plot. At least that is how I use them with all of my MCs and Secondaries, and only a little bit For Tertiary characters. It is all the stuff used to give your characters more depth and make them more 3 dimensional. Subplots are good to have, but not when they become more complex than the main plot. Good Luck
I have no idea what vomit on toast relates to, but I agree with you, that a subplot can also involve the main character. Something 'secondary' to the main plot that gets resolved as well. Again, though, I'd suggest not to stress over it. Just develop your novel, but realise it needs to be a rich story, not just zooming from point A to point Z as quickly as possible. It's not a race, it's a journey. And on a journey you'll encounter lots of things besides the end result.
