You've got your main plot figured out. Your protagonist has a clear goal, escalating obstacles, and satisfying arc. But when you read it through, something feels thin. The story works but it doesn't feel layered or complex enough. It needs... something. What it needs is subplots.
But here's where writers trip up: they add subplots that distract from the main story instead of enhancing it. Or they add so many subplots that readers lose track of what the story is actually about. Or they include subplots that don't connect thematically, making the story feel scattered rather than cohesive.
Effective subplots don't dilute your story. They deepen it. They explore your theme from different angles, develop character dimensions, create complications for your main plot, and give readers variety in pacing and tone. When done right, subplots make your story feel richer and more satisfying without making readers wish you'd get back to the "real" story.
This guide will teach you how to create subplots that strengthen your main narrative. You'll learn to identify what kinds of subplots your story needs, connect them thematically to your main plot, weave them naturally into your structure, and resolve them in ways that enhance rather than compete with your primary storyline.
Understanding What Subplots Actually Do
A subplot is a secondary storyline that runs alongside your main plot. It has its own arc with setup, development, and resolution, but it's subordinate to the main story in terms of page time and narrative importance.
The key word is "secondary." Subplots support the main plot; they don't compete with it. If readers ever think "I wish we'd get back to the subplot instead of the main story," something's wrong with your balance. The main plot should always be the story's spine. Subplots are the ribs that give it structure and dimension.
Effective subplots serve multiple purposes simultaneously. A romance subplot might develop character dimension, explore the theme from a different angle, provide emotional stakes that raise consequences for the main plot, and give readers tonal variety between intense main plot scenes. That's a subplot earning its place.
Bad subplots are the ones that exist because you thought you needed one, or because you found this character interesting but couldn't figure out how they related to your story, or because you wanted to write a specific scene and invented a subplot to justify it. These subplots feel tacked on, and readers can tell.
The test of a good subplot: if you removed it entirely, would your story lose thematic depth, emotional complexity, character dimension, or necessary complications? If the answer is no, the subplot isn't doing enough. If the answer is yes, you've got a subplot that's actually working.
Identifying What Kinds of Subplots Your Story Needs
Not every story needs the same subplots. The type and number of subplots depend on your genre, length, main plot, and themes. Start by figuring out what's missing or what would strengthen what you have.
Romance subplots work in almost any genre except pure romance (where romance is the main plot). A developing relationship between your protagonist and another character adds emotional stakes, gives readers someone to care about besides the protagonist, and provides character development through how they navigate the relationship. But romance subplots only work if the romance feels necessary and if it complicates the main plot rather than distracting from it.
Family or friendship subplots develop existing relationships. Maybe your protagonist's relationship with their sibling is strained and needs healing. Maybe they're learning to trust a new friend. These work well when the relationship directly affects the protagonist's ability to achieve their main goal or reflects their internal growth.
Secondary character arcs give important supporting characters their own journeys. In ensemble stories, multiple characters might have subplots. In single-POV stories, you can still give major supporting characters mini-arcs that develop through scenes with the protagonist. These work when the supporting character's journey illuminates your theme or affects the main plot.
Thematic subplots explore your central theme or question from a different angle. If your main plot is about a character choosing ambition over relationships, a thematic subplot might show a secondary character making the opposite choice, letting readers see both paths and consequences. These deepen theme and add complexity to your story's central question.
Mystery subplots introduce smaller questions that get answered before the main question. Who's the person watching the protagonist? What happened to the missing money? Why is this character acting suspicious? These create ongoing reader engagement and can tie into the main mystery or complicate it.
Comic relief subplots provide tonal contrast. In dark or intense stories, a lighter subplot gives readers breathing room and keeps the story from becoming relentlessly grim. This might be an awkward romantic pursuit, a bumbling sidekick's misadventures, or a low-stakes competition running alongside high-stakes main plot.
Connecting Subplots Thematically to Main Plot
The strongest subplots aren't random secondary stories. They're thematically connected to your main plot, exploring the same questions or themes from different angles or with different characters.
Start by identifying your story's central theme or question. Not the plot summary but the underlying human truth you're exploring. Maybe it's about whether people can change. Or the cost of ambition. Or what family really means. Or whether honesty is always right. This theme should be present in your main plot.
Now think about how a subplot could explore that same theme differently. If your main plot is about a character learning to trust after betrayal, a subplot might show another character struggling with whether to be honest and risk hurting someone. Both are about trust, but from different angles. Readers subconsciously connect these threads, making your story feel cohesive even with multiple storylines.
Subplots can also mirror or contrast the main plot. Mirror subplots show similar situations with different characters, reinforcing your theme. Contrast subplots show opposite approaches to the same question, creating thematic complexity by showing multiple perspectives.
Sometimes subplots explore the consequences or stakes of the main plot in miniature. If your main plot is about a character choosing between two life paths, a subplot might show a minor character who made a similar choice years ago and lives with the consequences. This foreshadows and raises stakes without being heavy-handed.
The thematic connection doesn't have to be obvious or stated explicitly. Readers should feel that all the storylines belong together, that they're facets of the same central question, even if they couldn't articulate exactly how. That feeling of cohesion is what separates layered storytelling from scattered plotting.
Determining How Many Subplots to Include
More isn't better. Too many subplots make your story feel scattered and prevent readers from getting deeply invested in any single thread. Too few and your story might feel thin. How many is right?
Genre matters. Literary fiction often has fewer, more deeply developed subplots. Genre fiction varies: thrillers might have one or two tight subplots, while epic fantasy might juggle several. Romance typically has one subplot (often a friendship or personal growth arc) alongside the main romantic plot.
Length matters. A 60,000-word novel has less room for subplots than a 120,000-word epic. Rule of thumb: shorter books need fewer subplots. Don't try to cram six subplots into a short novel. You won't have space to develop them properly.
For most novels, 2-4 subplots is the sweet spot. One major subplot that gets significant page time and development. One or two medium subplots that appear regularly but don't dominate. Maybe one minor subplot that's more like a recurring motif. More than four and you risk confusion or dilution unless you're writing an epic or ensemble piece.
Each subplot should get roughly proportional page time to its importance. Major subplots might get 20-30% of scenes. Medium subplots maybe 10-15%. Minor subplots just occasional mentions or brief scenes. If a subplot is only appearing in 5% of your story, consider if it's earning its place or if that page time would be better spent deepening more important threads.
When in doubt, err on the side of fewer, deeper subplots rather than many shallow ones. Readers would rather fully invest in two or three well-developed storylines than try to track six underdeveloped ones.
Weaving Subplots Into Your Story Structure
Subplots need their own structure (beginning, middle, resolution) but they should be integrated into your main plot structure, not running parallel without intersection.
Most subplots should begin after your main plot is established. Don't introduce too many storylines in the opening or readers won't know what to focus on. Establish your main plot and protagonist first, then introduce subplots once readers are grounded. Often subplots begin in the aftermath of the inciting incident or as the protagonist moves into Act 2.
Subplot beats should intersect with main plot beats. The subplot doesn't just exist on its own timeline. Developments in the subplot affect the main plot. Developments in the main plot affect the subplot. These intersection points create the feeling of a cohesive story rather than separate threads.
Pacing means alternating between main plot and subplot scenes in a rhythm that maintains forward momentum. You don't want too many subplot scenes in a row pulling readers away from the main action. But you also don't want to ignore a subplot for so long that readers forget about it. Check your scene sequence: are you balancing main plot and subplot regularly enough?
Subplots often have their own act structure that roughly aligns with main plot structure. Subplot setup in Act 1, complications and development in Act 2, resolution in Act 3. But subplot climaxes often happen before the main climax so they don't compete for reader attention. Or they happen simultaneously, with the subplot resolution contributing to main plot resolution.
Use subplot scenes for pacing variety. If your main plot is intense and fast-paced, subplot scenes can provide quieter emotional moments. If your main plot is slower and contemplative, subplot scenes might provide action or humor. This variation keeps readers engaged without exhausting them.
Making Subplots Complicate Your Main Plot
The best subplots don't just run alongside the main plot. They interact with it, creating complications, raising stakes, or affecting the protagonist's ability to achieve their goal.
Romance subplots that work well create conflict with the main goal. The protagonist falls for someone whose goals oppose theirs. Or someone they shouldn't be with. Or someone at the wrong time. The romance makes the main goal harder, not easier. This forces the protagonist to make difficult choices and raises both emotional and plot stakes.
Relationship subplots can provide resources and obstacles. A fractured family relationship might need healing before the protagonist can get help they need. A new friendship might provide crucial information but at the cost of trust if the friend has their own agenda. Relationships become chess pieces that move the main plot while developing character.
Secondary character arcs intersect when those characters' choices affect the main plot. Maybe the best friend who's been supportive is going through their own crisis and can't help at a crucial moment. Maybe the mentor figure the protagonist relies on turns out to have compromised values. These subplots create complications while staying thematically connected.
Mystery subplots should tie into the main mystery or create red herrings. The suspicious character in the subplot might be connected to the main antagonist, or might be a distraction, but they shouldn't be completely separate. Readers should feel like paying attention to the subplot might give them clues about the main plot.
Ask of each subplot: how does this make the main plot more difficult or complex? If the subplot exists in a bubble without affecting the main storyline, it's not integrated enough. Find ways for subplot developments to ripple into the main plot, creating additional obstacles, complications, or stakes.
Resolving Subplots Effectively
How and when you resolve subplots is almost as important as how you develop them. Bad subplot resolution can undermine even well-constructed secondary storylines.
Most subplots should resolve before the main plot climax. You don't want readers worrying about whether the romance will work out while they're supposed to be focused on whether the hero will survive the final confrontation. Resolve major subplots in the final quarter of the book but before the climactic sequence. This clears the deck for main plot resolution.
Some subplots resolve during the climax when their resolution directly contributes to main plot resolution. The fractured relationship that gets healed becomes the key to defeating the antagonist. The romance that's been building pays off when characters choose to sacrifice for each other. These work when subplot and main plot are deeply intertwined.
Resolution should be proportional to development. If you've spent significant page time on a subplot, it needs a satisfying resolution scene. If it's a minor subplot, a brief resolution or even an implied resolution might be enough. Don't let major subplots fizzle out or resolve off-page.
Avoid too-neat resolution unless your genre demands it. Life doesn't tie up perfectly, and stories feel more real when subplots don't all resolve in the exact way characters wanted. Maybe the romance works out but the family relationship is only partially healed. Maybe the friendship survives but differently than before. Leave some realistic ambiguity while still providing emotional closure.
Check for dangling threads. Did you set up a subplot and forget to resolve it? Beta readers will notice. Every subplot you introduce creates a promise to readers that you'll eventually address it. Make sure you fulfill those promises or consciously leave threads for sequels if that's your plan.
Avoiding Common Subplot Pitfalls
Let's talk about what doesn't work. First pitfall: subplots that feel like filler. If you're using subplots to pad word count because your main plot isn't substantial enough, readers will feel it. The solution isn't better subplots; it's a more developed main plot. Subplots should add dimension, not replace missing substance.
Second pitfall: subplots that overtake the main plot. Sometimes writers fall in love with a subplot and give it too much page time or make it more interesting than the main story. If your romance subplot is getting more attention than your main plot, either shift focus and make the romance the main plot, or cut back the romance to its proper subordinate role.
Third pitfall: too many disconnected subplots. If you have five subplots and none of them relate thematically or intersect with each other, your story feels like five separate stories poorly stitched together. Every subplot should connect to either the main plot, the theme, or other subplots.
Fourth pitfall: forgetting subplots for too long. If a subplot appears in chapter five and then isn't mentioned again until chapter fifteen, readers will have forgotten about it. Each subplot needs regular development throughout the story, even if just brief mentions or check-ins.
Fifth pitfall: subplots that resolve too easily. If your protagonist is struggling intensely with the main plot but their romance subplot has no real obstacles, the romance feels insubstantial. Subplots need their own conflicts and challenges, proportional to their importance.
Sixth pitfall: using subplots to avoid the main plot. Sometimes writers get stuck on main plot problems and escape into subplots. This creates story imbalance. If you find yourself always more excited to write subplot scenes than main plot scenes, that's a red flag about your main plot.
Adapting Subplot Complexity to Genre
Different genres have different tolerance for subplot complexity. Understanding your genre's expectations helps you calibrate the right amount of secondary storylines.
Thrillers and action-heavy genres typically have fewer, tighter subplots. Readers are here for fast pacing and main plot momentum. One major subplot (often romance or a personal relationship) and maybe one minor subplot is usually enough. More than that can feel like drag on pacing.
Mystery novels often have several subplots but they usually all tie back to the central mystery. Red herrings, suspicious characters with their own secrets, parallel investigations. These subplots create complexity and keep readers guessing without distracting from the main whodunit.
Romance usually has one significant subplot focusing on the protagonist's personal growth, career challenges, or an external problem they're solving while the main plot is the romantic relationship. The subplot creates obstacles for the romance and shows character dimension beyond their romantic life.
Literary fiction often has fewer but more deeply explored subplots. The pacing is slower and more focused on character and theme than pure plot momentum, so subplots can be rich and complex. Relationships, family dynamics, parallel character journeys all get substantial development.
Epic fantasy and sprawling ensemble stories can handle multiple subplots because of length and scope. Different characters might have their own subplot arcs. Multiple kingdoms or factions create various storylines. But even here, all subplots should eventually converge or relate thematically. Readers will track many threads if they trust you're building toward something cohesive.
Know your genre's conventions. Read widely in your category and notice how many subplots typical successful books include, how much page time they get, and how they're woven together. This calibrates your sense of what readers will expect and tolerate.
Using Subplots to Develop Character Dimensions
One of the most valuable functions of subplots is showing different facets of your characters. The main plot shows us one side of who they are. Subplots reveal other dimensions.
Your protagonist might be competent and controlled in main plot scenes where they're working toward their goal. But in romantic subplot scenes, they're vulnerable and awkward. In family subplot scenes, they're the baby of the family and defensive. These different contexts show a fuller person rather than a one-note character.
Subplots give characters something to care about besides the main goal. A detective who's only ever investigating is less interesting than a detective who's also trying to repair their relationship with their kid or dealing with a sick parent or navigating a new romance. The subplot shows us what else matters to them, making them feel more real.
Relationships in subplots reveal character through interaction. How your protagonist treats a romantic interest versus how they treat their boss versus how they treat their best friend shows different aspects of their personality. These varied dynamics create a three-dimensional character.
Subplots can show internal conflict externalized through relationships. If your protagonist's arc is about learning to trust, subplots might show them struggling to trust in romance, friendship, and professional relationships. The same internal issue playing out in different contexts creates coherent character development while adding story complexity.
Use subplots to show stakes beyond the main plot. If all we know is that your character wants to stop the villain, they're defined only by that goal. But if we also know they're in love, worried about their sibling, and trying to prove themselves to a mentor, they become a person with multiple concerns and priorities. This makes us care more about them as humans, not just as plot vehicles.
Revising to Strengthen Subplot Integration
If you've drafted your story and subplots feel weak or disconnected, here's how to revise for better integration.
First, list all your subplots. For each one, write down: What is this subplot about? What purpose does it serve? How does it relate to the main plot? How does it relate to the theme? If you can't answer these clearly, the subplot needs work or should be cut.
Map where subplot scenes appear. Create a scene list that marks main plot versus each subplot. Look for patterns. Is one subplot ignored for too long? Does one subplot dominate too much? Are subplots distributed evenly through the story or bunched? Adjust for better pacing.
Identify intersection points. Where do subplots affect the main plot? Where does the main plot affect subplots? If there are no intersection points, create them. Merge storylines at key moments. Make developments in one thread create complications in another.
Check for thematic coherence. Can you articulate how all your plot threads relate to a central question or theme? If not, either adjust subplots to connect thematically or cut ones that don't fit. A cohesive multi-threaded story feels intentional, not scattered.
Test subplot necessity. For each subplot, ask: if I cut this entirely, what would the story lose? If the answer is "not much," cut it or strengthen it. Every subplot should be contributing something essential to character, theme, stakes, or plot complexity.
Get feedback specifically on subplots. Ask beta readers: Did you care about all the storylines? Were any subplots confusing or distracting? Did you want more or less of any particular thread? Reader feedback reveals which subplots are landing and which aren't pulling their weight.
Making Subplots Feel Like Part of One Story
The ultimate goal is for your main plot and subplots to feel like facets of one complex story, not like separate stories that happen to be in the same book.
Thematic unity is the strongest tool for this. When every thread explores the same central question from different angles, readers feel the coherence even if the storylines don't directly intersect. All paths are climbing the same mountain from different sides.
Character connection creates unity. When subplots involve people the protagonist cares about, readers understand why we're paying attention to these threads. They're not random secondary stories; they're about relationships that matter to the person we're following.
Tone consistency helps. If your main plot is dark and serious and your subplot is slapstick comedy, the tonal whiplash makes them feel disconnected. Subplots can provide contrast (lighter moments in dark stories, tension in lighter ones) but there should be overall tonal coherence.
Structural parallelism creates subconscious connections. When subplot beats align with main plot beats (subplot complication happens around the same time as main plot midpoint complication), readers feel the story moving in concert rather than in fragmented pieces.
Resolution that feeds into main resolution shows how everything connects. When solving the subplot helps solve the main plot, or when main plot resolution finally allows subplot resolution, readers see how all threads are part of one narrative weave.
Trust that well-constructed subplots enhance rather than distract. When you've done the work of making sure each subplot serves your story, relates thematically, develops character, and intersects with the main plot, you can be confident that you're creating layered, sophisticated storytelling. Multiple threads, one story. That's the art of subplot integration.