Moving Your Story Forward

All good books (and movies) contain subplots. Like real people, main characters have a lot going on in their lives. They go to work, make breakfast for the kids, feed the dog, pick up the groceries, and pay the bills. Are these mundane tasks subplots? I don’t think so. For me, they are often background noise.

I don’t care what kind of pancakes the kids get, although they can be mentioned to add flavor to the characters. I do care about paying the bills if the main character is in debt and worried about her sick mother and is considering suicide to redeem the life insurance policy.

Subplots can be very important, however, if they keep the central story moving forward. This is particularly true when new characters make their appearance. Why is this character here? What’s their purpose to the story? I’ve read a number of books where characters were introduced then went nowhere. In fact they disappeared without any reason for their existence. Did you ever wonder what happened to the suspicious woman seen in the same coffee shop the main character frequented? What was their point? To make us feel nervous that our heroine was in danger?

Moving the story forward is paramount. In every scene, every chapter, every section, every episode. There are times when information and descriptive details can add to the story. You want to know, perhaps, what kind of furniture is in Sam’s bedroom, particularly if Sam is a stud who brings women back to his apartment and later kills them. A glass and steel, black and white décor Sam is quite different from an Italian Mediterranean Sam with rich, warm woods and quilts of gold and red. I would say these descriptions are not subplots. They are part of character development.

 Let me use a popular PBS series, Downton Abbey, as an example of what I mean by subplots that take away from (or even take over) the main plot. For Downton fans now watching the current season, what would you say the major plot is? The family is once more in financial straits and in danger of losing their home? Or would you focus on the individual character s, ie: will Mary find a new mate? Will Edith eventually marry Michael? Will Tom take his baby and run off to America? I guess these are all subplots that keep the main storyline going. Each subplot must be resolved somehow.

Also, as writers we must take care not to drag subplots out too long – or end them too quickly. For instance, the maid that Lady Grantham hired back without consulting with Mrs. Hughes once again made a play for Tom. Duh. When Mrs. Hughes found out, she made quick work of her and she was out of the series in a couple of episodes. Ahh, too quick for me. There could have been an excellent subplot here.

I felt the opposite when Anna refused to tell Mr. Bates about her rape. Even though it lasted just a few episodes, I was impatient to have the story told. Now, I want to see what Mr. Bates does in response. Tension.

Veering too often from the main story in unrelated directions will make your readers impatient. I know because I’m one of those impatient readers . . . eager to follow the storyline to its final resolution.