Definition
A subplot is a storyline that operates beneath or alongside your main plot. It has its own arc (beginning, middle, end), its own conflict, and often its own cast of characters, though it typically intersects with the main plot at key moments. Good subplots aren't just filler or side quests. They illuminate, complicate, or mirror the central story in ways that make the whole novel richer. Think of them as the harmonies under the melody.
Why It Matters
Subplots are what give a novel the feeling of a full, breathing world rather than a single track running from A to B. They let you explore your themes from different angles, give secondary characters room to develop, and create natural pacing variety so your main plot doesn't exhaust the reader. Learning to weave subplots well is often the difference between a story that feels thin and one that feels layered.
Types of Subplot
Famous Examples
Hermione's Time-Turner subplot runs quietly alongside the main Sirius Black storyline until the two converge brilliantly in the final act. A masterclass in subplot payoff.
The class dynamics subplot between Connell and Marianne weaves through their romantic storyline, showing how social power shifts shape and distort intimate relationships.
Every season braids together multiple subplots (schools, politics, journalism, unions) that collectively build a portrait of a city. Each subplot is its own complete story that enriches every other one.
Common Mistakes
Every subplot should connect to your main plot thematically, emotionally, or structurally. If you can remove a subplot and nothing changes in the main story, it probably doesn't belong.
A subplot that overpowers the main plot confuses readers about what the story is really about. Keep the ratio roughly 60/40 or 70/30 in favor of your main plot.
Every subplot you start creates a promise to the reader. You don't need a huge climax for each one, but each should reach some form of conclusion.
Subplots introduced after the midpoint rarely get enough development to feel satisfying. Plant the seeds early, even if the subplot doesn't fully activate until later.
Try It Yourself
Take a story you're working on and identify the main plot in one sentence. Now invent a subplot involving a secondary character who faces a similar dilemma but makes the opposite choice from your protagonist. Write the scene where these two storylines intersect for the first time. How does the subplot character's perspective challenge or deepen what the main story is saying?
Keep your subplots from going off the rails
Novelium's structure tools help you track multiple storylines across your manuscript, so you can see at a glance where each subplot starts, peaks, and resolves. No more accidentally dropping a thread in Chapter 14.