Every story has a main plot—the big goal, the central conflict, the thing that drives it forward. But most stories need more than that to really land.
Subplots are where the emotional weight builds. They give us insight into characters, reveal hidden tensions, and explore ideas the main plot doesn’t have time for. Done well, they don’t just support the story—they elevate it.
This guide is all about how subplots work, why they matter, and how to make sure yours actually earn their place on the page.
What Is a Subplot?
A subplot is a smaller story that runs alongside your main plot. It’s not the central conflict, but it’s still part of the bigger picture.
You’ll usually find subplots tucked into relationships, personal struggles, or side goals—things that matter to your characters, even if they aren’t driving the main storyline.
Maybe your hero is trying to save the world (main plot), but also patching things up with their estranged sister (subplot). Or maybe there’s a romance brewing while they’re chasing a murderer. That’s a subplot too.
Subplots aren’t just extra—they help fill out your story. They can:
- Show different sides of your characters.
- Raise the stakes in subtle ways.
- Echo or contrast the main theme.
- Slow things down when your story needs a breather—or ramp up tension in a new direction.
The best subplots feel connected. They matter to the characters, and they add meaning to the bigger story. Done right, a subplot won’t steal the spotlight—but it will make your story feel richer, fuller, and more human.
Why Subplots Matter
Subplots might not be the main story, but they’re a big part of what makes a story feel full and satisfying. They add layers—emotional, thematic, sometimes even structural—that give your main plot more weight.
Without subplots, everything rides on one storyline. And while that can work, it can also start to feel a little flat. Subplots are where characters reveal different sides of themselves. They’re where relationships get tested, personal goals emerge, and deeper themes come to the surface.
They also help with pacing. If your main plot is a straight line, subplots give it curves. They create rhythm—moments of quiet, humor, tension, or reflection—so your story doesn’t just barrel forward at the same speed the whole time.
And when a subplot ties back into the main story? That’s where things really click. It’s one of those “ohhh” moments where readers see how it all connects. That kind of payoff hits harder because the groundwork has already been laid.
Types of Subplots
There’s no one way to do a subplot, but most of them fall into a few broad categories. Here’s a quick look at the most common types—and what they can bring to your story:
Relationship Subplots
These center on dynamics between characters—romance, friendship, rivalry, family tension. They’re often where the emotional core of the story lives. If your main plot is all about action or external goals, this is where you can slow down and let readers connect on a more personal level.
Think: Han and Leia’s evolving relationship in Star Wars—it doesn’t drive the plot, but it gives it heart.
Internal Subplots
This is what’s going on beneath the surface. Your character might be struggling with fear, guilt, identity, grief—something that shapes how they act and what choices they make. These often grow quietly in the background until they hit a turning point.
In Black Panther, T’Challa’s internal struggle about what kind of king he wants to be runs alongside the external conflict—and makes the final showdown hit harder.
Secondary Character Arcs
Sometimes the subplot belongs to someone else. A side character might have their own goal, challenge, or growth arc. These subplots can add depth to your cast and reinforce your main theme without distracting from it.
In The Lord of the Rings, Sam’s loyalty and courage form a powerful subplot that supports Frodo’s journey.
Thematic Subplots
These don’t necessarily follow a big conflict, but they explore your story’s big ideas in smaller ways. They’re often reflective or symbolic—another character going through a similar (or opposite) experience, or a quiet situation that mirrors the larger one.
In The Dark Knight, Harvey Dent’s transformation is a thematic subplot about justice, chaos, and what people become under pressure.
Contrast or Comic Relief Subplots
Sometimes, your story needs a break from the heavy stuff. A subplot with humor or a completely different tone can give your audience space to breathe—and make the intense moments land harder when they come back around.
Ron and Hermione’s bickering in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire lightens up the Triwizard Tournament tension while still building toward something meaningful.
How to Weave Subplots into the Main Story
It’s one thing to have a subplot—it’s another to make it feel like it actually belongs.
The best subplots don’t feel separate. They feel like part of the same story, just told through a different lens. Even if they follow a different goal or character, they still connect. They echo the same themes. They build toward the same emotional payoff. And when they intersect with the main plot? That’s when things get really satisfying.
Here’s how to make that happen:
Look for overlap.
Your subplot doesn’t have to crash into the main plot, but it should brush up against it. A decision in one can affect the other. A conversation in the subplot might shift the character’s mindset in the main one. When these threads start to tangle—naturally, not forced—that’s when your story feels like it’s all part of one bigger whole.
Let it create friction.
One of the easiest ways to tie a subplot into the main story is to let it cause problems. Maybe a character’s personal goal gets in the way of the group’s mission. Maybe a romantic tension throws off timing or trust. Subplots don’t have to be smooth—they’re often more effective when they complicate things. That tension forces choices, and choices reveal character.
Let scenes do double duty.
A subplot doesn’t always need its own space to make an impact. Sometimes a single scene can serve the main plot and a subplot at once—advancing the external story while revealing something deeper beneath it. These dual-purpose moments can carry more weight than two separate scenes—and make your story feel more layered without slowing it down.
Use it to reveal stakes.
Sometimes the subplot shows us what’s really on the line. Maybe your character is trying to win a war (main plot), but we only understand why it matters when we see what’s at risk for their family, their values, or their identity (subplot). That personal layer turns abstract stakes into something we can feel.
Use the theme as glue.
If your story is about redemption, identity, freedom—whatever—your subplot is a great place to explore that same idea from a different angle. It doesn’t need to spell anything out. Just let it ask a similar question in a quieter way. That kind of echo helps everything feel connected, even if the plots aren’t tightly linked.
Bring it back when it matters.
You don’t need to check in with your subplot every other page. But when the main plot is reaching a key moment, that’s a great time to bring the subplot forward too. Let them collide. Let one inform the other. When your reader sees how it all fits, the payoff feels earned.
Bottom line: A subplot shouldn’t feel like an extra—it should feel inevitable. When it’s tied to your characters, echoes your theme, and intersects with the main plot in meaningful ways, it becomes more than a side story. It becomes part of the engine that drives your narrative forward—and part of what makes the whole thing resonate.
The Anatomy of a Strong Subplot
A good subplot doesn’t need to be big. It just needs to matter.
Whether it’s emotional, thematic, or tied to a side character, a strong subplot has shape. It moves. It sticks with the reader. So what does that actually look like? Let’s break it down.
- It has focus
A subplot doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be clear. We know what it’s about, who it involves, and why it matters to someone. Maybe it’s a slow-building romance. Maybe it’s a sibling rivalry. Maybe it’s a character quietly dealing with guilt. Whatever it is, it’s specific—and we can feel where it’s going. - It builds over time.
Strong subplots don’t just show up once and vanish. They develop. They come back at key moments, change in small ways, and push characters to react, reflect, or choose differently than they would have before. Even if it’s happening in the background, it’s still moving forward. - It earns its space.
There’s only so much room in a story, and a strong subplot knows that. It’s not just there for flavor—it’s doing something. Adding tension. Revealing character. Reinforcing a theme. Giving the reader a breather before the next big twist. If it’s not helping the story in some way, it’s probably just taking up oxygen. - It has an emotional core.
A subplot doesn’t need explosions or huge twists. But it does need feeling. It matters because it matters to the characters—and that makes it matter to us. Sometimes the quietest subplot can hit the hardest if it’s rooted in something true. - It lands.
By the end, we’ve seen some kind of shift. Maybe it resolves neatly. Maybe it leaves a question hanging. But there’s a sense that the arc is complete—or at least, that it’s gone somewhere meaningful.
Subplots don’t need to fight for attention. The strong ones quietly do their job, shaping the story from the edges and making the whole thing feel more alive.
Subplots and Pacing
Subplots can shift the pace of your story—sometimes in ways you want, sometimes not. The key is knowing what effect each subplot is having and whether it’s helping the rhythm of your story or throwing it off.
A subplot can slow things down or speed things up. Both are useful. Both can backfire.
When a Subplot Slows Things Down
Slower subplots tend to be more personal—emotional arcs, relationship shifts, quiet moments that focus on internal change. These are great for giving your story depth and letting characters breathe. They also give the reader a break from the main plot’s intensity.
But if the main plot has a lot of momentum, dropping into a slow subplot too early—or for too long—can break the flow.
Slowing subplots work best when:
- The main story just hit a big moment and needs space to settle.
- A character is about to make a major decision and needs time to reflect.
- You’re building toward something and want to stretch the tension.
Example: In The Hunger Games, Katniss’s growing connection with Rue slows the pace down—just enough to deepen the emotion before the action picks up again.
When a Subplot Speeds Things Up
Faster subplots add pressure. Maybe a side character is in trouble. Maybe a hidden motive is revealed. Maybe the subplot introduces a new problem entirely. These storylines pull characters in more directions and can make things feel like they’re accelerating, even if the main plot hasn’t hit a major twist yet.
They’re great for tightening tension and keeping things moving—especially when your main plot is in a slower phase.
Speeding subplots work best when:
- The main story is building slowly and needs extra tension.
- You want to raise stakes or add urgency.
- You’re trying to create a feeling of chaos or spiraling conflict.
Example: In The Dark Knight, the subplot with Harvey Dent turns the pressure up. While Batman’s dealing with the Joker, Harvey’s unraveling in the background—and when those stories collide, everything speeds up.
The trick is using subplots to adjust your pacing, not fight it. When the main plot slows down, a subplot can pick up the slack. When things are moving fast, a quieter subplot can give the reader a moment to breathe.
Key Takeaways
- Subplots are smaller stories within your larger story. They often center on relationships, personal growth, side characters, or thematic threads—and they’re most effective when they feel like they belong.
- Good subplots serve a purpose. They reveal character, explore theme, raise stakes, or challenge your protagonist in ways the main plot doesn’t.
- They come in many forms. From romantic tension to internal struggles, comic relief to moral dilemmas—what matters is that they’re intentional and meaningful.
- Connection is key. The strongest subplots aren’t just floating beside the main story—they overlap with it, influence it, and build toward the same emotional payoff.
- Subplots shape your pacing. They can slow the story down when you need space to reflect, or speed things up by adding pressure and complexity.
- Strong subplots have structure. Even if they’re subtle, they should rise and fall, evolve over time, and land with some kind of resolution or shift.
- When done well, subplots don’t just support your story—they elevate it. They’re what make a good plot feel like a complete, lived-in world.
