Using Subplots to Create Believable Characters

One of the best ways to create believable characters is by giving each character their own motivation and goal. While you have your main character and main plot, they cannot exist in a vacuum. This is where including subplots becomes vital to the lifeblood of the story. But coming up with a main plot is hard enough, let alone more plots on top of that. So, what are subplots and why should you care about them?

In the past, I’ve talked about how each character you have should have some kind of backstory. I relate this to Dungeons and Dragons and how the background defines why a player character begins to adventure in the first place. Backgrounds create the why from which you can create where it leads. How these backgrounds interact between your cast of characters can create subplots.

Jessica Page Morrell, in her chapter of The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing, defines subplots as “miniature stories woven into the main story, complete and intriguing in their own right, serving to contrast, reinforce, or divert attention from the main plot” (65). They function as a way to make sure the main plot isn’t solved too quickly while building up both the world and the characters. Through subplots, we can learn more about how the characters interact in the world and how their choices are changing them.

Subplots can be as simple as a single scene or as complex as a romance. As long as they’re adding depth to the story overall, they should be included. The point is to create more conflict, not just in the form of fighting but in complications that stir up more tension and intrigue. Often, these subplots can reveal decisions and ideas that the characters wouldn’t have come across otherwise. If your novel is mostly a mystery, then adding in a romance gives the readers a chance to connect with the characters and divert attention from potential clues. Maybe the love interest is the killer all along, or they’re actually a red herring.

A great way to consider subplots is by looking at most modern television shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy and Criminal Minds. Each episode is self-contained but contains the threads of a main plot that arcs through each season. This is similar to how your chapters will work.

There are several things to keep in mind when writing subplots—the main concern being that they should be spaced out in such a way that they don’t take away from the climax and resolution of the main plot. If several subplots conclude at the end, it makes the end of the main plot less satisfying. You also run the risk of making a subplot more important than the main plot. Subplots should never take up the same amount of space or attention, so keep that in mind when writing them.

At the end of the day, your subplots will all connect in a weave between the main plot and your cast of characters. They will add depth and make your world feel more realistic. Perhaps they’ll take your characters to a place they wouldn’t have gone otherwise, which will give you the opportunity to introduce new people to broaden the perspective of your story as a whole.

Originally published under R.L. Martin as
”Just a Hop Down the Rabbit Hole”
Originally Published Mar. 29th, 2023
Updated Aug. 24th, 2025