How to Connect Subplots to Your Main Plot in a Story
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If you’ve ever finished drafting a subplot and thought “okay, but why is this even in the book,” you’re dealing with one of the most common structural problems in fiction. Learning how to make subplots connect to the main story is really the difference between a novel that feels tightly woven and one that feels like it’s got a few detours bolted onto the side. So for today’s post, I want to break down how to actually connect your subplots back into your main plot in any story that you write so that things make sense when combined together.
I’ve been writing fantasy and dark fantasy for a long time now (my series, The Fallen Age Saga, is full of many, many, many complex subplots and details), and subplot management is one of those craft skills that nobody really teaches you directly. You just sort of have to figure it out through trial, error, and a lot of restructuring. So I wanted to save you some of that trial and error today.
Before we get into it, if you haven’t nailed down the bones of your world yet, that’s worth locking in before you start branching your plot into subplots, since a lot of subplots (political tension, rival factions, secondary romances) actually come from your world itself. Grab a free copy of my ten-question world building primer to get that foundation solid first.
What a Subplot Is Actually Supposed to Do
A subplot is not just “something else happening in the book.” A lot of newer writers treat subplots like side quests, extra content that exists to pad the page count or give secondary characters something to do. But a subplot that’s doing its job is actually in conversation with your main plot the entire time. It’s either testing the same theme from a different angle, putting pressure on your protagonist from a new direction, or setting up consequences that eventually slam back into the main plotline.
This is actually the most common reason readers say a book “dragged” in the middle. It’s rarely because nothing was happening. It’s because things were happening in a subplot that had stopped connecting properly to the main story.
How to Connect Your Subplot With Your Main Theme
Start With Theme, Not With Plot Mechanics
One of the fastest ways to make a subplot feel connected is to stop thinking about it purely in terms of plot events and start thinking about it in terms of theme. Every strong subplot is usually asking the same core question as your main plot, just through a different character or situation.
Say your main plot is about a protagonist learning to trust people again after being betrayed. A subplot about a secondary character choosing to betray someone else, or choosing not to, is thematically doing the same work as your main story, just from another angle. The reader might not consciously notice the connection, but they’ll feel it. That’s what makes a book feel cohesive instead of scattered.
Ask yourself what your story is really about underneath the events on the page. Is it about power? Guilt? Belonging? Once you know that, look at each subplot and ask whether it’s exploring the same question. If a subplot has nothing to do with your book’s central theme, that’s usually the first sign it needs to be cut, folded into another thread, or rebuilt from the ground up.
Anchor Subplots to Your Protagonist’s Internal Arc
A subplot connects most naturally when it’s tied to your protagonist’s internal journey rather than just running parallel to the external plot. External plot connections matter too, but internal connections are what make a subplot feel essential instead of optional.
Let’s say your protagonist’s internal arc is about learning to accept help instead of doing everything alone. A subplot involving a secondary character who refuses help and suffers for it, or one where your protagonist is forced to depend on someone they don’t trust yet, both feed directly into that internal arc. The subplot becomes a mirror, or sometimes a warning, for what your protagonist is going through.
This is a big part of why character work and subplot work are so tightly linked. When you actually understand your protagonist’s fears, flaws, and internal contradictions (which is a lot of what I focus on in my Ultimate Character Creation Guide and Workbook), it becomes much easier to spot which subplots will naturally reinforce that arc instead of just sitting next to it.
Make Subplots Affect the Main Plot’s Cause and Effect
Here’s where a lot of subplots go wrong: they exist on a separate track that never actually intersects with the main plot’s chain of cause and effect. If you removed the subplot entirely, the main plot would play out exactly the same way. That’s a strong sign the subplot isn’t earning its place in the book.
A well-connected subplot should, at some point, directly affect what happens in the main plot. Maybe a secondary character’s choice in their own subplot ends up giving (or costing) your protagonist something they need in the climax. Maybe a political subplot in the background shifts the balance of power right when your protagonist needs an ally and doesn’t have one anymore because of it.
You don’t need every subplot to have a massive, dramatic collision with the main plot. Sometimes it’s a small thing, a piece of information, a favor owed, a relationship damaged, that ripples forward and changes how the main plot resolves. But there does need to be some kind of tangible link, or the subplot will always read as separate from the “real” story.
Use Supporting Characters as Mirrors or Contrasts
Supporting characters are one of your best tools for connecting subplots, because their choices can either mirror or contrast your protagonist’s choices in a way that deepens the main story instead of distracting from it.
A mirror character makes similar choices to your protagonist, which reinforces the story’s central argument. A contrast character makes the opposite choice, which shows the reader what could have happened, or what almost happened, to your protagonist. Both are useful, and a lot of the best subplots use a bit of both over the course of the book.
For example, if your protagonist is slowly becoming more ruthless in order to survive, a subplot following a character who chooses compassion instead, and either thrives or suffers because of it, gives your main plot something to argue with. It raises the stakes of your protagonist’s internal arc without you having to say anything directly. The reader draws the conclusion themselves, which tends to land a lot harder than if you spelled it out.
One great way to keep track of your story’s characters is to use my fillable character profile worksheet Canva template. It’s awesome because you can make one for each character and place them in a sort of character codex or binder of some sort.
Give Every Subplot Its Own Arc, and End It at the Right Time
A subplot needs a beginning, a middle, and an end, just like your main plot does, only smaller in scale. One of the most common mistakes is starting a subplot with real energy and then letting it just sort of fade out without a clear resolution. Readers notice this, even if they can’t always articulate why a book felt unsatisfying.
Just as important as giving a subplot a real ending is timing that ending correctly. A subplot that resolves too early can feel like the story forgot about it. A subplot that resolves too late, especially one that wraps up after your main plot’s climax, can steal tension away from the ending you actually want readers focused on. Generally, subplots should either resolve just before the main plot’s climax (so their consequences feed directly into it) or resolve during the climax itself, so both threads land together.
Common Subplot Types and How to Tie Them Back In
Different types of subplots connect to the main story in slightly different ways. Here are a few of the most common ones and what tends to make them work:
Romance subplots connect best when the relationship directly challenges or supports the protagonist’s internal arc, not when it’s just running alongside the main plot for flavor.
Mentor subplots work when the mentor’s own unresolved history eventually collides with the main conflict, rather than the mentor just existing to hand out advice.
Rival subplots connect when the rival’s goals actively interfere with the protagonist’s ability to succeed in the main plot, not just when they’re competing for the sake of competing.
Political or faction subplots (which come up constantly in fantasy) work best when the shifting power balance directly changes what resources, allies, or threats your protagonist has access to. This is actually a spot where deep world building pays off, since a believable political system gives you built-in reasons for these subplots to ripple outward. This is something I go deep into inside my Ultimate Guide to World Building, since power structures are honestly one of the biggest sources of strong, connected subplots in fantasy. I also recommend my Worldbuilder’s Beginner Guide to Politics workbook, as it’s a great tool and resource that very specifically hones in on politics if you find that you need further clarification on that subject.
Mystery subplots connect well when the answer to the mystery directly changes the protagonist’s understanding of the main conflict, rather than being a fun puzzle that’s separate from everything else going on.
A Practical Way to Audit Your Subplots
If you’ve already drafted your book, or you’re deep into planning it, here’s a step-by-step way to check whether your subplots are actually doing their job.
Step 1: List Every Subplot Separately
Write out each subplot on its own, along with the characters involved and what the subplot is fundamentally about at its core.
Step 2: Identify the Thematic Link
For each subplot, ask what question it’s exploring and whether that question matches or contrasts with your main plot’s central theme. If you can’t answer this clearly, that’s a red flag.
Step 3: Find the Point of Intersection
Mark the specific moment, or moments, where each subplot’s events directly affect the main plot’s cause and effect. If there isn’t one, you need to build one in.
Step 4: Check the Timing of Each Resolution
Look at when each subplot resolves relative to your main plot’s climax. Adjust so that subplot resolutions feed into, rather than compete with, your story’s biggest moments.
Step 5: Confirm the Internal Arc Connection
Ask how each subplot reflects, tests, or contrasts your protagonist’s internal journey. A subplot with no connection to your protagonist’s growth is usually the weakest link in the chain.
Step 6: Cut, Combine, or Rebuild Where Needed
If a subplot fails most of these checks, you have three options: cut it, fold its useful elements into a stronger subplot, or rebuild it with a clearer connection to your main story from the start.
Doing this kind of audit, even informally, is one of the fastest ways to tighten a manuscript without losing any of the material that’s actually working.
Conclusion
Subplots are one of those elements that separate a book that feels professionally structured from one that feels like a rough draft, even when the individual scenes are well written. The goal isn’t to have fewer subplots or simpler ones. It’s to make sure every subplot you include is in constant conversation with your main story, whether that’s through theme, character, or cause and effect.
Before you go, be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you can get updates on all my latest WIPs, book releases, and blog posts. And if you want to see subplot work in action, my series, The Fallen Age Saga, weaves several political and personal subplots through its main storyline, so it’s worth a read if you want a hands-on example.
FAQs
What is a subplot in a story?
A subplot is a secondary storyline running alongside the main plot, usually involving supporting characters or a different facet of the protagonist’s life. A strong subplot connects back to the main plot’s theme, characters, or events rather than existing as a separate, unrelated storyline.
How many subplots should a novel have?
There’s no fixed number, but most novels work well with two to four subplots, depending on length and genre. The key isn’t quantity, it’s making sure each subplot has a clear connection to the main story so it doesn’t feel like filler.
Do all subplots need to connect to the main plot?
Yes, in some way. A subplot doesn’t need to directly cause the main plot’s events, but it should reinforce the story’s central theme, reflect the protagonist’s internal journey, or eventually intersect with the main plot’s cause and effect. Without one of these connections, a subplot tends to feel disconnected from the rest of the book.
Can a subplot exist just for character development?
A subplot can be primarily focused on character development, but it still needs to tie back into the protagonist’s arc or the story’s theme to avoid feeling like a tangent. Character growth in a subplot is most effective when it eventually influences how that character acts within the main plot.
How do you know when to end a subplot?
Most subplots should resolve shortly before or during the main plot’s climax, so their outcome can feed into the story’s biggest moments. Ending a subplot too early can make it feel forgotten, while ending it too late can pull attention away from the main plot’s resolution.
What’s the difference between a subplot and a side story?
A subplot is woven into the structure of the main story and affects its themes, characters, or events. A side story, on the other hand, tends to exist independently and can often be removed without changing the outcome of the main plot, which is usually a sign it needs stronger integration or cutting altogether.