How Subplots Help Drive Your Story - by Judy L. Murray

I love subplots. They add depth, color and complexity to the central story. Without them the main character is left to build their world all by themselves. Subplots serve as stories within a story to lighten the protagonist’s burden.

As mystery writers we tend to spend a huge amount of time mapping out a plot and envisioning our key characters. Subplots introduce other forces that impact that central plot. They can serve as an excellent way to introduce internal shortcomings of our main character or unexpected outside stresses.

In my first of the Chesapeake Bay Mysteries, our heroine Helen is a fairly recent widow and real estate agent who discovers a dead builder in his new construction project. Her widowhood is an excellent excuse to illustrate her personal misgivings about a possible new relationship and her refusal to try to move on. It’s an emotional struggle that has nothing to do with her solving the crime. The two men who want to date her are very different. One an affluent Philadelphia attorney and the other a tough ex-Marine detective. Her eventual choice will tell the reader a lot about Helen and what is most important to her.

I consider my subplot or even multiple ones as critical to my storyline. They add depth. If the subplot is meaningful readers care not just about crime solving but the wellbeing and evolution of other characters in the book. It can introduce issues the author and her protagonist consider important. In my second book, Killer in the Kitchen, one subplot is the rash of assaults upon real estate agents in her county. At book talks readers frequently ask about this issue. They are shocked to learn seventy-eight agents were killed in 2020 alone. Twenty-three percent of agents fear for their personal safety while working. As an author and former broker I got a great deal of satisfaction in educating readers. It also provided another reason for my readers to remember Helen’s story long after they read the book. One important caution, as much as subplots can enable the author to touch on other elements, they cannot overtake the central story – our protagonist’s efforts to solve a crime. The crime is always paramount.

Subplots can be an excuse for weaving in levity. Every reader needs moments where they can take a breath during the protagonist's fast-moving crime solving efforts. Helen’s children and their frustrated inability to control her desire to solve crime is funny and endearing. It neatly illustrates Helen’s family dynamics. Remember, even humorous scenes need to serve as not just relief but as contributors to the central plot and characters."

Word of caution. Subplots are not just a light dusting of color on top of a cake. Weave your subplots, like sugar inside a cake, to enhance your overall storyline. If your subplot has little impact on the mystery and your protagonist then cut it out. Subplots should not stand alone. Good ones always remain secondary within your storyline.

Can you think of a subplot that contributed to your enjoyment of a great mystery? Let’s hear them.

Judy L. Murray Winner of nine awards for her Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series Find her at http://judylmurraymysteries.com