How to Successfully Write Subplots Without Making Them Filler

by Sal
(Hazel Green, Alabama, USA)

Question:

I saw your article saying to never write Filler however I feel like my story has a lot going on & I don't want to overwhelm the reader. I am currently writing the summary & I am thinking about Subplots for the story but I don't understand what you mean by "filler". How does it feel like filler, is it when the reader starts to get bored? I have Subplots that are in the story however but I am stuck.

Context for the story for advice: My story involves a bunch of high school kids that get letters, the wording awakening powers in each of the kids. They go into one of the character's dreams through the dream realm since his nightmares are starting to tether to reality, this is due to his power which he doesn't have control over until later on in the story. They're trying to find who is behind the letters since the letters are being sent daily in their lockers, while also trying to calm Remi's (the one who is having the nightmares) nightmares down so the rest of the world doesn't get absolutely terrified. They have found who is delivering the letters, although it is a high school kid who is not writing the letters. The kid was under the impression that the letters were good, they find this out. Later on the writer of the letter notices that the delivery kid is teaming up with the main group of kids and he gets mad, sending them all letters directly at Remi's house. This also has a box which contains a head in it, they have to bury the head, they go back to Remi's house, staying the night since they're spooked. They go into one of Remi's nightmares where there's warnings everywhere not to look in the mirror, the delivery boy accidentally looks in one of the mirrors thinking he broke it and he sees the writer of the letters holding his head in the mirror. The kids all wake up.

The thing I need advice for: What do I put here before continuing on with the plot, where they are sent more letters along with more creepy stuff? Should I include the characters' relationships deepening while they receive more letters? Should the writer send pictures of the kids having fun at a skating rink? Advice would be appreciated please.

Answer:
First, let me say that since I'm not familiar with your story, there may be things that are clear in your mind that I don't know.

However, my first thought is that the summary above reads like a series of haphazard events. So my first question would be, what is the story goal? (The story goal is the problem or goal that most characters in the world are involved with or affected by.)

Assuming the sender of the letters is the protagonist (because he starts the plot rolling), what is he trying to accomplish, and why? (The "why" should point to the "consequence," which is what will happen if the goal is not achieved.)

Next, I would ask, "What is required for the goal to be achieved? What are the steps or accomplishments that must be done if the goal is to be achieved?

These and other plot elements are explained in more detail in this article... https://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/how-to-outline-a-plot.html

However, the point is that the events in the story should all be important to the story. If you were to take any away, it would feel like something is missing.

Another way to think of it (as pointed out by Aristotle) is that a story is a series of events linked by cause and effect. In other words, the events are not random. Each event in the plot is a response to what happened before and causes the next one to happen.

Okay, getting back to filler.... Filler is material that is not essential to the story, so unless it is highly entertaining (and often even then) it makes the story drag.

Now, you can have multiple throughlines of events happening in one story, but whether you include them depends on what they bring to the story.

For instance, the story of how the main character resolves their inner conflict can be important -- especially if this determines what choice they make at the crisis, which in turn determines whether the goal is achieved.

You might also have the story of a key relationship between the main character and someone else -- especially if that helps the main character decide which approach to take to solving the problem.

Many writers will use a subplot to explore the theme of the story from a different perspective than the main plot. Or they might insert a relationship arc involving minor characters, if that sheds light on the story.

Sometimes too, you can have a cast of characters who share a story problem that they are pursuing in different ways. For instance, if they are all looking for love, or all struggling with similar family problems, or all dealing with coming of age, etc. So while the main character's story is most important, each character's arc contributes to the overall theme of the book

In other words, in a good story, even the subplots have a purpose in being there. If they don't have a purpose, they can read like filler.

And yes, if the reader can tell what they are reading isn't important to the story, they can get bored.

Hope that helps.

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