When someone first asked about creating a plot-subplot template for their toolbox, I was baffled. “Why would you need to create a template? Why not just use the W, or the Hero/ine’s Journey, or Discovering Story Magic, or Plotting Via Motivation, or the Snowflake, or Personality Ladder, or -- oh. Yeah. I get it.”
There are all KINDS of templates, and a lot of ‘em (like those mentioned above) are extremely good. But not every template works for every writer, which is why creating your own makes sense.
Looking at various templates you’ve tried, it’s easy to spot things you liked and would be happy to keep...as well as things you didn’t. That’s where plot-subplot customization comes in.
Obviously, what kind of fiction you’re writing will make a difference. (Sure, readers also love NON-fiction, but plot-subplot templates don’t really apply there except in an occasional biography or memoir.) So, you need to consider questions like:
Does your genre require an open-to-interpretation or happy or cliffhanger ending?
Does there need to be a subplot?
How many can / should there be?
If the main plot has a happy ending, can a subplot end differently? Ambiguously?
Are there certain high / low spots the reader has every right to expect as the story unfolds?
This is a lot to consider, and it helps to have in mind some examples of stories you’ve liked. When you think about books or movies or TV series you’ve admired—not just lately, but at any time in your life—think about what you admired IN that story. What did you find particularly appealing?
It can’t be something like “the lead actor” who entranced you. It can’t be “the gorgeous setting” that caught your eye. It’s gotta be the template itself that you liked...the way the story unfolded, the thing/s it focused on more intensely, the ending that left you feeling highly satisfied.
Which, once you’ve chosen a few stories you found particularly appealing, leads to some questions about each of ‘em:
What high and low spots stood out?
How many, if any, subplots were there?
How did the main plot end? How about the subplot/s?
And, speaking of subplots...
We already know there’s gonna be SOME kind of connection between them and the main plot. For instance:
* Sidekick/s have an issue separate from their relationship/s with the main character/s.
* The main character has more than one problem to solve...maybe one professional, another personal.
* Subplots bring in an issue that wouldn’t automatically arise in the main plot but which deepens the situation, the backstory, the conflict, and/or the theme of the story.
Of course, the main plot deserves more page-time and more attention than any subplot. But you can do things with subplots that you couldn’t have done with the main one.
This is where “theme” becomes a big deal.
Let’s say you’re writing a classic romance or mystery where the main plot’s ultimate resolution is “love conquers all” or “justice is served.” Let’s also say you don’t want readers thinking “hmph, that wasn’t very true-to-life.”
Having a subplot in which love DOESN’T conquer all, or justice ISN’T served, gives your book a more realistic overtone. (Some readers will love that nuance. Others will wish you’d stopped with the classic resolution reinforcing what they prefer to see. You can go whichever way you like!)
What else can your subplot/s do?
* Provide information you want the reader -- but not the main character -- to have. If the main character’s searching for a hidden treasure but doesn’t know it’s stored in the volcano that’ll erupt in 36 hours, your story’s tension is a lot stronger when the readers KNOW about this hiding place than if they have no idea where the treasure is. They’ll be getting sweaty palms, which they love, and your subplot can deliver that.
What else can a subplot do?
* Help you develop characters who’ll become important later in the story, or later in the series.
* Reveal backstory which the main character doesn’t know about (or doesn’t think of as any big deal) by having a side character refer to it.
* Create a different mood. If your main plot is a nail-biting thriller, your subplot can give the reader some much needed moments of humor. Or if your main plot’s a heartwarming love story, your subplot can remind ‘em that life isn’t always sunshine and roses. Switching moods every so often will help keep people intrigued. They’re never 100% sure of what they’ll get in the next scene.
So, your subplot has some mission relating to the main plot, along with pursuing its OWN narrative arc.
That means—since it’s unfolding as a plot, just like the main story is unfolding as a plot—it’ll need to fill the same requirements as any good plot. But generally <whew> not as many.
All of which goes into creating your plot-subplot template, and that starts with answering the question about stories you appreciate. Even without analyzing their template/s, it’s fun to choose a few examples of stories that have left you feeling genuinely satisfied. Which leads to our:
Prize-Drawing Question
What’s some element those Stories You’ve Loved have in common?
Someone who answers will win free registration to Creating a Plot-Subplot Template, my February 3-14 email class on that very thing. Saturday afternoon I’ll have random-org draw a name and post it at the end of the comments—so check soon, because class will start on Monday morning!
* * * * * *
About Laurie
After winning Romantic Times’ “Best Special Edition of the Year” over Nora Roberts, Laurie Schnebly Campbell discovered she loved teaching every bit as much as writing...if not more. Since then, she’s taught online and live workshops including the upcoming Creating a Plot-Subplot Template, and keeps a special section of her bookshelves for people who’ve developed that particular novel in her classes. With 50+ titles there so far, she’s always hoping for more.
Writers are emotional creatures. We spend our time creating worlds, characters, and experiences, but the emotions we absorb from others often sneak into our creative lives.
When I’m working on a dark scene in a story, I go to dark places that can be hard to come out of.
A student of mine recently came back from a writing conference feeling sad, grumpy, and stressed. As we talked, she realized that much of her stress wasn’t hers—it came from the struggles of writers she’d spent time with. She’d picked up their worry about publishing, finances, and rejection, even though her own situation was solid.
That conversation made me think about how often writers carry emotions that aren’t ours.
Negativity can creep into our lives from many sources. Our stories, our friends, social media, or the news can derail joy. Do we need to live with the negativity we absorb?
What if we choose something else?
How Others Shape Our Emotions and How to Take Back Control
We’re influenced by the people we hang out with and the media we consume. Emotions and attitudes can become ours without us realizing it. As writers, many of us enjoy a profound empathy with others, something we’ve developed to help us build deeper and more relatable POV characters. But sometimes those emotions can overwhelm our own.
Take marketing. I’ve met writers who hate it and avoid it because they’ve decided it’s no fun. But I’ve also met writers who see it as a creative challenge. They enjoy connecting with readers and have fun experimenting with ways to share their work.
The difference isn’t in the task—it’s in the attitude. When I coach writers, I try to find marketing tasks they’ll enjoy, steering them away from the ones that conflict with their natural approach. Marketing can absolutely be fun. But it can also be a nightmare. One way to shift it from ugly to joyful is to connect with our own inner joy.
Are you surrounding yourself with people who lift you up or drag you down? Are you consuming media that inspires you or leaves you drained?
The Scarcity Trap
My mom lived her life in a constant state of scarcity. Even when she was financially stable, she believed she couldn’t afford to be creative. That mindset shaped her choices and held her back from joy.
Let me tell you: my mother was a fantastic salesperson. She won awards. In Silicon Valley, she was the top selling real estate agent for many years in a row. Could she have afforded to spend some time on her art? Yes. But she chose to work with a fierce focus towards financial success.
I’ve mentioned her story before, but if you haven’t heard it: She got cancer. The cancer took her ability to sell, but left her just enough energy to dabble in art. Only then did she discover she had a talent for it. After her death, I was told that she could have made an even better living selling her art. Knowing artists in our area, I believe this to be true. But she never saw that possibility. Judge for yourself: the featured image on this post is one of her paintings. She'd been a painter for about 2 years at this point.
I’ve seen that same scarcity mindset in writers. We worry that there isn’t enough time, money, or talent to go around. We compare ourselves to others and assume limits that don’t exist.
Creativity doesn’t work that way. Writing thrives when we let go of fear and embrace possibility.
Choosing Joy
Writing isn’t always easy, but it can be joyful. Joy comes when we shift our focus from what’s missing to what’s possible.
Here are some ways to find joy in your writing life:
Find your people. Spend time with writers who inspire and encourage you.
Set boundaries. Limit exposure to negativity, whether it’s social media, toxic conversations, or self-doubt.
Celebrate progress. Even small wins deserve recognition. Every step forward matters.
Reframe challenges. Instead of dreading marketing or editing, try seeing them as opportunities to connect or grow.
Practice gratitude. Remember why you started writing and what you love about it.
Sharing the Joy
When you find joy in your work, it shows. Your readers feel it. Other writers notice.
Joy is contagious. When you approach writing with positivity, you inspire others to do the same. Instead of adding to the stress and struggle so many writers feel, you can be the one who lifts them up.
The Gift of Joy
Writing has dark moments. We write about hard things, and we face challenges. But we don’t have to live in that darkness.
Joy is a choice, and it’s a gift we can give ourselves and others.
What will you do today to find joy in your writing and share it with the world?
About Lisa
Lisa Norman's passion has been writing since she could hold a pencil. While that is a cliché, she is unique in that her first novel was written on gum wrappers. As a young woman, she learned to program and discovered she has a talent for helping people and computers learn to work together and play nice. When she's not playing with her daughter, writing, or designing for the web, she can be found wandering the local beaches.
Considering all the elements of writing, dialogue tags are like clothespins. When you’re hanging clothes on a line, they have an important job to do. But no one truly values them. Clothespins become rough and faded and cracked, but we keep using them.
Just like writers keep using the same overused dialogue tags that only do one job. They tell the reader who said those words, but they don’t do anything else.
It seems like writers grab the first clothespins that pop into their mind to tag dialogue. They keep the clothes on the line, but they don’t add depth or interest or big-time power.
So many missed opportunities to share important story stuff like subtext. Grab that emotion. Get it on the page!
I’m in the camp of writing experts who recommend avoiding words like said and asked. They may be somewhat invisible, but they’re annoying in audio books. And they add zero subtext.
Most writers know to avoid using adverbs as dialogue tags. A quote from Stephen King nails that point.
I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops.
Stephen King went on to say this too:
I insist that you use the adverb in dialogue attribution only in the rarest and most special of occasions . . . and not even then, if you can avoid it.
You have zillions of better choices. Don’t rely on said and asked and adverbs and we’ve-read-them-too-many-times words like whispered and murmured and demanded.
If your attribution could end in ‘ed’ like the words above, avoid them. You can do better.
I’ll share lots of better choices.
Consider the Character’s Emotional Set
What’s their mood? Does anything in the previous paragraph trigger a reaction?
If so, you need to include that subtext, their emotional reaction. And your dialogue tag is a perfect place to share that all-critical subtext. You could use:
—a facial expression
—a dialogue cue (describe their voice)
—a visceral response
—an emotion-based action
—a thought that shares how whatever triggered them impacted them emotionally
Of course, anything you write is better if it’s something the reader hasn’t read before. Not clichéd. Not overused. You can give anything a fresh twist with just a word or two or ten.
We’ll start with some dialogue tags from Laura Drake.
Amazing Gracie, Laura Drake, 4-Time Immersion Grad, RITA Winner
1. Laura Drake could have written:
She looked back at her sister.
But Laura really wrote:
Her head whipped back to her sister, thoughts whirling in a dust-devil dance in her mind.
Analysis:
Laura added alliteration and a compelling cadence and made that tag so much more interesting. And dust-devil dance is not just alliterative, it’s themed to the setting. Laura gets extra credit for theming.
See how a dialogue tag can carry double or even triple its weight?
2. Laura Drake could have written:
“Plans change, okay?” She lowered her voice. “Can I stay a couple days?”
But Laura really wrote:
“Plans change, okay?” When her words bounced off the too-close walls, she dialed back the volume. She didn’t want more questions. “Can I stay a couple days?”
Analysis:
What does ‘too-close walls’ share with the reader?
They pick up that she feels trapped there. All from Laura Drake choosing to add TOO-CLOSE which freshened that tired cliché and shared the POV character’s truth.
And that’s one of the things that makes writing strong. Sharing truths.
3. Laura Drake could have written:
He said, “Okay.”
But Laura really wrote:
The weight in his voice was a siren blaring, warning her to say no. But she owed him, if only for being so good to Mazey. “Okay.”
Analysis:
Check out all this subtext. Laura shared a quality in his voice with a metaphor that she amplified with that warning to say no. But the next sentence explains why she ignores his warning and says okay. Critical stuff that the reader needed to know.
4. Laura Drake could have written:
Mazey looked at her. “I’m worried about you.”
But Laura really wrote:
Emotions flashed across Mazey’s face, each too fast to catch before another replaced it. “I’m worried about you.”
Analysis:
What did Laura Drake do?
She added emotion by writing what I call a flicker face expression. Just like what happens in real life.
Here’s a Dialogue Run – from the first chapter of Amazing Gracie.
If you only have two characters in a scene, you don’t need to tag every paragraph of dialogue. Just tag every third or so paragraph. There are fewer tags in this short passage, but it still works.
Dialogue Run – Two sisters are talking. The first line is from the POV character, CJ, who served in the Army. The alternate lines are from her little sister who is nine years old.
“You’re the smartest of us. You know that?”
“Maybe. But you’re the bravest.”
She held in a snort. “Nope. You’re the bravest, too.”
“How’m I brave?”
“You live here full time.”
“It’s not so bad. You survived.”
“Long enough to know it’s not easy.” She felt bad, not staying and helping Mazey—somehow. But she had a trip to take. A promise to keep. They lay quiet for a time. Mazey’s breathing evened out, and CJ thought she’d drifted off.
“You asked me why I like rocks?”
“I did.”
“Rocks don’t leave.” She flipped onto her side, away from CJ. “They never let you down.”
Analysis:
Lots of emotional power at the end of that passage. The reader knows that their mom pays more attention to her loser boyfriend than she does to her young daughter, Mazey.
The dialogue tag – about CJ feeling bad, not staying and helping Mazey – shares CJ’s guilt. That’s a powerful tag.
Dialogue runs pick up pace. Use them!
A Certain Mercy, Linda Dindzans, 7-Time Immersion Grad
1. Linda Dindzans could have written:
Fortuna looked at Zera.
But Linda really wrote:
Fortuna patted her belly and belched.
Analysis: Fortuna is a big, boisterous commoner, and that belching tag fits her so well. Love the alliteration with the B words and the assonance with the rhyming vowel sounds. We can count on Fortuna to make the reader laugh!
The next example features Fortuna too.
2. “You look as if you would be sick. Are you so soft-hearted?” Some new notion seemed to flicker across the big woman’s face, and she squinted and peered at Zera. “Or perhaps you are with child?”
Analysis:
Linda tagged Fortuna’s dialogue with a flicker face expression. And it’s perfect!
“Let’s make this fast.” I held out my hand to her.
But Jenn really wrote:
“Let’s make this fast.” I held out my hand to the last person who needed to be saved.
Analysis:
Wow! What a difference that tag makes! And it’s the truth. Our POV character is saving this woman’s life.
Read it out loud. Hear the perfect cadence? And she backloaded that sentence with a power word: saved. Smart!
2. Jenn Windrow could have written:
“What’s your name?” I asked.
But Jenn really wrote:
“What’s your name?” I asked, trying to hide the fangs that frightened her.
Analysis:
The reader knows that the POV character is a vampire. Two power words in that smooth sentence, fangs and frighten. And it’s alliterative too.
3. Jenn Windrow could have written:
He paused. “Alexis, when I first recruited you—”
But Jenn really wrote:
His pause was like a slow-moving stake to the heart. “Alexis, when I first recruited you—”
Analysis:
Love it! I shared another themed example – so you’d remember to do this. You’ll theme some of your dialogue tags. Right?
And that slow-moving stake to the heart adds tension. That tag adds big-time emotional power.
5. Jenn Windrow could have written:
He smiled. “I have to admit, I’m surprised but pleased.”
But Jenn really wrote:
His smile wasn’t smug or smarmy, it was pure and angelic. “I have to admit, I’m surprised but pleased.”
Analysis:
Every smile has a message behind it. Writing a plain smile, or a one-descriptor smile doesn’t share much subtext. You can do better!
Jenn deepened characterization with two descriptors sharing what the smile wasn’t, and two descriptors sharing what it was. Smart to set up that contrast between what expression the POV character expected to see and what she really saw.
“That I’m single.” Those three words hung in the silence.
But Nicole really wrote:
“That I’m single.” Those three words hung in the silence like a dead weight, exposing me in a way I rarely allowed.
Analysis:
Nicole Deese did something she learned in Immersion class. She shared the emotional impact on the POV character: …exposing me in a way I rarely allowed.
He reached over, covering my socked foot with his hand and giving it a squeeze.
Analysis:
It happens in real life, but I’ve never seen that squeeze-her-foot on the page.
Watch your mind-video of all your scenes. What could that character do now, right before or after that line of dialogue you wrote? What do you see happening in your video?
Meaningful action can share emotion too. I see that foot squeeze. I feel the emotion.
3. Nicole Deese could have written:
At this, Melanie huffed.
But Nicole really wrote:
At this, Melanie huffed. And not the could-be-considered-a-cough kind of huff, either. It was definitely a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me huff.
Analysis:
I’m a big fan of what I call hyphenated-run-ons. You can write fresh and give the reader a treat too. If they fit your character and your scene, use them. I love how Nicole played with this huff!
The Paris Widow, Kimberly Belle, 5-Time Immersion Grad, USA Today and International Bestseller
1. Kimberly Belle could have written:
He smiled at her. “Madame, I must insist you come with me.”
But Kimberly really wrote:
His smile was like ice water on her skin. “Madame, I must insist you come with me.”
Analysis:
Kimberly used a simile to share the emotional impact of his smile on her. Fabulous!
You may already know I teach writers lots of cool rhetorical devices and how to use them to add emotion and intrigue. You can use them to make your dialogue tags fresh too. If you want to learn twenty more, check out my lecture packet on rhetorical devices.
2. Kimberly Belle could have written:
“You don’t know the code to open your husband’s phone.” His tone is condescending.
But Kimberly really wrote:
“You don’t know the code to open your husband’s phone.” He doesn’t phrase it as a question, and the condescension in his tone makes me want to flip the table, Jersey Housewife style.
Analysis:
Ha! She wants to flip the table, Jersey Housewife style. Kimberly used the rhetorical device allusion to share that rush of emotion for her POV character. Kimberly played fair with her readers. It doesn’t matter if some of them don’t know that reference. They know her character wanted to flip the table, and that emotion slams into them too.
3. Kimberly Belle could have written:
“Enjoy Luxembourg. Say hi to Stella.” The line goes dead before I can respond.
But Kimberly really wrote:
“Enjoy Luxembourg. Say hi to Stella.” A fist clamps down on my heart. The line goes dead before I can respond. I suck in a shaky breath, scrubbing my face with a hand. The day seems to be getting hotter, the crowd behind me louder. The client knows where I am. Worse, she knows my weak spot is Stella.
Analysis:
The visceral response comes first. Because it must. Always.
The stimulus is the dialogue. If you have a visceral response, it is always immediate.
You get why Kimberly wrote the other sentences. Especially the last two. The stakes keep getting worse and worse. Perfect!
Love how Christina gives the reader more insight into this character. And the way she shares her style, all who-cares, shares power too. Plus, it’s fun.
2. Christina Delay could have written:
“Lily’s the type of girl you just like,” I whispered.
But she really wrote:
“Lily’s the type of girl you just like.” My voice is soft, raspy, unrecognizable.
Analysis:
Powerful dialogue cue! Christina used two rhetorical devices in that short six-word sentence.
Asyndeton –– I call it The No And. She left out the predictable AND after the last comma. She made that sentence carry more of a punch.
Zeugma –– The last thing is not like the others. The first two descriptors share qualities of her voice. The last descriptor is different. It shares how her voice impacts her, and it boosts emotion too.
3. Christina Delay could have written:
Evan shakes his head slowly.
But she really wrote:
Evan shakes his head slowly, side to side like the slow, careful swing of an elephant’s tail.
Analysis:
I treated you to another themed tag. The POV character is a zoologist. Such a beautiful sentence.
4. Christina Delay could have written:
Detective Lake’s voice was loaded with anger.
But she really wrote:
All the friendliness has dropped from Detective Lake’s voice, and what’s left over is an electric storm. One that’s buzzing around, about to strike.
Analysis:
Wow! What did Christina Delay do?
She shared that he’d been friendly before, but now he was stomping mad. And intent on stomping her into the ground. Only she wrote that idea a lot better than what I just wrote.
But I amplified my version the same way she amplified hers.
We both took what was happening in the first sentence and made it a lot worse in the second sentence. And we also made her his target.
Just sharing that someone is angry doesn’t share the magnitude of their anger. Is his anger like a cat or a lion? In fiction, go for the lion.
Wrapping Up:
Sheesh! That’s a long blog. Thanks for hanging in there.
This blog scratches the surface of dialogue tags. And there are lots more square miles of surface to scratch and scrutinize.
I didn’t even mention a huge category of dialogue tags that I identified and teach. I coined the term Dialogue Cues, and came up with six types: Tone, Inflection, Pitch, Quality, Volume, and Rate. They share the subtext, the psychological messages behind the dialogue.
Drop by my website –– www.margielawson.com –– and you’ll see several webinars that cover subtext, including how to write fresh dialogue cues and facial expressions. So critical to make your scenes carry emotional power!
Don’t grab the first clothespin your fingers touch. Dig deeper. Write a dialogue tag that makes your writing bestseller strong.
Post a comment, and you’ll be in a drawing to WIN a WEBINAR!
As always, a big shout out to all the WITS gals for inviting me to guest blog. Thank you!
About Margie:
Margie Lawson left a career in psychology to focus on her true passion—helping writers make their stories, characters, and words carry psychological power.
An international presenter, Margie’s taught over 200 full day master classes in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and France, as well as multi-day intensives on cruise ships in the Caribbean. She’s also taught 5-day Immersion Master Classes across the U.S. and Canada and Scotland, and in seven cities in Australia too.
Check out her website–– www.margielawson.com. You’ll find 38 webinars, dates for Immersion classes, and Lawson Writer’s Academy, which has over 30 instructors teaching online courses. The learning is fun, and the payoffs are on your pages.
