Navigating the Subplot Waterways

I’m just finishing a second round of revisions with my editor.  The middle section of my novel was a little flabby, and the pace slowed through several scenes.  My editor highlighted these scenes, made one or two comments (like, “This scene focuses on details that don’t really move the story forward.  Can you find ways to tighten it?” or, more succinctly, “Cut?”) and left the rest up to me.

Because I’m in this story for the history, I like to throw in as much fun historical detail as possible.  But occasionally I go off on a tangent.  Like three pages about Henry VIII’s niece, Margaret Douglas.  Who doesn’t even show up in the rest of the book.

If there’s one thing the editorial process has taught me, it’s that tangents are fun and the information in them is interesting.  But not all of them are necessary.  In fact, a short, additional subplot can slow the entire middle section of your book to a crawl.  So I’ve been busy killing some darlings and putting the rest on a Biggest Loser sort of diet.  Tough love.

Subplots add richness to a novel.  They add depth to characters and greater meaning to themes and present beautiful little “aha!” moments to the readers.  But I continually need to remind myself not to let them mask my true story or overshadow the central character.  And don’t let them slow you down.

As a counterpoint to revision (and a carrot for when I finish a difficult section) I’ve been reading ALL CLEAR (an historical time-travel novel for adults) by Connie Willis.  She is a master subplotter.  Those “aha!” moments?  Happen all the time.  But then, what you think is a subplot suddenly spills into the plot itself, like a creek feeding a river.  And it heightens the rush to the inevitable conclusion.  Just by reading Willis’s incredibly well-crafted novel, I have caught a glimpse of how I want my own writing to be.

I need to find the source of the creek and direct it surely toward the river, not allowing for meandering or eddies.  I need to remove the stagnant pools altogether.  And I need to focus each character’s journey along the waterways, so they aren’t swept away or left behind.

I still have a lot to learn about subplots.  I’ve done my best with writing and mapping and character arcs.  Every day I practice.  And thankfully, I have the Muses and their amazing insight. 

It’s a wild ride.  Sometimes, you just have to grab the gunwales and enjoy the journey.