: Re: How much development does a subplot need? I've recently begun studying subplots, and I've realized I don't know how far I should develop them. Does a subplot need everything a main plot does?

@Turnbaugh521

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There is no reason to labor over a subplot just for the sake of having one, but if your feel like you need one (or two, or seven) for whatever reasons you might need them, then Mark Baker is right--all the regular rules apply; the stakes, the conflict, the character's mini-arcs, the resolution, etc.

In some cases, subplot lacking a resolution in one novel can even serve as a segue to another story--you are the author, you choose.

It is impossible to tell if a specific subplot works or does not in a particular story without reading the full text wth an intention to take it apart and critique it, just like it is impossible to tell if the one you are planning will work when you finally get to fleshing it out with words.

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