Last week we looked at subtext--that undercurrent of meaning that adds richness and intrigue to a work and makes a reader a co-creator with the writer. A lot could be said about subtext. Once you start looking for subtext, you see it everywhere.
While looking for ideas on how to practice writing subtext, I happened across an episode of the Write-Minded podcast which looks at how E.J. Koh uses subtext in her memoir, The Magical Language of Others.
Co-host Grant Faulkner acknowledges from the start that creating subtext on the page takes a lot of practice, and a lot of reading.
He and Brooke Warner go on to make some great suggestions that I share here so you can practice adding depth to your stories, whether you are writing fiction or memoir.
- Write a scene where you tell the reader a hidden meaning without stating it outright.
- Look at how subtext is used in films. The podcast hosts share the example of August: Osage County. On the surface, the story is about a family who comes back together after the patriarch dies. The subtext is around why the family is so dysfunctional, and the answer to this question unfolds over time.
- Observe subtext in the wild. Eavesdrop in coffee shops, at the grocery store, in line at the DMV. What isn't being said? How isn't it being said?
💡 An important caveat: Having participated in many workshops and writers groups, I will tell you that the trick with subtext often isn't that it doesn't exist but that it exists too much. Too much subtext (or misplaced subtext) will confuse your reader and, worse, lose your reader. There is an art to choosing which brush to use--to deciding where subtext makes sense and where plain facts are the best way to carry your reader through to what really matters in your story.
Take a step back from your work and see if you can answer the following questions:
- Does your subtext illuminate or obfuscate?
- Is your story (and your reader) better served by using less of it?
- How do you know if you have too much? Too little?
As writers, we're close as skin to our material so it can often be impossible for us to say whether our intent is truly on the page or if it's hidden in an artfully crafted but frustrating blur. This is why letting your work rest in the proverbial drawer for as long as you can stand it has become one of those classic pieces of writing advice. (When you return to it, you'll see it with a near-stranger's eyes.) And it's why getting honest feedback from a trusted reader is especially helpful.
Last week I asked for your favorite examples of subtext, and I heard from a few of you:
GB said: "The Power of the Dog has a strong thread of subtext throughout--so much is creeping beneath the surface!" GB said more, but I don't want to give it away for those who haven't read it. The whole book is a great study in subtext and how to blend subtext and straightforward storytelling for maximum effect.
RP responded with M. Night Shyamalan's The Village. The subtext here swirls around methods of control, perhaps especially intriguing for those who grew up in high-control environments--especially when the twist lands at the end!
AY points to the example of Pride and Prejudice. "The dialogue alone is a masterclass in subtext," she wrote. "So much of that subtext is predicated on restraint, expectations around a woman's place in polite society, etc. Austen uses subtext in ways that are both funny and meaningful, even to the modern ear."
Recommended Reading
Heidi Pitlor on writers' side (or main) hustles: "How can we separate our financial needs from writing so that we don’t put so much pressure on our art? It’s never a great idea to bank on something that’s not a sure bet, and a book deal that mirrors a decent salary even for repeat authors, even bestselling authors, is never a sure bet."
A fascinating true story of a string of crimes, including murder, at an artist's colony in Carmel, CA. And how famous authors of the time tried to solve them.
The Authors Guild is joining forces with Created by Humans to help writers license their books to AI companies--a move that may ultimately give writers more control over their works. (But as publisher Brooke Warner notes, the Guild is in a David-against-Goliath situation.)
Wishing you a good writing week ✨