Writerly Ways

I wanted to talk a little but about what I'm calling side drama. Okay sure it's technically a sub plot but you know what I mean. There must be a balance. You don't want the subplot overwhelming the main plot and many times I've seen that. It's distracting at best and at worst, I quit reading/watching the show.

I'm going to use two Australian historical mystery shows because they demonstrate how to and not to do it. DOn't get me wrong. I enjoy Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and THe Doctor Blake Mysteries but one handles the side drama better. Miss Fisher does it well. Think about it this way, Phyrne is a lady detective in the 1920s so we have post WWI drama, the idea of where a woman should be (i.e. at home) her sexual freedom etc. Does this crop up? Yes but it's only a small part of the show, adding a flavor to it. If it's the bulk of the show such as the one about women shouldn't be race drivers (which had a side-side drama of Jack being upset because he thought the fatal wreck was Phyrne because she drives like a maniac and was mad at her all episode), it tends to be just ONE show, not recurring.

On the other hand, the bulk of the earliest of Dr. Blake had recurring side drama. He's a police surgeon in the 50s so we have post WWII drama, cold war, his missing Asian wife but into this the side drama was a wealthy business man who owns half the town and almost EVERY episode found reason however tortured to make sure this guy was opposing Blake. It got old fast because it was in every episode.

This is a new to me series and I missed part of S2 because I didn't have it on my DVR and didn't get thru them all before I left Mom's. I picked it up S3 and the ENTIRE series was Blake with a new boss who hated him and wanted him gone. Every. Last. Episode. It overshadowed every mystery and the important other side drama of his Chinese daughter in Communist China was lost (though partially worked into why the boss hated him, thinking Blake was a spy). I've started S4 and so far all that is gone and it is so much more enjoyable because now the side drama is balanced (and not so aggressive.)

So that might be a question for your beta readers, is a subplot overwhelming the main plot. I have a few of those in my 1980s monster hunter thing that has a couple readers could use more. Are the subplots too in your face?


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