As I’ve been planning my middle grade rewrite . . . avoiding and planning are really quite similar . . . I’ve been waffling over the possibilities for subplots. I really and truly do need to create a subplot and where sub plots are concerned, I am oh so picky. It must be carefully woven in and strongly parallel the main story to make me happy.
Originally, my main character was a competitive swimmer. I tucked that little detail into the beginning and then promptly did nothing whatsoever with it. In fact, I so completely abandoned it that I decided to cut it from the story.
But now my son is on swim team. I am spending scads (SCADS!) of time at the pool. I am learning meet ling0 — heats and DQs and flip turns. Then my son invented his own favorite swim day sandwich which I am calling the carbie barbie special. It so has to make its way into a story. A story with a fun, determined real boy main character.
A story just like my middle grade.
So as I continue to plan – because now I’m jazzed and really planning and wanting to get back to it – I am noodling over subplots. How can the themes of the main plot be mirrored in an equally driving pool/swimming inspired subplot?
Think, think, think, think.
–SueBE
One Writer's Journey 