I’m actually in the middle of writing two stories, which is something I’ve never really done before. Now that I have two pen names, it might be necessary to do this fairly often. Anyway, for the Lauralynn name, I’m writing a sequel to Soul of a Vampire. This one is going to be a little tricky. The story focuses on Jan, the best friend of Tessa, the “shero” in Soul of a Vampire. However, this story is going to have a sub-plot. I’m very weak in the sub-plot area, so this is going to be hard for me. Anyone have any suggestions on how to write a great sub-plot? The biggest problem with this one is I’m afraid the sub-plot might overpower the actual plot if I’m not careful. The sub-plot is going to be an adventure, but a lot of the main plot is, too. The main plot will have a lot to do with feelings, too.
I must get out Susan’s Toolkit and do some work!
lauralynnelliott.com 
Bwahaha! I sense Lauralynn is going over to the dark side!
You use sub-plots more often than you think. As you work on developing your outlining chops, don’t forget the miracle that is your creative brain. At a certain point, you have to turn off that critical portion of your brain and trust that the details will come in the right order, as they’re needed for your plot points to work.
Don’t let your growth in the outlining arena wound your confidence in your previous approach. It’s supposed to augment your process, not completely re-invent it.
Have FUN! 🙂
I’ll be honest, Susan’s Toolkit is a little too much for me to use all of it. But it asks some pretty good questions that can help with getting the plot. I’ll probably never be a strict plotter, but I’m sort of a hybrid. I think everyone approaches plotting differently. I’ve always been afraid plotting would stifle my creativity, but as long as I know I can always go in a different direction if my characters say so, I’m okay. Also, if the story is itching to get out, and I have the opening scene in my mind before I even start the “loose” plotting, I’ll go ahead and write it before I lose the scene. Or I might write more if it’s continuing to flow. I don’t believe in waiting on the outline if the story is ready to be told. I can always go back and do an outline and plot from there once the scenes are out of my head.
I feel for you, I am just coming to the end of writing two new books and rewriting two others. Needless to say the rewrites are of two very early works.
Your sub-plot may work if you introduce or divert another couple in conflict or romance who travel somewhere. This sub-plot can slip in and out of intervening chapters of the main plot and characters on a smaller level, not giving as much space (chapters) to them as the main characters.
I usually have one or two sub-plots going on as well as the main.
The characters from the sub-plot can link into the main characters plot at the end of the book. As JR Nelson writes trust your brain, give it a nudge in that direction and it will do the rest for you. Often the sub-plot reveals itself about three to four chapters in.
Good luck.
Here’s the deal. Two women are sent off on an adventure. Tessa was the main character in the first book. Jan is the main character in this one. They are researchers in the paranormal department of a museum. They are after a certain artifact, which is the sub-plot, but the main plot is Jan looking for something important that started in the first book. Somehow, I have to make the journey for the first artifact mesh with the main thing Jan is looking for. Her heart is involved in the other thing. The first artifact is dangerous, but what (and also who?) Jan is looking for is much more dangerous. Technically, there will be two couples, but one couple is already established in the first book, so it’s not really a romantic story about them. Ooh, ooh, I just got an idea!
So what you want to do is make the artifact (pursued by Tessa?) link to the thing that Jan is looking for? Is that right?
Not exactly. I want the journey/adventure they’re going on to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. They are looking for the artifact that the director of the museum wants them to get. They actually know where it is, kind of. But the other thing Jan wants, that she’s obsessed with, has to come into play. I think I’ve figured out how to do it. We might brain storm that a bit.
Is she obsessed with a person, place or thing?
This isn’t going to help you, but I am 100% panster. I can’t plot anything to save my life. It never works. But I do find whenever something unrelated seems to pop up in my stories, it finds a way of linking to the main plot. Does it ever work that way for you?
I can’t remember if you read Soul of a Vampire. I don’t think you’ve read that one. I can’t give too much away here in public. LOL
I beta read it, so it’s been a while.
I couldn’t remember if you started beta reading that early or not. Remember what was in the bottle? Nothing was ever resolved about that. It’s still there. So…Jan is sort of obsessed with it. Remember they had to go somewhere else for Nik. So, who does the one in the bottle belong to? 🙂
Okay. I got it. I need to go back and go through the book. I have it in my bedroom, so it’s just a matter of opening it and refreshing my memory.
Sounds interesting! Write it! Write it!!! 🙂
I’m working on it! LOL. I’ve had a couple of people who read Soul of a Vampire want a sequel.
If you’re having trouble, send me an email and we can work on it when I’m back to a real keyboard.
I will in a little while. The email will probably be quite wordy. LOL. But you have to know the story behind the first book before this will make sense.