When readers talk about a story that "stayed with them," they often can't quite articulate why. It's not just the plot or the pacing or even the prose. More often than not, it's the subtext — the emotional undercurrents, the tension in what goes unsaid, the invisible glue that holds a story together and makes it feel real.
I once knew a fiction writer who could do this like it was second nature, and at the time I knew that writer, they blew me out of the water with their ability to rely solely on subtext. Now, I preach minimalism because readers aren't stupid, and the days of over-description are rapidly coming to a close. Readers don't have that kind of attention span anymore. Only highlight what needs to be highlighted. Leave the rest up to your reader's imagination.
And if you're confused:
Subtext is what characters think and feel but don’t say out loud. It's the private truth behind a polite smile or the tremor in a voice that doesn't match the words being spoken. Just think of the bullying victim who yells for their harrassed to stop, but their voice trembles on the last word. Mastering subtext is one of the most powerful tools a writer can develop, and yet it remains one of the least understood and most rarely taught writing skills.
What Is Subtext?
Subtext is the meaning beneath the surface of dialogue or narrative. It’s the difference between what a character says and what they mean or feel. In real life, people rarely say exactly what they think. We hedge, deflect, lie, or perform for the audience in front of us. It's important to understand that great fiction mirrors this human behavior, and in order to give your stories more depth and give your readers something to think about, it's a good idea to learn how to write or "not write" subtext.
Compare these two exchanges:
Direct Dialogue: "I'm angry you forgot my birthday."
Subtextual Dialogue: "Wow, must be nice to be so busy these days."
The second line may sound casual, even friendly, but it carries emotional weight that readers can feel. It invites them to read between the lines, which makes them more engaged.
Why Subtext Matters
Subtext makes characters feel more realistic and layered. It adds tension to scenes, creates emotional complexity, and engages readers by asking them to do a little work. Reading becomes more immersive when readers are decoding emotional signals and interpreting what the characters aren't saying. In other words, subtext can suck your readers into your book.
Subtext is essential in:
- Dialogue between characters with conflicting goals
- Scenes where a character is hiding something
- Moments of high emotional tension
- Any situation where what’s being said is less important than why it’s being said
Techniques for Writing Subtext
To help you on your subtext journey, here are some tips and tricks.
1. Use Contradiction
When characters say one thing but their behavior shows another, readers pick up on the disconnect and start to wonder what's really going on. This builds dramatic tension and emotional depth.
Example: A character says, "I'm fine," while gripping a glass so tightly it shatters. If you like Star Trek the original series, in one of the episodes, Kirk, Spock and Bones are being mentally manipulated by followers of Plato on an alien planet. This is one of the few times where Spock is truly angry, and he says calmly but forcefully that Kirk and Bones should feel their anger, while Spock will release his. As he says the words, he crushes..... I think it was a bowl or a glass.
2. Employ Body Language and Beats
Describe nonverbal cues. As a character speaks, have them do something opposite the words or contradictory to the words, like sounding confident but glancing to the side or sounding engaged but the character sighs. This helps suggest what a character is really feeling without explicitly stating it.
Tip: Don't overuse the action that you're highlighting. Too much sighing or glancing or twitching can distract from what you are trying to accomplish.
3. Write "Scenes About Nothing"
One of the best ways to practice subtext is to write a scene where characters discuss something mundane (like the weather or dinner plans) while the real conflict simmers underneath. I always say that I'm going to write a book about a wine glass or some other mundane object, and I might eventually get around to it, and here's the thing, if you can pull off writing a book about some boring object, you've probably mastered the art of subtext.
Exercise: Write a breakup scene where neither character says the word "breakup." If you want to take this to the next level, you could have them discussing the purchase of a new house or a new car, but what they're really doing is talking about breaking up.
4. Internal Monologue vs. External Dialogue
Let the narration show what the character is thinking, especially when it contrasts with what they say out loud. I don't typically advoke for breaking up the momentum of story with a lot of character thought. However, it's important to highlight when the character's thoughts deviate from what they are saying. In that instance, you should absolutely call attention to it.
Example: "He smiled and told her it didn’t matter, but inside, he was thinking. Why did she always dismiss his feelings? Why did she always decline to go with him to his events?"
5. Cut the Obvious
It' important that you do not edit while you write, but as you go back through the text, remove what's obvious. You can even write a practice scene and then go back and remove anything that states the obvious. Which version of the scene do you like better? can you feel the subtext once you remove the obvious or does it need more work?
In this exercise, you're trusting the reader to pick up on the clues that you've left behind.
Examples of Subtext in Action
- Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" is the gold standard for subtext. The entire story is a veiled conversation about abortion, but the word is never mentioned.
- The Godfather films use subtext masterfully. Characters speak in measured tones, but their words are full of menace, love, or betrayal.
- Jane Austen is a master of social subtext. In Pride and Prejudice, characters often speak in coded language that reflects societal constraints and personal pride.
Common Pitfalls
- Being Too Vague: Subtext should suggest, not obscure. Readers should be able to sense the deeper meaning.
- Overusing Physical Tics: Excessive sighing, eye rolling, or lip biting can feel melodramatic.
- Neglecting Context: Subtext only works when the reader understands the stakes and relationships involved. Make sure the groundwork is laid.
Final Thoughts
Subtext is the emotional fabric of a story. It turns straightforward scenes into layered experiences and dialogue into emotional battlegrounds. It's the moment a reader says, "I just felt something there," even if they can't quite explain why.
Like all writing skills, it takes practice to master. But once you learn to write what's unsaid, your stories will resonate on a whole new level.
Want to try it? Pick a scene from something you’ve written. Identify a line of dialogue that states an emotion directly. Rewrite it using subtext. Then watch how the tension shifts.
Let your characters lie a little. Let them hide, dodge, cover. That’s where the truth lives.