Crafting Complications

Worksheet Description

This Multiple Plot Lines worksheet is structured to guide students through the process of creating a complicating subplot for a story they are developing. It focuses on how a secondary character can introduce additional challenges to the protagonist’s journey, thereby deepening the narrative. The worksheet provides a two-column table where students can describe events from the main plot and brainstorm ways a secondary character might complicate these events. The final question encourages students to think about tying the secondary character’s complicating actions into a cohesive subplot that intersects with the main story.

The worksheet aims to teach students about the narrative function of a complicating subplot and its importance in creating tension and complexity in storytelling. It encourages students to consider the dynamics between characters and how their interactions can drive the story forward. By completing this activity, students learn to craft layered stories where the actions of secondary characters significantly impact the primary narrative arc. This exercise enhances students’ understanding of story structure and the role of character interplay in developing an engaging plot.