The Writer's Apprenticeship: A Two-Year, Self-Paced MFA

DIY MFA Lesson Five: Weaving the Fabric

25 min read

DIY MFA IN WRITING Lesson Five Weaving the Fabric: Transitions, Subplots, and Narrative Momentum

Program: The Writer's Apprenticeship: A Two-Year, Self-Paced MFA

Position: Year 1, Semester 1, Week 5

Estimated Time Commitment: 3-4 hours

Prerequisites: Lessons 1-4

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

Identify and apply different types of narrative transitions to create a smooth and logical flow between scenes and paragraphs.
Define the primary functions of a subplot, including how it can intensify conflict and reinforce theme.
Analyze the relationship between the main plot and a subplot in a work of fiction.
Write two distinct but connected scenes, using a clear transitional device and introducing a simple subplot.

2. Lecture

The Art of the Unseen Stitch

If scenes, as we learned in Lesson 4, are the individual vertebrae of a story, then transitions are the connective tissue holding them together. A story can have brilliant characters and dramatic scenes, but if the links between those scenes are jarring, confusing, or nonexistent, the narrative will feel disjointed and the reader’s immersion will break. The art of storytelling lies not just in the power of your scenes, but in the elegance of your transitions—the unseen stitch work that turns pieces of fabric into a cohesive tapestry.

At the same time, a story composed of a single, linear plot can feel thin. Real life is not a single thread; it’s a weave. Subplots—secondary storylines that run parallel to the main plot—add complexity, depth, and a sense of lived-in reality.

Today, we’ll work on both: the art of the transition and the strategic use of the subplot. Together, they generate narrative momentum.

Part I: The Connective Tissue - Mastering Transitions

Transitions guide your reader from one moment to the next on both the micro level (between sentences/paragraphs) and the macro level (between scenes/chapters).

Word and Phrase Transitions. These are explicit signposts (e.g., therefore, however, meanwhile; an hour later; back at the safehouse). Use them to clarify time, causality, or location, but avoid overuse that can make prose feel mechanical.
The Head-to-Tail Echo. Link paragraphs or scenes by echoing a key word, image, or concept at the end of one section in the opening of the next. This creates a subtle chain of logic and rhythm.

Example:
…He stared at the eviction notice, the crisp paper a death warrant for the only home he’d ever known. All he could think about was the promise of a new life, glittering on the distant horizon.
That distant horizon was exactly what worried Maria. From her vantage point on the hill, storm clouds gathered, a bruise of purple and grey that promised trouble.

Scene and Chapter Breaks. Asterisks or new chapter headings signal larger shifts in time, location, or POV. The sentences just before and after a break must orient the reader. Endings should leave the “story door open”: pose a question, intensify a threat, or set up a cliffhanger that compels the next page turn.

Part II: The Power of the Subplot - Adding Depth and Complexity

A subplot is a secondary storyline that intersects with the main plot. It should enhance—not eclipse—the central narrative. Think of subplots as amplifiers of pressure, theme, and character.

Functions of Subplots:

Intensify Conflict / Raise Stakes. Subplots introduce obstacles that complicate the protagonist’s pursuit of the main goal (e.g., a detective’s blackmail threat complicates an ongoing investigation).
Enrich Characterization. Subplots expose values, flaws, loyalties, and capacities for change in both protagonists and key supporting characters.
Reinforce Theme. The most powerful subplots refract the central theme from another angle, creating resonance (e.g., a pacifist parent as a thematic counterpoint to a soldier protagonist).

Common Subplot Archetypes:

Mirror Subplot. A secondary character faces a similar problem, illuminating possible outcomes or lessons.
Foil (Contrasting) Subplot. A similar dilemma, different choices—highlighting the protagonist’s path by contrast.
Romantic Subplot. Emotional stakes rise, vulnerabilities surface, and choices in love echo choices in the main plot.

Part III: The Engine of Momentum - Cause and Effect

Narrative momentum arises from scenes built on “Goal → Conflict → Disaster” (Lesson 4) and connected by clear cause-and-effect.

The Disaster at the end of Scene A creates a new problem.
That problem becomes the Goal of Scene B.

Example chain:
Scene A (Disaster): The spy opens the safe—no microchip. A guard enters.
Effect → New Goal: Escape.
Scene B (Goal): Get out.
Conflict: The guard blocks the door.
Disaster: The spy knocks the guard out but is shot in the arm; an alarm blares.
Effect → New Goal: Reach the rendezvous before bleeding out or being captured.

Subplots fold into this chain by adding complications that make each new goal harder.

3. Reading Assignment

Primary Reading: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Chapters 4–6. (Builds on our reading from Lesson 2.)

Secondary Reading: Jane Friedman, “How to Skillfully Use Subplots in Your Novel.” Focus on her criteria for when to add a subplot, how to keep it subordinate to the main arc, and practical checkpoints for tying subplots to stakes and theme. If you want a backup resource, read a free guide of similar scope from a reputable writing-craft site.

Reading Questions:

In Chapters 4–6 of Gatsby, what is the main plot? Identify Gatsby’s primary goal that drives the action in this section.
Identify at least one major subplot developed in these chapters (e.g., Nick and Jordan’s relationship; Gatsby’s ties to Wolfsheim and the rumors around his past). Explain how it intersects with the main plot.
How does the subplot you identified reinforce central themes (e.g., wealth, reinvention, dishonesty, the pull of the past)? Provide a specific moment from Chapters 4–6.
Examine the transition between Chapter 4 and Chapter 5. How does Fitzgerald end Chapter 4 (Jordan’s account and the plan for tea) to set up the immediate narrative momentum of Chapter 5 (the reunion in the rain)? What concrete cues orient you across the break?
From the Friedman article, list two techniques for raising stakes via subplots. Then, using Chapters 4–6, show how Tom’s suspicions about Gatsby and the social pressure at the party in Chapter 6 function as subplot-driven pressure on Gatsby’s main goal. (Stay anchored to Chapters 4–6.)

Reading Journal Prompt: In ~300 words, analyze the subplot involving Nick and Jordan. Is it a Mirror, Foil, or Romantic subplot—or a blend? What does this secondary storyline reveal about Nick’s character and reliability as a narrator, and how does it color our view of Gatsby’s pursuit?

4. Writing Assignment

Warm-up Exercise (10 minutes):

Write two separate, one-sentence paragraphs.
Combine them with a single transitional phrase (because, while, despite, etc.).
Now separate them again and connect with a Head-to-Tail Echo instead. Note how tone and pacing change.

Primary Exercise (1,200 words):

Write two scenes (~600 words each).

Scene A: Use the Goal–Conflict–Disaster model from Lesson 4 with your ongoing character. End with a clear disaster that creates a new problem.
Scene B: Takes place immediately after Scene A (new location/time okay). The Goal of Scene B must be a direct result of Scene A’s disaster.

Constraint 1: Connect Scene A and Scene B with a clear transitional device (e.g., a chapter break + strong head-to-tail echo, or a concise time/location phrase).

Constraint 2: In Scene B, introduce a simple subplot (e.g., a new character who complicates logistics, a call that reveals a secondary problem, or an internal memory foreshadowing unresolved history).

Revision Task: Re-read the seam between your scenes. Is the transition smooth and logical? Can you strengthen the echo? Does the subplot feel like an organic complication rather than a detour?

Reflection Component (200 words): Was it difficult to ensure Scene B’s goal directly emerged from Scene A’s disaster? How does your subplot complicate your protagonist’s capacity to confront the main conflict?

5. AI Integration Component

AI Brainstorming Prompt (Subplot Generator):
“My story’s main plot is about [e.g., a detective hunting a serial killer]. The story’s central theme is [e.g., ‘the fallibility of memory’]. Generate three potential subplots (a Mirror, a Foil, and a Romantic subplot) that complicate the main plot and reinforce this theme.”

AI Editing Exercise (Transition Smoother):
“Here are the last paragraph of one scene and the first paragraph of the next scene. They feel disconnected. Suggest three different ways to rewrite the opening of the second paragraph to create a stronger head-to-tail echo from the first.”

AI Critique & Ethical Considerations:
AI is useful for variation and speed, but it cannot feel thematic resonance. When reviewing AI-generated subplot ideas, ask:

Character truth: Does this complication feel emotionally true to my character?
Causality: Does it arise from prior cause-and-effect, or is it a bolt from the blue?
Thematic fit: Does it refract the story’s central theme rather than distract from it?

Choose only the ideas that deepen character, sharpen theme, and tighten the causal chain.

6. Community Component

Peer Exchange: Share your two connected scenes with your accountability partner. Ask:

Was the transition clear? Were you ever confused about time or location?
What do you think the purpose of the subplot is, and how does it affect the main goal?
Where did you feel momentum accelerate or stall?

7. Self-Assessment Tools

Progress Checklist:

[ ] I have completed the primary and secondary readings.
[ ] I have completed the reading journal prompt.
[ ] I have written two connected scenes totaling ~1,200 words.
[ ] I have applied the Goal–Conflict–Disaster model in Scene A.
[ ] I have introduced a relevant subplot in Scene B.
[ ] I have saved this work in my Semester 1 Portfolio.

Skills Rubric:

Narrative Flow (Developing / Proficient / Advanced) — How smooth and logical is the transition between my scenes?
Subplot Integration (Developing / Proficient / Advanced) — Does my subplot connect to the main story and theme, or does it read as a diversion?

Portfolio Guidelines: Save your two connected scenes in your Semester 1 Portfolio. They mark your first deliberate attempt at weaving a multi-layered narrative.

8. Extension Activities (Optional)

For Advanced Students: Outline the beginning–middle–end of your subplot and note where it converges with the main plot, ideally influencing the climax or forcing the decisive choice.
For Struggling Students: Draft only the last paragraph of Scene A (ending in disaster) and the first paragraph of Scene B (new goal). Revise until the causal link is unmistakable.
Cross-Genre Exploration: Watch a half-hour sitcom episode. Identify the A-plot (main story) and the B-plot (primary subplot). Where do they intersect, and how does that intersection reframe the A-plot’s resolution?

9. Key Takeaways & Next Steps

Essential Concepts:

Smooth transitions are the invisible stitches that hold a story together.
Subplots add depth, raise stakes, and echo the main theme.
Momentum comes from a relentless causal chain: each disaster seeds the next goal.

Practical Applications: You now have tools for building not just single scenes but chapters with connective tissue and multi-layered narratives with purposeful subplots.

Preview: In Lesson 6, we’ll focus on the art of conversation—moving from external action to the subtleties of Purposeful Dialogue and Subtext.