The Writer’s Playground Series – The B-Plot

The B-Plot

• Objective: To practice weaving subplots into a main narrative.
• How to Play: As a group, quickly outline a simple A-Plot (e.g., “A detective must solve a murder before the killer strikes again”). Each writer is then individually responsible for creating a personal B-Plot for the detective (e.g., “trying to reconnect with an estranged child”). They then write one scene showing how their B-Plot intersects with and complicates the main investigation.
• Best for: Complex plotting, character development, and narrative structure.

Here are some example A-Plots to get you started:

Crime & Thriller

• A detective must catch a serial killer before they strike again.
• An undercover agent must infiltrate a powerful crime syndicate.
• A spy must stop a terrorist plot to detonate a bomb in a major city.
• A lawyer must prove their client’s innocence in a high-profile murder trial.
• A journalist must expose a vast political conspiracy.
• A team of bank robbers must pull off one last, impossible heist.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

• A chosen hero must transport a magical artifact to a safe location.
• The captain of a starship must explore a strange and dangerous new nebula.
• A wizard must defeat a dark lord who is conquering the kingdom.
• A rebel pilot must destroy the evil empire’s planet-killing superweapon.
• A scientist must find a cure for a rapidly spreading plague.
• A time traveler must correct a mistake in the past without unraveling reality.

Adventure & Survival

• An explorer must find a lost city in the heart of the Amazon.
• A group of survivors must journey across a post-apocalyptic wasteland to a rumored safe haven.
• A mountain climber must be the first to summit a treacherous, unconquered peak.
• A treasure hunter must find a legendary sunken pirate ship.
• A team of astronauts must survive after crash-landing on a hostile alien planet.

Drama & Competition

• An underdog sports team must win the championship game.
• Two rival business executives must compete for the same CEO position.
• A politician must win a make-or-break election.
• A young musician must win a prestigious competition to save her family’s legacy.
• A bride and groom must navigate the chaotic week leading up to their wedding.

Action & War

• A soldier must deliver a critical message across enemy lines.
• A retired assassin is forced back into the game to protect a loved one.
• A firefighter captain must rescue civilians from a blazing, collapsing skyscraper.