Workshop: Practicing Subtext
- rileytommy10
- Aug 10
- 3 min read
Subtext is a skill that grows sharper the more you use it. The goal of this workshop is to train your awareness of what lies beneath the surface of a scene—both as a reader and as a writer—and to give you hands-on tools to create it intentionally.
Step 1: Learn to Recognize Subtext
Exercise 1 – Reading Between the Lines
Choose a short scene from a novel or screenplay known for subtlety (The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, Hills Like White Elephants, or a film like Lost in Translation).
Read it once for surface meaning.
Read it again and make notes on:
What is not being said.
How body language, setting, or small details hint at hidden emotions.
Any symbols or recurring motifs that carry deeper meaning.
Goal: Train your mind to notice the quiet signals that convey emotion or theme without direct explanation.
Step 2: Build Tension Without Telling
Exercise 2 – The Dinner Table Test Write a one-page scene at a family dinner where there is an unresolved conflict between two characters. Rules:
They cannot talk directly about the conflict.
No character is allowed to internally “explain” the tension to the reader.
Use only body language, fragmented dialogue, and environmental details to convey the mood.
Variation: Rewrite the same scene with the conflict openly discussed, then compare which version feels more layered and engaging.
Step 3: Harness Symbolism
Exercise 3 – The Object with a Secret
Pick an everyday object (a teacup, a watch, a pair of shoes).
Write a short paragraph in which this object appears in the background but hints at something significant:
A teacup that never leaves the table because it belonged to a lost loved one.
A watch that always stops at a specific time.
Never explain its meaning outright—let the reader infer through context.
Goal: Learn to use physical details as vessels for emotional or thematic weight.
Step 4: Layer Dialogue with Contradiction
Exercise 4 – Say One Thing, Mean Another Write a short exchange where two characters outwardly appear friendly but secretly dislike each other.
Their spoken words should be polite.
Their tone, pacing, and physical gestures should hint at the truth.
Sprinkle in a few micro-reactions (hesitations, changes in posture) to deepen the subtext.
Step 5: Create a Setting That Speaks
Exercise 5 – The Room with a Mood Describe a room in under 200 words.
Use the details of the setting to hint at the emotional state of the person who lives there.
Don’t mention emotions directly—let the choice of objects, lighting, smells, and arrangement do the work.
Example:Instead of saying “She was lonely,” describe an apartment where the second chair at the kitchen table is stacked with unopened mail, and the refrigerator hums in an otherwise silent space.
Step 6: Revise for Subtlety
Exercise 6 – The Three-Line Reduction Take an existing scene from your own writing and cut all direct statements of emotion or intention. Replace them with:
Action beats.
Descriptive details.
Changes in rhythm or tone of dialogue.
Ask yourself: Does the scene still convey the emotion without the direct statement? If so, your subtext is working.
Writer’s Takeaways
Trust the Reader: Assume they will pick up on hints if you give them enough context.
Less is More: A single telling gesture can be more powerful than a paragraph of explanation.
Revisit Your Work: Subtext often emerges in revision—once the main beats are down, go back and add nuance.
Balance Clarity and Mystery: Avoid making subtext so obscure that the reader misses it entirely.
Practice Daily: Even a few minutes a day observing real conversations or rewriting small scenes with implied meaning will sharpen your instinct.
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