mastering the art of writing subtext

Subtext is what characters mean, want, fear, or avoid, expressed indirectly through what they say and do. In plays, subtext carries enormous weight because the form is spoken, embodied, and immediate. The audience reads between the lines in real time.

Start with Desire, Not Dialogue

Every line should sit on top of a private want.

Before writing a scene, answer (for yourself):

• What does this character want right now?

• What would happen if they said it outright?

• What are they protecting?

If the desire can’t be spoken safely, subtext appears.

Rule: If a character can say what they mean without consequence, you probably don’t have a scene yet.

Write Around the Thing

Great subtext circles its subject.

Instead of:

“I’m angry you betrayed me.”

Write:

“You still using that key? I thought you lost it.”

The topic is keys. The content is betrayal. The engine is anger.

This is why ordinary subjects — weather, food, logistics — are so powerful onstage.

Let Action Betray Language

In plays, subtext lives in contradiction.

• A character says “I’m fine” while sitting down heavily.

• A character offers help but blocks the exit.

• A character apologizes without changing behavior.

Actors love this. Directors need it. Audiences believe it.

Dialogue tells us what the character claims. Action tells us what the character knows.

Give Each Character a Different Scene

In strong subtextual writing, characters are not in the same scene emotionally, even if they share the stage.

• One character wants reconciliation.

• One wants dominance.

• One wants escape.

They talk past each other, not to each other. That friction creates meaning.

This is a hallmark of writers like Anton Chekhov (longing vs. politeness) and Harold Pinter (power vs. silence).

Trust the Pause

Silence is not empty in theatre — it’s loud.

Use:

• Pauses

• Interruptions

• Unfinished thoughts

• Repetition

A pause after a line changes its meaning more than another paragraph ever could.

What a character doesn’t say is often the play.

Avoid Explaining the Subtext

If the audience can summarize the subtext in one sentence, you’ve gone too far.

Bad:

“I guess I’m really afraid of being alone.”

Better:

“You’re not staying, are you.”(Beat.)“I’ll keep the light on anyway.”

Let the audience do the final step. Theatre thrives on participation.

Rehearsal-Proof Your Writing

Subtext should survive rehearsal.

Ask:

• Can an actor play three different intentions under this line?

• Can a director stage this moment multiple ways?

• Would the scene still work if the line were spoken flat?

If yes, the subtext is real — not decorative.

A Useful Test

Read your scene and underline:

• What characters say

• What they do

• What they avoid

If those three things don’t line up, you’re writing subtext.

If they do line up perfectly, you’re probably writing exposition.

For an example of writing with subtext, see the sample preview of my play, Awake.