In this article we'll consider:
Subtext as the pinnacle of storytelling
How to hint at hidden emotion
What your characters say versus what they think
Symbolism, metaphor and repetition
Direct how your reader feels
Make your reader work
The secret sauce of characterization
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Subtext, in a pleasingly meta way, is the hidden gem of your fiction writing. Partnering with the renowned "show don't tell" technique, subtext allows your story to communicate ideas, emotions and meanings that are running beneath the surface level of the immediate dialogue and action.
For example, while a character in your scene may be discussing an upcoming event or kicking at stones with their shoe, beneath those words and actions lie complex motivations, hidden feelings, and/or unspoken conflicts. This is likely true to some degree in every scene you write, and its effect can be powerful - it's what keeps your readers engaged and curious.
Mastering subtext will elevate your fiction exponentially by adding layers of depth and intrigue - the very heart of what fiction is about. So how can you weave it into your writing? Let's take a look at some key ways to make the unsaid speak volumes.
Show hidden emotions through action
One of the most effective ways to use subtext is to let a character’s actions reveal what they’re truly feeling, rather than stating it outright. People often hide their emotions or try to mask them with behaviour that contradicts what they feel inside. By showing characters who say one thing but do another, you can communicate deeper truths.
Example: Imagine a scene where two characters are talking about an upcoming promotion. The dialogue may suggest that Character A is supportive of Character B, but Character A’s body language - tapping fingers, avoiding eye contact - suggests resentment or jealousy. Instead of directly telling the reader that A is jealous, the subtext comes through the actions that contradict the dialogue, inviting the reader to pick up on the emotional undercurrents.
Dialogue versus internal thoughts
Subtext also exists in the contrast between what a character says and what they think. This works well in situations where a character feels pressure to say something socially appropriate, while their true feelings are much more complex.
Example: Where two characters are discussing a new love interest, Character A might say to Character B, "I'm happy for you," while internally thinking, "I wish that were me." This contrast creates tension and conveys hidden emotions like regret, jealousy or bitterness, without making them explicit. Further complicating the matter might be if Character B picks up on Character A's inauthenticity but says nothing about it.
This is easier to convey when writing in a close third-person or first-person perspective, where the reader has access to a character’s internal thoughts but the other characters do not. However, even with more distant, objective narrative perspectives, the implication of a charater's true feelings can still come through in their physical actions/reactions, as we've already mentioned.
Symbolism, metaphor and repetition as subtext
Symbolism can be a powerful way to embed subtext into your narrative. Objects or recurring motifs can represent mood, themes or conflicts without having to directly spell them out. Metaphor, when used effectively and originally, adds layers of meaning to seemingly familiar and simple events or actions. While repetition can mimic beats that compound the book's central elements.
Example: In a story about a crumbling relationship, a house with peeling paint and cracks in the walls might symbolize the growing emotional distance between the characters. The house’s decay isn’t directly mentioned as a metaphor for their relationship, but the readers intuitively understand the connection, how the neglect and disrepair echoes the characters' situation.
In Colin Walsh's debut coming-of-age novel, Kala, the narrative uses a combination of these techniques - Poloroid photos as motifs, repeated references to echoes and otherness - giving the story an ethereal quality that makes the truth at the heart of its mystery slippery to grasp, and expanding our imaginations to the same levels of the young characters in the story.
Understate emotional moments
Often, the most impactful emotional moments in a story don’t involve grand, melodramatic speeches, but subtle exchanges that leave much unsaid. In real life, people rarely articulate their deepest feelings out loud, and fiction can reflect that complexity by allowing the most intense emotions to remain simmering beneath the surface.
Example: Instead of having a character say “I love you” during a climactic moment, they might simply sit in silence with the person they care about, passing them a handkerchief, or offering a quiet touch. The emotion is clear through the subtle gesture, and it invites readers to fill in the emotional blanks with their own interpretation.
Let readers infer the conflict
Subtext is all about enabling your reader to piece together what's really going on in a scene without telling them directly. This gives the reader work to do, and also allows them space to, in a sense, make the story their own. Another great way to do this is by having your characters avoid addressing the real issues that remain unresolved.
Example: Two siblings might sit at a dinner table talking about their day whilst the recent death of their parent goes unspoken. Their stiff conversations and reluctance to mention certain things tell the reader there’s a deeper, unresolved pain at play. By withholding this explicit conflict, you give the reader agency to comprehend the depth of what the characters are feeling, thus making the plot more engaging.
Subtext in relationships
Relationships are a goldmine for subtext, as people often don't express their feelings for one another directly, whether in friendships, romantic relationships, or familial ties. Instead their interactions - hesitations, awkwardness, silences or overcompensations - reveal much about how they truly feel.
Example: In a tense family scene, a father might ask his son about his day at work, but the real question is, "When will you make me proud?" The son’s short, indifferent responses suggest his discomfort and unmet expectations. The real conversation lies in what they are not saying: their disconnection and disappointment.
Again, by focusing on what isn’t said, you allow readers to experience the tension between characters more viscerally, making the story's emotional dynamics impactful and the reader more involved.
Finally...
Subtext is the exquisite art of suggestion - of showing what really lurks beneath the surface. Whether through action, metaphor, understated emotion, or contrast in dialogue, subtext invites readers to actively engage with the story rather than simply "listening" to it. It nudges your audience into reading between the lines, and fills your fiction with layers of thought-provoking meaning that it's up to each reader to decipher in their own unique way.
So in your next story, consider not just what your characters are saying and doing, but what they aren’t. The unspoken truths might just be the most powerful part of your narrative.
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Tina Williams of Fiction Yogi is a copyeditor and proofreader who works with writers at all stages, giving them the tools to improve their manuscript and level up their writing so they can meet their publishing goals.
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