Is your novel swimming in multiple plotlines and you’re not sure which one is the story? Fantasy, sci-fi and historical fiction often invite sprawling casts, political intrigue, and side quests, but without a clear central thread, the plot can feel aimless and the protagonist drifts into the background.

Why Your Main Story Matters

When you know your main story, everything else gets easier:

• Your protagonist takes centre stage, with clear goals and stakes.
• You stop endlessly polishing scenes that don’t belong.
• You can tell instantly whether a subplot adds depth or just adds noise.

Without that clarity, you might find yourself stuck in a draft that feels “busy” but doesn’t move forward – or worse, one where your main character becomes a bystander in their own novel.

Signs You’ve Lost Sight of the Main Story

• You’re equally invested in multiple threads but can’t say which one your book hinges on.
• The plot keeps spawling ever larger, adding more events, twists or settings.
• You can’t write a one-sentence summary without cramming in five “and also” clauses.
• Your protagonist’s personal arc feels disjointed because the action keeps switching focus to other characters.

If any of these feel familiar, it’s time to do a little structural sleuthing.

Your main story is the spine of your novel – the thread that, if you pulled it out, would make the whole thing collapse. It’s usually the one most tied to your protagonist’s central goal and transformation.

Here’s how to find it:

• Identify your protagonist’s core goal. What do they want more than anything?
• Pinpoint the main conflict. Which obstacle most directly blocks that goal?
• Remove and test. Imagine taking out each plotline – which one makes the story fall apart? That’s your spine.
• Check for theme alignment. The main story should reflect your book’s deeper themes. The subplots are there to illuminate smaller or alternate facets of those themes.

In Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the main plot is Ryland Grace’s mission to save Earth from extinction. His friendship with Rocky is a beautiful subplot, but without the survival mission, the book has no core.

In Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree Ead Duryan’s secret mission to protect Queen Sabran and prevent the return of an ancient dragon that could destroy the world is the main story thread. The adventures of Loth and Kit are a subplot that illuminates the world and enriches the story stakes, but isn’t the driving force of the story.

In both stories, every subplot feeds into, supports, or illuminates something about the main plot.

How to Find Your Story’s Spine

1. Look at Your Protagonist’s Core Goal

What do they want more than anything else? This goal should be specific not a vague wish, and the protagonist should be working to actively achieve it not have it just fall into their lap.

2. Identify the Conflict That Forces Change

Which obstacle, antagonist, or force most directly blocks that goal? Which one will push your protagonist to change and grow? That’s your primary source of tension and conflict.

3. Remove and Test

Imagine pulling out each plotline. Which one, if removed, would collapse your story completely? That’s your spine.

4. Align with Theme

The central plotline often ties most strongly to your book’s deeper themes – the “big questions” you’re exploring.

Quick Clarity Exercise

Fill in this sentence:

This is a story about [protagonist] who wants [goal] but must overcome [conflict] to [resolution].

If you can answer clearly, you know your main story. If you can’t, or if you keep wanting to add in “and also”, you may still be wrestling with competing threads.