“We should talk.”

Three words. Grammatically simple. Literally: a suggestion to have a conversation.

But everyone who hears them knows: Something bad is about to happen. A breakup. A confrontation. A revelation that will hurt.

How do we know? Because of subtext—the meaning beneath the words, the real message hiding under the literal one.

And it’s arguably the most important skill in dialogue writing.

What Is Subtext?

Text: What is literally said Subtext: What is actually meant

Subtext is the gap between dialogue and intention—the space where characters:

  • Hide their real feelings
  • Pursue unspoken agendas
  • Protect themselves through indirection
  • Communicate in code

Why it matters: People rarely say exactly what they mean. If your characters do, your dialogue feels unrealistic and on-the-nose.

Great dialogue sounds like real conversation—which means it’s full of evasion, implication, and indirection.

Why Humans Speak in Subtext

Subtext isn’t just a writing trick—it’s how real communication works.

Psychological Reasons for Subtext:

1. Self-Protection Direct vulnerability feels dangerous. We hint, imply, and test before revealing.

Example:

  • Text: “Do you want to get coffee sometime?”
  • Subtext: “I’m interested in you romantically but need plausible deniability if you’re not.”

2. Social Norms Cultures have rules about directness. Breaking them has consequences.

Example:

  • Text: “That’s an… interesting choice.”
  • Subtext: “I think you’ve made a terrible decision, but politeness prevents me from saying so.”

3. Power Dynamics Saying what you mean to someone with power over you is risky.

Example:

  • Text (employee to bad boss): “I’ll get right on that.”
  • Subtext: “This is a stupid idea, but I value my job.”

4. Internal Conflict Sometimes we don’t consciously know what we mean—we’re saying one thing while feeling another.

Example:

  • Text: “I’m fine.”
  • Subtext: “I’m absolutely not fine, but I don’t want to admit it, maybe not even to myself.”

For writers: Understanding why humans use subtext helps you deploy it authentically.

The Iceberg Principle

Hemingway called it the “iceberg theory”: the surface meaning is 10% of what’s happening; 90% is below the water.

Example: “Hills Like White Elephants” A couple discusses “an operation” the woman needs. The word “abortion” is never used—but the entire story is about abortion.

The tension comes from what’s not said: their incompatible desires, the relationship’s future, the power imbalance.

The brilliance: By keeping it subtext, Hemingway makes readers active participants—we have to interpret, engage, feel the discomfort of things unsaid.

Lesson for writers: Trust your audience. Don’t surface everything. The gap between text and subtext creates electric tension.

Types of Subtext

1. Emotional Subtext (Saying One Thing, Feeling Another)

Character’s words contradict their emotions.

Example from Mad Men:

Don: "I'm not going to talk about this."
[Subtext: This is all I can think about, and talking about it terrifies me]

The contradiction creates dramatic irony—we see the truth even as the character denies it.

2. Agenda Subtext (Hidden Goals)

Character wants something but can’t or won’t ask directly.

Example from The Social Network:

Mark: "I'm just trying to build something cool."
[Subtext: I'm trying to prove I'm not the loser that girl thought I was]

Every “innocent” action serves an unspoken purpose.

3. Power Subtext (Hierarchy and Dominance)

Conversations where the real subject is “who’s in control?”

Example from The Godfather:

Don Corleone: "Someday—and that day may never come—I will call upon you to do a service for me."
[Subtext: You owe me. I own you now. You will do what I ask, whenever I ask]

The courteous phrasing masks absolute dominance.

4. Relationship Subtext (What This Means About Us)

Every conversation is also a meta-conversation about the relationship itself.

Example: couple arguing about dishes

Partner A: "Can you just do the dishes for once?"
[Subtext: I feel unappreciated and taken for granted]

Partner B: "I do plenty around here."
[Subtext: You don't see my contributions, and that feels unfair]

The surface topic (dishes) is a proxy for the real issue (recognition and equity).

5. Cultural Subtext (Coded Communication)

Groups develop shorthand and coded language.

Example: Southern politeness

"Bless your heart."
[Can mean: You're sweet / You're stupid / I pity you / I'm insulting you politely]

Context determines meaning—but never the literal words.

Techniques for Writing Subtext

Technique 1: The Deflection

Character changes the subject when the conversation gets too close to truth.

Example:

"Do you still love him?"
"Did you see the news this morning? They're saying—"

What it reveals: The question is too painful/complicated to answer directly. The dodge IS the answer.

Technique 2: The Over-Answer

Character responds with far more intensity than the question warrants—revealing what they’re really thinking about.

Example:

"How was work?"
"Fine! Why wouldn't it be fine? Work is always fine. I have a good job. A great job. I'm grateful for my job."

What it reveals: Work was definitely not fine, and they’re defensive about it.

Technique 3: The Understatement

Character minimizes something huge.

Example:

[After watching their house burn down]
"Well. That's inconvenient."

What it reveals: Either emotional shock (can’t process), emotional control (refusing to break), or dark humor as coping mechanism.

Technique 4: The Opposite

Character says the precise opposite of what they mean (sarcasm, defensiveness, denial).

Example:

"Oh, I'm thrilled he got the promotion instead of me. Absolutely delighted."

How we know it’s subtext: Tone, context, and the absurdity of the literal meaning.

Technique 5: The Metaphor/Parallel

Characters discuss one thing while clearly meaning another.

Example from Breaking Bad:

[Jesse and Walt talk about "the cook" but they're really talking about their partnership, trust, and control]

Why this works: Allows emotional conversation without vulnerability of direct discussion.

Technique 6: The Pause/Non-Answer

What’s not said speaks volumes.

Example:

"You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"
[Long pause]
"Of course."

The pause is the truth: Something is very wrong.

Technique 7: Talking Past Each Other

Characters address different layers of the conversation.

Example:

A: "We need to talk about what happened."
B: "Nothing happened."
A: "You're doing it again."
B: "I don't know what you mean."

A wants emotional accountability. B is denying everything. Neither directly addresses what the other is saying—but we understand both.

How to Create Subtext: The Process

Step 1: Know What They Really Mean

Before writing dialogue, identify:

  • What does the character want in this scene?
  • What are they feeling?
  • What are they afraid to say directly?

Step 2: Create Obstacles to Directness

Why can’t they just say it?

  • Fear of vulnerability?
  • Social consequences?
  • Power imbalance?
  • Self-deception?

Step 3: Find the Indirect Route

How would someone communicate this truth without saying it?

  • Through another topic (metaphor)
  • Through attack (defensiveness)
  • Through silence (avoidance)
  • Through overcompensation (denial)

Step 4: Trust the Audience

Don’t explain the subtext in narration or have another character spell it out.

Weak:

"We should talk," she said, and he knew she was about to break up with him.

Stronger:

"We should talk."
His stomach dropped.

We infer the meaning from his reaction, not from explanation.

Subtext in Action: Scene Analysis

Scene: Couple at dinner after a betrayal

BAD VERSION (No Subtext - “On the Nose”):

A: "I'm angry that you lied to me."
B: "I'm sorry I hurt you. I was scared to tell the truth."
A: "I don't know if I can trust you again."
B: "I understand. I betrayed your trust."

This is therapy-speak, not dialogue. Real people don’t articulate this cleanly.

BETTER VERSION (With Subtext):

A: "How's your fish?"
B: "It's fine. Yours?"
A: "Bit overcooked."
[Pause]
B: "We could send it back."
A: "What's the point? It's already ruined."
[B looks up, understanding this isn't about the fish]

What’s really happening:

  • A is extending an olive branch (small talk) but can’t help expressing discontent (“overcooked” = our relationship)
  • B offers a solution (“send it back” = fix this)
  • A rejects it (“already ruined” = maybe we’re beyond repair)

The fish is the vehicle for the real conversation about trust and damage.

When NOT to Use Subtext

Subtext isn’t always the answer:

1. Moments of Genuine Breakthrough

When characters finally break through their defenses, directness is powerful.

Example: After 90 minutes of subtext, “I love you” said plainly has enormous impact because it breaks the pattern of indirection.

2. High-Stakes Action

“The bomb is in the building—we have three minutes” doesn’t need subtext. Clarity serves tension here.

3. When Directness Is Characterization

Some characters are pathologically honest or socially oblivious—their refusal to do subtext IS their defining trait (and creates friction with others who do).

Example: Sheldon Cooper, Data from Star Trek—they often miss subtext, which creates comedy.

4. Exposition That Can’t Be Avoided

Sometimes you need to convey information efficiently. Subtext slows this down.

The trick: Get exposition over quickly, then return to subtext for emotional scenes.

Common Subtext Mistakes

Mistake 1: Subtext So Buried It’s Incomprehensible

If the audience can’t figure out what’s really being said, the scene is confusing, not subtle.

The fix: Provide context clues—body language, reactions, earlier setup that keys us in.

Mistake 2: Explaining the Subtext Immediately After

Bad:

"I'm fine," she said, but she wasn't fine at all.

The narration kills the subtext. Trust the reader to get it.

Mistake 3: Every Line Has Subtext

If every single line means something else, the dialogue becomes exhausting and opaque.

The fix: Use subtext for charged moments. Allow some lines to mean exactly what they say—creates rhythm and contrast.

Mistake 4: Subtext Without Setup

If we don’t know the history, stakes, or relationships, we can’t decode the subtext.

Example:

"Strawberry or chocolate?"
"Surprise me."

If we don’t know this is a couple where one person always controls decisions and the other is resentful, this exchange means nothing.

The fix: Establish context so subtext lands.

Subtext Across Media

Film/TV

Visual storytelling adds layers—body language, tone, pauses, physical distance all create subtext beyond words.

Example: The Godfather wedding scene Every conversation is coded: requests for favors, displays of loyalty, power negotiations—all during a celebration.

Prose

The narrator can provide context (internal thoughts, physical reactions) that help readers decode subtext.

Example:

"Fine," she said, gripping the counter until her knuckles whitened.

The physical detail reveals what “fine” actually means.

Theater

Actors’ delivery creates subtext—but the playwright must write dialogue that supports multiple layers.

Example: Pinter’s plays Famous for subtext-heavy dialogue where surface conversation barely relates to emotional reality.

The Cultural Context

Western (especially American) communication tends more toward directness Many other cultures rely more heavily on implicit communication

For writers: Consider your characters’ cultural backgrounds. Someone from a culture that values indirect communication might use more subtext naturally.

Avoid stereotypes: Not every character from an indirect communication culture speaks in riddles, and not every American blurts everything out.

Why Subtext Makes Dialogue Feel Real

Real conversation is:

  • Protective (we guard vulnerabilities)
  • Strategic (we pursue goals indirectly)
  • Layered (we communicate on multiple levels simultaneously)
  • Emotional (feelings shape what we can/can’t say)

On-the-nose dialogue feels fake because it ignores all this.

When characters say exactly what they mean, we feel the writer’s hand—we’re hearing the author’s intent, not human speech.

Subtext creates the illusion of real people with real psychology, protecting themselves and pursuing goals through the minefield of human interaction.

Practical Exercise: Subtext Workout

Take a simple exchange and add subtext:

Basic exchange:

"Are you coming to the party?"
"I don't think so."
"Please come."
"Okay."

Now add context: They’re exes. One wants to reconnect; the other is hesitant.

With subtext:

"You should come Saturday. Everyone will be there."
"Everyone?"
"You know what I mean."
"That's why I shouldn't."
"Or exactly why you should."
[Pause]
"I'll think about it."

What changed:

  • Indirect reference to their shared history (“everyone” / “you know what I mean”)
  • Emotional barriers (“that’s why I shouldn’t”)
  • Push-pull dynamic (“exactly why you should”)
  • Non-committal answer that’s actually hopeful (“I’ll think about it”)

The scene is now about their unresolved feelings, not party logistics.

The Deepest Layer: What the Writer Really Means

Here’s a meta-level insight: All fiction has subtext.

The characters are talking about one thing, but the author is commenting on:

  • Human nature
  • Society
  • Power
  • Mortality
  • Love
  • Identity

Example: The Crucible is about the Salem witch trials. But Arthur Miller wrote it during McCarthyism—the subtext is about his own time.

For writers: Your scenes have text (what characters discuss) and subtext (what they’re really negotiating). But your story has thematic subtext—what you’re saying about life through the whole work.

The best writing operates on all these levels simultaneously.

Why Subtext Is Hard (And Worth It)

It’s hard because:

  • You must know your characters deeply (can’t fake subtext without understanding psychology)
  • You must trust your audience (resist the urge to explain)
  • You must think in multiple layers simultaneously (text + subtext + theme)

It’s worth it because:

  • Creates realistic, complex dialogue
  • Engages readers as active interpreters
  • Builds tension through what’s unsaid
  • Reveals character indirectly (show, don’t tell via dialogue)
  • Makes scenes rereadable/rewatchable (new layers on return)

The Uncomfortable Truth

We live in a culture increasingly uncomfortable with indirection. “Say what you mean!” is treated as wisdom. Therapy-speak values direct emotional articulation.

And yet: Great dialogue remains indirect, because that’s how humans actually communicate when stakes are high, emotions are complex, and vulnerability is risky.

Subtext isn’t dishonesty—it’s psychological realism.

It honors the fact that:

  • We don’t always know what we feel
  • Saying the truth can have consequences we’re not ready for
  • Relationships are negotiations, not declarations
  • Sometimes the kindest thing is not to say everything

Your characters should be as complicated, protective, and indirect as real people.

That means mastering subtext.

Further Reading in This Series

Next in the series: Dialogue as Action - how to make every line of dialogue advance plot, reveal character, or increase tension.