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There’s a lot of work that goes into constructing a story, whether it’s a video game, graphic novel, or book that it’s easy to overlook some things that could prove thorny down the road. Not paying attention to the progression of the plot lines in your tale can wind up causing an issue that can ultimately harm it overall and that would be the plot hole, an issue that can vex just about anyone.
The main reason why the plot hole is so troublesome is that it destroys the consistency of the story you are telling. Your audience likes consistency where you stick to the rules of the world you created and having a plot hole upends it since you have to do some mental gymnastics to resolve it which only backfires and leads to confusion. Your viewers will wonder if you will still adhere to your rules or just throw them out of the window entirely.
One surefire way to prevent the plot hole from occurring is to flesh out the story beforehand. That is, you focus on all of the germane details in the brainstorming and outlining phases before you begin work on the tale proper. Having a meticulously planned out outline significantly reduces the chances of running into this problem since you have already run through the possible scenarios and routes the plot could go through and you’ve come up with a resolution that doesn’t violate any of the rules that govern your world.
Unfortunately not every storyline has a neat resolution or natural up-and-downs. The messy ones are where you’re likely to run into trouble in the guise of a plot hole. To lower the chances of this happening, you can opt to go with creative solutions. Essentially you have to adopt an ‘outside of the box’ approach in dealing with them insofar it doesn’t harm the tale’s consistency and doesn’t break any of the world’s rules.
This is the twenty-fifth article in The Sunlit Hearth series. If you like this article and want to see what else we have to offer, go to our blog page where there’s many more for you to explore!
One of the most important things of building a fantasy world from scratch is drafting the framework for how things work. For example, if magic is an integral part, flesh out how it works, what people can do with it, what limitations that come with it, and so on. The framework eventually forms what is known as the rules of the world and you, as a burgeoning creator, should make every effort to adhere to them since they dictate many of the actions your characters take throughout the course of the tale.
Having a plot hole breaks the consistency of both the world and how it functions. Your characters are put in a situation where they must do something that runs counter to how things work and how they get out of it is nonsense in terms of the overall narrative consistency. Doing this only harms the story and raises the question in your audience’s mind that you could do something like this again which makes them wonder if they should bother continuing. They’ll begin thinking you only use the rules of your world when it benefits both you and the plot and ignore them when it doesn’t.
The key to avoiding the plot hole here is to stick to the consistency, no matter what. Have every action your characters take have an in-universe explanation and present it in a way that is logical, given the framework in how the world works. You’ll have to work harder for some plot-lines but the payoff will be worth it since you strove to adhere to said consistency.
A great way to ensure that you don’t accidentally break any rules of the world is to put them in a separate document on your favorite word-processing application and have them serve as a reference point whenever you start to run into trouble. Looking at them every now and then can help you minimize the chances of encountering a plot hole since they‘ll be right there for you to see and keep in your mind.
While having a plot hole is more common than you think it is, there are methods you can use to either minimize the chances of one occurring or prevent it outright. One of these methods is something all creators do and that is to flesh out the story beforehand. Believe it or not, this is one of the best strategies to employ against the dreaded plot hole.
The reason why this is a great way is because you will have gone through the tale with a fine-tooth comb. Essentially you’ve charted out the trajectory of the plot, from beginning to end, meaning you have a concrete starting point and know how to get from there to the end. You’ve also dealt with whatever myriad of issues that arose as you worked on the story itself and in a way that doesn’t deter from the overall narrative.
Fleshing out the story occurs in two areas: the brainstorming and outlining phases. Regarding the plot hole, it is more likely to transpire in the former as you are jotting down ideas that you’d like to explore in the story you want to tell. This is perfectly fine as you’re just coming up with ideas but the latter is where you really want to work assiduously to deal with whatever potential plot holes that could pop up.
You’ve settled on the themes and ideas you want to explore and in the outlining phase, you further develop them, taking them to whatever extent you want them. As you put together an outline that has a natural progression to it, you’ll undoubtedly run into potential problems, namely a plot hole. It can be tempting to come up with something to gloss it over but this is where you have to really utilize an approach that falls within the framework of the plot’s world and maintains the integrity of the story narrative.
If you run into a particular plot hole that seems too vexing where you can think of a good solution that satisfies both the two elements in the preceding paragraph, it might be better to drop it and all related aspects from the tale. Doing so can actually enhance the story but if you are still determined to bring it into your tale, you’ll need to dig deep into your mind to find a workable solution.
Each plot-line, regardless if it’s major or minor, has a natural progression, featuring ups and downs before coming to its end. While some creators prefer nice and neat storylines where they don’t have many issues to deal with, some have those that wind up a bit on the messier side which typically requires more adjustments. Unfortunately with the latter, a plot hole is likelier to emerge though it can happen with the former as well.
To adequately deal with a plot hole, notably ones that are proving far too stubborn to deal with, creators opt to pursue a creative solution. After all, the objective is to ensure that the plot narrative remains intact and the rules that govern the world are not fundamentally tattered into pieces. A creative solution in this circumstance satisfies both aspects, and can actually make the overall story stronger.
Essentially a creative solution entails an in-universe explanation that addresses the plot hole in a way that upholds the two aspects mentioned in the previous paragraph. It could be as simple as addressing and clarifying the rules of time travel as seen in the Harry Potter series in a way that feels logical to both the characters and the audience and what happens if it is used for the wrong reason.
Finding a creative solution to fix a plot hole is easier said than done. In order for that to happen, you’ll need to reach into the depths of your mind and let your creative juices flow forth. Do what you have to do to spark your imagination since it’s what got you in this situation and it’s what will get you out of it.
You’ll have to jot down whatever ideas that pop up in your brain and look at them with a fresh set of eyes to see which ones work best both for the narrative and the framework of the world. You could have multiple ones you like which means you’ll need to winnow them down until you have the one that you know in your heart is the best solution and then further fine-tune it in the outlining phase so that when you’re ready to bring your story to life, you won’t have any plot holes to worry about.
The plot hole is something all creators encounter at some point. How you go about it will determine how your audience will feel about the overall work you’ve poured countless hours into. Taking some thoughtful time tells them you are deeply committed to it, even going so far as to spend more time than is needed to fix its problems whereas just nonchalantly waving it aside could suggest it’s not that precious to you. Ironing out the plot holes could very well mean the difference between your viewers praising your work or bashing it since it has things that break the narrative consistency.
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