How to Find and Fix Plot Holes
(Before they derail your story)
Much like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expects a plot hole. They’re sneaky like that.
There you are, happily crafting away at your story, and all of a sudden it hits you: this part of your narrative… just doesn’t logically work.
You’ve got yourself a plot hole.
Discovering a plot hole is a horrible feeling. (Ask me how I know.) But by knowing how to find them, and what to do if you catch one hiding under a rock, you’re halfway there to tidying up your narrative. So let’s explore common types of plot holes, how to identify them, and look at some practical strategies for resolving them.
What Is A Plot Hole?
A plot hole is an inconsistency or gap in the storyline that undermines the plot’s logics. Identifying and fixing these issues before they derail your story is important for maintaining narrative coherence and reader engagement.
Plot holes can manifest in various ways, including:
- Contradictory Information: When details presented earlier in the story conflict with later information. This can be subtle, by the way: for example, if a writer introduces a plot point but doesn’t fully think through all the logical ramifications. The Time-Turners of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban are a famous example of this kind of plot hole.
- Unexplained Events: Events that occur without sufficient explanation can leave readers scratching their heads.
- Character Behaviour: If a character acts in a way that contradicts their established personality or motivations, it’s going to feel jarring to the reader.
- Timeline Issues: Inconsistencies in your timeline—such as characters completing tasks in unrealistic timeframes—can potentially disrupt the flow of the story. (“Potentially” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence, by the way: there are plenty of popular narratives in which this kind of timeline issue is easily hand-waved away.)
- Loose Ends: These are subplots or character arcs that are introduced but never resolved.
How to Identify Plot Holes
Look… I’m going to just come right out and say it. A plot hole is only a problem if it’s a problem. For example, the movie Vertigo is one great big plot hole (why on earth would anyone create such a lavishly implausible murder plot with all the inherent risks?) and it is, objectively, a cracking story and regularly (rightly) voted one of the greatest films of all time. With a bit of pizazz and a devil-may-care attitude, you can probably get away with most things in your plot… but you should, at the very least, make sure you’re aware of any logical inconsistencies. (Then you can decide what—if anything—to do about them.)
Spotting a plot hole requires careful scrutiny of your narrative. Here are a few strategies you can try:
1. Read Your Manuscript Aloud
And not in a whisper, either: you need to do this in a normal speaking voice or it won’t work. Reading your work aloud can help you catch inconsistencies and awkward phrasing that may indicate a plot hole. Hearing the words aloud often provides a fresh perspective on pacing and logic.
Spotting a plot hole requires careful scrutiny of your narrative. Here are a few strategies you can try:
2. Seek Feedback from Beta Readers
Beta readers are friends, family, critique partners and so on—anyone who isn’t a professional editor but is willing to read and provide honest feedback on your story. They can pinpoint areas of confusion or inconsistency that you might have overlooked due to familiarity with the material.
Spotting a plot hole requires careful scrutiny of your narrative. Here are a few strategies you can try:
3. Create a Story Outline
You don’t have to plot in advance, by the way. Not all writers do. But if you’re the kind of writer who likes to write to a blueprint, visualising the overall structure of your narrative before you start can help identify potential pitfalls before you delve into writing scenes.
Spotting a plot hole requires careful scrutiny of your narrative. Here are a few strategies you can try:
4. Keep Track of Character Arcs and Timelines
Whether you plot in advance or not, it’s a good idea to always maintain detailed notes on character motivations, timelines, and significant events throughout your story. This reference will help you stay consistent and recognise any discrepancies as they arise.
Spotting a plot hole requires careful scrutiny of your narrative. Here are a few strategies you can try:
5. Take Breaks Between Drafts
After finishing your first draft, take a break before revising. (I recommend at least 3 months for a novel-length MS.) Distance from your work allows you to approach it with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot inconsistencies.
Spotting a plot hole requires careful scrutiny of your narrative. Here are a few strategies you can try:
“A plot hole is an inconsistency or gap in the storyline that undermines the plot’s logics. Identifying and fixing these issues before they derail your story is important for maintaining narrative coherence and reader engagement.”
Fixing Plot Holes
Chances are, your careful plot-hole-spotting work is going to come up blank. If so, great. If not… okay. It’s totally fixable. It probably doesn’t feel fixable in the moment, but it almost certainly is.
Take a breath. Take a break. You can fix this, but I highly recommend going out and touching grass before you start the process.
Okay. When you’re ready to get stuck in, here are a few possible strategies for fixing these issues:
1. Character Development
If a character’s actions seem inconsistent or inexplicable, you need to go back to the drawing board with your character development work. I’ve got some tips here, here, and here. It’s absolutely fine to have characters do slightly inconceivable stuff sometimes, but you have to understand their reasoning (and it needs to be more than “because the plot requires it.”)
Example: If a usually cautious character suddenly takes a reckless risk, clarify their thought process—perhaps they were influenced by another character’s actions or channelling some hidden childhood hurt.
2. Add Exposition Where Necessary
Sometimes, plot holes arise from insufficient explanations for certain events or decisions. Adding brief moments of exposition can clarify these points without bogging down the narrative.
Example: If a character suddenly has access to advanced technology without explanation, that’s a plot hole. Remember the Pixar Rules: you can’t use coincidence to get your characters out of a tight spot. Act 1 is the place to include a reference of some sort which flags up the potential for this kind of technology to appear. It doesn’t have to be overt—just enough for the reader to understand the connection once the technology finally makes its appearance.
3. Adjust Timelines
If timeline inconsistencies are causing issues, you’ll need to reassess the sequence of events in your story. Yes, this is an incredibly annoying thing to have to fix (again, ask me how I know). Scrivener is a big help with this, by the way—that’s an affiliate link, because I love Scrivener enough to join their affiliate programme. But any system that allows you to visualise your event progression is going to be useful as you make necessary adjustments to ensure that actions unfold logically.
Example: If characters travel across town in an unrealistic timeframe, either extend travel times or adjust distances accordingly to maintain believability.
4. Resolve Loose Ends
Subplots or character arcs can’t remain unfinished at the end of your story. If that’s where you’re at, you’ll need to work out how to tie them up satisfactorily. This may involve revisiting earlier scenes to provide closure or introducing a final resolution that brings these threads back into the main narrative.
Example: If a character’s unresolved conflict with a family member is introduced but never addressed, consider adding a confrontation or reconciliation scene that allows for emotional closure. (Side note: I once got rid of an entire secondary character because I couldn’t find a way to resolve her character arc. I tried and tried, but it wasn’t possible. After three beta readers told me she wasn’t working, I made the decision to cut her entirely. RIP Cicely; you were fun to write.)
5. Reassess the Logic of Your World
In speculative fiction or stories set in unique worlds, you need to spend some time making sure that the rules governing your universe are consistent. There’s no short cut here. I love Star Trek as much as the next Vulcan-speaking Spock aficionado, but Star Trek Into Darkness is an absolute mess for this exact reason. If a plot point contradicts established world-building, it can and will create confusion among readers.
Example: If magic exists in your story but suddenly fails to function when needed most… yeah, you need a really good reason for that. Go back to basics, clarify the rules, make sure you can articulate them upside down and back to front. Most of this world-building won’t make it directly onto the page, but you’ll have a much more solid understanding—and you’ll need that level of knowledge to make the necessary fix.
Conclusion: Strong Narratives Rest on Strong Foundations
Plot holes can be a writer’s worst nightmare. But they don’t have to be that bad, honestly.
You see, plot holes are more than just technical flaws in storytelling—they represent missed opportunities to deepen your narrative and strengthen your craft. By viewing a plot hole as a chance to innovate rather than an obstacle to overcome, you can transform potential weaknesses into compelling story elements. The process of identifying and fixing plot holes often leads to creative solutions that make your story richer and more nuanced than the original concept. (Cicely, that I mentioned above? Ultimately, when she was gone, I realised that she’d added nothing but extra words to the plot.)
So, while they might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, try embracing the challenge of plot hole resolution as a chance to push your creative boundaries and discover new dimensions within your story. After all, it’s often in addressing the most irritating narrative puzzles that we find our most original and engaging ideas.
Just for fun… what novel or movie do you love that contains a glaring plot hole? Let me know in the comments!
