How To Avoid The 9 Most Common Plot Holes In Your Novel

No matter how many years we’ve been writing, we all make mistakes from time to time. It’s inevitable, as we get older and our skills improve.

The problem is that it’s very hard to see mistakes when you’re inside your head especially if you’ve spent weeks or months writing a novel without getting any outside feedback. So how do you know if your story has plot holes?

And what can you do about them? Let’s take a look at some of the most common issues I see in manuscripts:

How To Fix Plot Holes In Your Story | Writing Advice – YouTube

Key Takeaways
Identify common plot holes such as inconsistencies in character motivations or actions.
Create detailed outlines and story structures to ensure a coherent plot.
Pay attention to cause-and-effect relationships between events to prevent logical gaps.
Develop well-rounded characters with believable motivations to avoid character-related plot holes.
Conduct thorough research to ensure accuracy in details and world-building.
Utilize beta readers or critique partners to catch plot holes that might have been overlooked.
Review and revise your manuscript multiple times to refine the plot and eliminate plot holes.
Keep a consistent timeline and avoid contradictions in events and timelines.
Use foreshadowing to set up future plot points and avoid sudden and unexplained developments.

Table of Contents

1. Inconsequential Or Unexplained Time Jumps

Inconsequential or unexplained time jumps. Time jumps can be confusing and frustrating to a reader, as they force them to make inferences about what happened in between chapters. If a time jump is not relevant to the plot, it should be avoided at all costs.

Time skips of more than two years (or two books). The longer your characters are separated from one another, the more convoluted and confusing things can become for readers who are trying to figure out how one character finds another after so much time has passed.

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2. Character Motivations Contradicts Their Personality

Your characters’ motivations are often the cause of plot holes in your story. If a character is behaving in a way that contradicts their personality, it can make readers feel confused or even frustrated. If you want to avoid these issues, keep the following points in mind:

Make sure that each of your characters’ motivations is consistent with their personality and actions throughout the book.

For example, if one character has been portrayed as being loyal since page one but suddenly betrays his allies at the end of Chapter Fourteen without any explanation for why he did this (or how he was able to betray them).

Then it will feel contradictory to readers who have already gotten invested in this character and may even cause them to lose faith in him/her altogether.

Make sure that each of your characters’ motivations is consistent with both the plot and theme(s).

For example, if you set up a story where everyone’s goal is simply “survival” yet one particular character goes out of their way just because they’re curious about something else entirely unrelated (e.g., what happened before they were born).

Then it won’t make sense considering everything else going on around them at that time — especially given all odds against them surviving long enough without any knowledge whatsoever beyond what they’ve already learned throughout their lives thus far!

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3. Unrealistic Relationships

Make sure your characters have clear reasons for falling in love, breaking up, or being friends, or enemies.

If you have a character who’s supposed to be family with another character even if they aren’t related by blood make sure they have a good reason for that bond.

For example, if someone is an aunt/uncle/niece/nephew/grandparent of someone else and there’s no other immediate connection between them besides their relation status (i.e., no shared interests), then there needs to be some kind of explanation for why these two people get along so well and are such good friends!

4. Plot Holes Of Logic

A plot hole of logic is a mistake that makes your story feel unrealistic.

It’s not just a problem for books, though; it’s also a problem in real life. I know this because I used to get trapped in plot holes all the time. For example, when I was younger (and probably dumber), I thought it would be fun to jump off my roof into our pool.

Turns out that was a bad idea because there was no water in the pool at the time and so I broke both my legs!

And then my parents had to take me to an emergency room where they put casts on them, which sucked because casts are heavy and hard to walk around with and make you feel like you don’t have any control over what’s going on with your body anymore kind of like how people feel when they’re reading confusing books with lots of plot holes!

So anyway, here are some tips for avoiding those 44 most common plot holes:

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5. Improbable Coincidences

It’s a common occurrence: you’re writing a novel, and it’s time to explain why the hero knows so-and-so. You could just say they went to school together, but that would be boring. So what do you do? How about making them childhood friends?

Sure! But wait…what if their parents are also childhood friends? What if they lived in the same house when they were kids?

And how about making one of them go on vacation with one of the other characters’ parents soon after meeting for the first time at prom?

That way, when he needs information from her later on in the book, everything will come together nicely and everyone will live happily ever after.

Coincidences are fun because they feel like real life sometimes but there’s a difference between coincidence (which happens) and implausibility (which doesn’t).

To avoid this problem in your own stories, think carefully about how those seemingly random events came about and consider ways to make them more believable for readers without ruining what makes the story special.

6. Forgetting To Mention Things In Passing

Including things in passing is a great way to bring your story to life, but it can be tricky if you aren’t used to writing dialogue. If you have a character who’s an expert on something and they don’t mention in passing that they are an expert, readers may feel that something is missing.

If you want your characters to do something off-screen (like sleep), it might seem like there isn’t much point in mentioning it. But if someone wakes up during their sleep cycle and goes back to bed without anyone noticing, this will confuse the reader.

Just think about what happens when people visit each other: how many times has someone asked how another person feels? Or asked them how their week was. Even if these questions seem pointless at first glance, they help build relationships between characters.

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7. Unrealistic Dialogue

Avoid the obvious by avoiding dialogue that sounds like a transcript of what your characters are saying. Instead, let the words flow naturally from the character’s mouth, and only write down what they say.

If you feel like adding some background information or maybe even explaining their actions in this scene, you can always do so afterward in an inner monologue (see point 8).

By not trying to cram your explanations into their speech, you’ll keep readers from getting distracted by these kinds of plot holes.

8. Original Stories That Feel Tired

If you’ve been writing for a while, it’s easy to fall into the trap of writing stories that are familiar and seem like they’ve been done before.

You may have seen your characters in other books or movies; maybe your plot sounds just like another book or movie you read or watched recently.

Or maybe you’re using some kind of formulaic approach to writing a novel: “How To Write A Novel In 10 Steps” (or whatever number).

You need to make sure that your story is unique and original so that readers will stay engaged with it until the end!

One way to do this is by making sure that what happens in your story has never happened before and then adding something new on top of it (like a new type of character or problem). Also, check out these tips below!

9. Over Explaining Your World Building

It’s fine to educate your readers. You may want to explain the political system or cultural beliefs of your characters. Don’t go overboard!

If you can give one paragraph on how their society works, that’s enough. If you need more space than one paragraph, try breaking it up or using an appendix (but don’t just dump it all there).

There are exceptions: if a character needs to understand something specific for them to move forward with their story and this information is crucial to the plot, then by all means take some time explaining it!

Just be careful about not beating around the bush too much you can still give enough info without going overkill on the description.

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Conclusion

In summary, the above are just some of the most common Plot Holes. Avoid them by making sure you have a solid grasp of your characters and their motivations, as well as a clear idea of what will happen in each scene.

If necessary, work with an editor to make sure that your novel is free from these mistakes!

FAQs

What is a plot hole?

A plot hole is a gap or inconsistency in the storyline that contradicts established facts or logic within the narrative.

How can I identify plot holes in my novel?

To identify plot holes, carefully review your story for inconsistencies, unresolved plot points, or events that lack proper explanations.

Why are plot holes problematic?

Plot holes can disrupt the reader’s immersion and understanding of the story, leading to confusion and dissatisfaction.

What are some common techniques to avoid plot holes?

Using outlines, storyboards, and thorough planning can help you anticipate potential plot holes and address them during the writing process.

Can plot holes be fixed after a novel is written?

Yes, plot holes can be fixed during the editing and revision stages. By reevaluating and restructuring scenes, you can fill gaps and create a more cohesive narrative.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.