A Guide to Writing

Editing: Fixing Plot Holes by Kristen Kieffer

Take the time to research your novel thoroughly, and you'll be far less likely to write in plot holes that will aggravate readers.

6. Keep notes while editing. Once you've finished your first draft, you'll need to read it over before you edit. As you complete through this read-through, keep a list of any plot holes you uncover. You can use this list to plan out what you then must fix.

You should also keep a list of the changes you make while editing, as they may end up creating new plot holes for you to fix. Once you finish your second draft, a second read-through of your manuscript will reveal just what damage you might have done.

This is just one reason why doing at least two rounds of editing is so important.

7. Utilize beta-readers. Beta-readers are your critical eye. They read through your manuscript (most often free of charge) before it is published and then offer feedback on its content.

After hundreds of hours spent working on your novel, you know your story better than anyone, having reread every line so often that you practically have the entire book memorized. This intimacy can actually hurt your chances of finding mistakes, leaving you with a plot hole or two that keeps your novel from being its best self.

Sending your novel out to a few beta-readers should prove enormously helpful because they will catch the little mistakes that your mind is far too subjective to see. While it may be nerve-wracking to ask for feedback on your novel, remember that beta-readers aren't there to see it into the dumps. They want to help your novel reach its highest potential!

8. Trust your editor. If you land a book deal, your publishing house will assign your novel an editor. This wonderful human being will read through your manuscript and offer you professional advice, much like a beta-reader would but on a lengthier and more-experienced level.

If they make suggestions that leave you feeling uneasy, you are more than welcome to refuse to make changes. But keep an ear out for any recommendations your editor might make concerning your novel's plot. Chances are, they will noticed a plot hole or two that has escaped your own eyes.

If you are self-publishing your novel, I highly recommend seeking out the professional services of a freelance editor. You certainly can't trust yourself to catch every mistake, and while your friends and family may be willing to look your novel over, they simply aren't professionals.

Give your novel its best chance at success. Hire an editor before you self-publish it.

How do you fix plot holes?

Now, I know what you're thinking: "So, Kristen. I know how to identify plot holes now, but how do I actually fix them?"

Well, some plot holes are easy to fix. Continuity errors can be patched up in editing, unexplained jumps in location can be explained with a few sentences of exposition, and dropped plot lines and characters can be given a satisfying ending.

But what about those tough plot holes? You know, the ones you just can't seem to solve? You need events to happen in a certain way or for a character to act in a particular manner, but those elements just don't seem in tune with the rest of your plot.

Unfortunately, there is no band-aid fix for this kind of plot hole. In order to smooth it out, you need to spend some time in heavy thinking. It may takes days or even weeks for you to sort these plot holes out, but it must be done if you want to write a believable plot.

My best tip for solving this type of plot hole is to ask yourself one simple question time and time again: "what if?".

What if your character did this instead of that, went here instead of there, or said something completely different? What if you set the scene in a different space or combined two characters? What if...well, you get the point.

"What if?" provides endless options. If you daydream long and hard enough, you will find a solution for your pesky plot holes. It's simply a matter of time and determination.

Don't make this plot hole mistake!

One final tip before I wrap it up: just because a fix is easy, does not mean that it is the right choice for your novel.

If a tough plot hole has a writer stumped, they may succumb to the simplicity of creating a deus ex machina. Latin for "god from the machine", a deus ex machina is an unexpected person or event that saves your characters from an apparently hopeless situation.

Using this technique to smooth over a plot hole is like patching up a rip instead of having it professionally mended. It's not a solid solution, and it won't hold up under heavy scrutiny.

Steer clear of the easy way out because readers will see right through your contrived plot device and wished they had simply skipped the entire novel.