Jul 16 2009
Cover Your Plot Holes… It Could Be Funny
I'm a former assistant editor with advice about how to write novels, comic books and graphic novels. Most of my content applies to fiction-writing in general, but I also provide articles specifically about superhero stories.
I’m still at the wedding. See you Monday!
Plot holes are a point in a story where something happens for no believable reason. Indeed, sometimes the plot hinges on a plot hole. For example, why would a criminal put snakes on a plane rather than kill the witness in a more conventional way?
1. Plot holes are an opportunity. Most plot-holes can be explained– often humorously!– with a few lines. Aren’t there easier ways to kill someone than putting snakes on a plane? “You think I didn’t exhaust every other option? He saw me!“ This hand-waving helps readers suspend their disbelief. It isn’t logically air-tight, but it doesn’t have to be.
2. Readers are generally receptive to your explanations, even if they’re flimsy. Not offering an explanation is almost always worse because it makes it look like you don’t see the problem. That ruins your authorial credibility. It also makes it hard for readers to suspend their disbelief.
3. An explanation that doesn’t resolve the main issue (hand-waving) is often effective, particularly when it’s hard to address the main issue satisfactorily. “The friction of superspeed should melt your body. But you move faster than light anyway. How does that work?” “Pretty well, thanks.” Unless you’re doing hard sci-fi, no one cares how it works! As long as we can understand what a hero can do with his powers, it doesn’t matter how his powers work.
4. If you feel that an explanation is necessary, please avoid jargon. Why don’t the Hulk’s pants rip apart whenever he gets really big? The latest Hulk movie hilariously addressed thisby showing him buying maternity pants in Guatemala. (”¿Tienes más stretchy?”) In contrast, if it had concocted a complicated explanation based on Pym particles, it would have lost the audience.
5. Worst-case scenario: say that the regular rules of logic don’t apply, for whatever reason. A wizard did it, or the Joker is entirely irrational. (Of course he wouldn’t kill Batman at the first opportunity). This is usually unsatisfying and can lead to an Idiot Plot. Be careful that it doesn’t feel like you’re making it up as you go along.
Thanks for indexing these, B. Mac. Found this article because of that!
I had to address a gaping plot hole recently for my NaNo novel, and used ‘hand-waving’ to do so. In my up-and-coming story, “Freak”, a genetic weapon misfires and causes mutations among a select group of the local populace. My friend asked me, “But what about the animals? Why weren’t they affected?” So, in an answer, on of my supporting characters asks the very same question. The answer? Immediately following, someone says, “It must have to do with bein’ sentient- thinkin’ and such.” At a later time, the creator of the weapon answers that “The genetic makeup of the weapon only targets people.” Flimsy, but it’s a hand-wave.
Yeah– I think it helps that what you’re saying (the mutagen only affects people) is quite plausible because there are many illnesses that are human-only.
I think that horror and thriller writers have a harder time getting rid of cellphones. Very often, if a character had a cellphone and could call for help, that would suck the drama out of the story. The easiest and most common way is to have the phones run out of batteries or get no reception. Up dealt with this sort of problem in an amusing way– the kid accidentally tosses his GPS system out of the flying house. Whoops.
In your story, it may be more effective to show a few animals that died after being exposed to the mutagen (assuming that a few dead critters can gel with your story’s mood).
Couldn’t they just explode due to the sudden introduction of human genes? Smaller the creature, greater the dose they receive. The more human genes the more unstable they get? Just an idea though.
Sorry about the redundant-ness, I was watching a Sy Fy movie and wrote during the commercials.
hmmmm… exploding animals… the only thing I’d have against that, Lighting Man, is that I’ve got an Animal Empath. She’d be devastated. On the other hand, B. Mac, I could see a few (sicklier) animals dying from the mutagen, but I’m thinking it would be very unlikely that it would affect the animal population as a whole.
Thanks for the idea, though. When it’s done, I may ask for a review forum, and show all of you what came of it!