The Pesky Plot Hole Questionnaire
- Do your characters overlook obvious solutions to their problems? (For example, the heroine forgets to use her incredible knowledge of karate when she’s attacked.)
- Are the villains conveniently overlooking or pooh-poohing the one flaw that could let the hero escape?
- Does the cavalry arrive more quickly than is physically possible? (Your character took 3 days to cross the mountains. She gets thrown in jail. Her sidekick, who didn’t start the journey until learning of her predicament, is there springing her out the next day.)
- Are people a little too willing to help the heroes? In real life, people can be a bit cautious about jumping into situations that may cost them life, limb, or reputation.
- Do you tell reader that the hero’s plan was brilliant but refuse to actually reveal how he pulled it off? Skipping past the daring action can be a huge cop out.
- Do heroes recover from physical trauma much too quickly? Recovery times may vary greatly due to fantasy potions and sci-fi gadgets, but those elements need to be set up well in advance.
- Do heroes recover from emotional trauma too quickly? I think there’s less leeway here than in the physical department. We want to empathize with the protagonists, and that can be hard when we’re still grieving over a killed-off character and the hero is running around like nothing happened.
- Does the heroine go back ALONE to the one place where the villain will surely find her? (Thanks to Carol K. for this one!)
