PSA: I spent 3 hours trying to fix a plot hole in my short story

The main character needed a reason to be at the docks at midnight, and every idea felt forced or cliche. I finally solved it by making her a night shift cleaner for the ferry company, which tied into her backstory. What's the longest you've been stuck on a simple story detail?

3 comments

3 Comments

mark3612d ago

That's not a plot hole... just a setup.

finleyw992d ago

Yeah, I saw a video essay that made a good point about this. People call something a plot hole when it's really just a story choice they didn't like. A setup is when the writer leaves a clue on purpose, even if it feels weird at first. The difference is if it gets paid off later in a way that makes sense. What show or movie are you guys even talking about?

the_tessa2d ago

But sometimes a bad setup is just bad writing, finleyw99. If the payoff feels forced or doesn't make sense, people are right to call it out. Not every weird choice is a secret genius clue.