Forgiving A Plot Hole
My third book, Cable Ties, is a classic spy novel with a twist: the real world of spying has little to do with bold characters like James Bond. Instead, I have many characters in big government agencies, plus a bunch of normal people who spice up the mix.
I was proud of the final result, but I knew of one glaring issue. In the climax, the FBI introduced a “knockout gas” into the air conditioning system. The small problem is that there is no such thing as a “knockout gas.” I got around this issue by providing a detailed explanation based on a firsthand account from my uncle. This explanation mostly makes sense and therefore softens the severity of that issue.
The real elephant in the room is that air conditioners do not have large, gaping intakes that draw in fresh air into office buildings. That “feature” does not exist, yet I made it a critical part of the story.
This issue is called a plot hole, which is when the plot has a major flaw that makes no sense to the reader/viewer. Now what?
As I was writing the final chapter, I was well aware of how air conditioners worked and that I was introducing a large error. I could have stopped writing for a month to think up a creative solution, but I was far behind schedule and published a flawed book.
Well… How big was the issue? Putting on my blinders, I thought at the time it was not noticeable enough to average readers unfamiliar with air conditioners. And there is some proof of this: in the reviews, no one commented on the issue. Problem solved? It seems that way, meaning a few readers probably caught the problem, but they were willing to ignore the issue, which was what I was hoping for.
There is a flip side, which can best be explained by the YouTube channel Pitch Meeting:
I was proud of the final result, but I knew of one glaring issue. In the climax, the FBI introduced a “knockout gas” into the air conditioning system. The small problem is that there is no such thing as a “knockout gas.” I got around this issue by providing a detailed explanation based on a firsthand account from my uncle. This explanation mostly makes sense and therefore softens the severity of that issue.
The real elephant in the room is that air conditioners do not have large, gaping intakes that draw in fresh air into office buildings. That “feature” does not exist, yet I made it a critical part of the story.
This issue is called a plot hole, which is when the plot has a major flaw that makes no sense to the reader/viewer. Now what?
As I was writing the final chapter, I was well aware of how air conditioners worked and that I was introducing a large error. I could have stopped writing for a month to think up a creative solution, but I was far behind schedule and published a flawed book.
Well… How big was the issue? Putting on my blinders, I thought at the time it was not noticeable enough to average readers unfamiliar with air conditioners. And there is some proof of this: in the reviews, no one commented on the issue. Problem solved? It seems that way, meaning a few readers probably caught the problem, but they were willing to ignore the issue, which was what I was hoping for.
There is a flip side, which can best be explained by the YouTube channel Pitch Meeting:
In these satirical meetings, one character “pitches” a movie plot to a movie studio executive. The catchphrase they use during a plot hole is, “Super easy, barely an inconvenience!”
This happened in the recent live-action Snow White movie, when the lead character broke the witch’s spell by revealing the characters’ past jobs. There was no explanation of why this “fix” would work. Thus, the pitch meeting lambasted this writing choice, underscoring that some plot holes are too big to ignore.
Well… why not fix every plot hole? I imagine all writers wish this were possible, but sometimes the fix makes an even bigger problem. Specifically, a writer’s goal is to make something that readers/viewers enjoy, and fixing a plot hole results in a boring book/movie.
I had such an option while writing my third book; the alternative to “knockout gas” was a classic “enter the building with guns blazing.” I felt this kind of action had been done to death (yes, that was a pun) and I wanted a story element that was more interesting/sophisticated; something that really stood out.
It is a careful balance, because that is exactly what the Snow White movie was going for. The writers intended a dramatic scene that would captivate the audience with the main character’s ingenuity. The problem was that the writer’s solution (plot hole) went too far.
The good news is that I now have a tool to locate plot holes: the outline. With it, I can quickly visualize the plot, spot issues, and make big changes. Had I used this tool for my third book, I could likely have corrected the plot hole before writing. Perhaps they could have used a drill to make a hole in the air conditioner ductwork and spray the chemical in. That makes a lot more sense. Dang, I wish I had thought of that.
Wait, a minute. In real life, people do crazy things all the time, and I am certainly no exception. And there have been so many times when I did something wrong even though I knew the right solution. Plus, there have been countless times when I made massive mistakes with an obvious solution right in front of my face. Are these not real-life plot holes?
Kind of, but the above two examples were in fictional settings, meaning that the writer could have done anything under the sun. Thus, both holes were avoidable, leading to better audience/reader reactions.
Still, readers/viewers know writers are not perfect, and they also want to be entertained. I think what I am trying in a roundabout way to prove is that readers/viewers will tolerate certain plot holes. Well then, what are my rules for intentionally allowing a plot hole?
1) Try absolutely everything to avoid a plot hole. Meaning, use only as a last resort.
2) One per book/movie maximum.
3) Make it a small part of the plot, never a huge/obvious hole.
4) Minimize the drama around the hole so that it is not obvious.
5) Provide a solid setup to soften the blow.
This last part is the biggest key to getting the readers/viewers to buy into a hole, and it is what the Snow White movie failed to do. How would I have solved it? Snow White’s best friend could have said, “I read in the ancient text how to break the evil witch’s spell. First, make a deep emotional connection to the person who is under the spell and then say, ‘Hocus-pocus, you are now free.’ That’s all there is to it.” While not a great solution, viewers would mostly accept the big flaw, and there would be no snarky “Super easy, barely an inconvenience!” comment.
There is another circumstance: when the plot hole is not a plot hole. Take Superman; he can fly by putting his hands up, which we know is impossible. Thus, Superman’s flying ability is not a plot hole but a necessary element that the reader/viewer must accept in a superhero-type movie. I guess this mostly gives the writers a pass.
I have saved the worst for last again. The giant plot hole that the writer, beta reader, and editor missed, but every reader/viewer sees like the glaring sun on a hot day. There is only one way to deal with those: “My bad.” Hopefully, this article did not contain such a hole.
You’re the best -Bill
July 08, 2026
This happened in the recent live-action Snow White movie, when the lead character broke the witch’s spell by revealing the characters’ past jobs. There was no explanation of why this “fix” would work. Thus, the pitch meeting lambasted this writing choice, underscoring that some plot holes are too big to ignore.
Well… why not fix every plot hole? I imagine all writers wish this were possible, but sometimes the fix makes an even bigger problem. Specifically, a writer’s goal is to make something that readers/viewers enjoy, and fixing a plot hole results in a boring book/movie.
I had such an option while writing my third book; the alternative to “knockout gas” was a classic “enter the building with guns blazing.” I felt this kind of action had been done to death (yes, that was a pun) and I wanted a story element that was more interesting/sophisticated; something that really stood out.
It is a careful balance, because that is exactly what the Snow White movie was going for. The writers intended a dramatic scene that would captivate the audience with the main character’s ingenuity. The problem was that the writer’s solution (plot hole) went too far.
The good news is that I now have a tool to locate plot holes: the outline. With it, I can quickly visualize the plot, spot issues, and make big changes. Had I used this tool for my third book, I could likely have corrected the plot hole before writing. Perhaps they could have used a drill to make a hole in the air conditioner ductwork and spray the chemical in. That makes a lot more sense. Dang, I wish I had thought of that.
Wait, a minute. In real life, people do crazy things all the time, and I am certainly no exception. And there have been so many times when I did something wrong even though I knew the right solution. Plus, there have been countless times when I made massive mistakes with an obvious solution right in front of my face. Are these not real-life plot holes?
Kind of, but the above two examples were in fictional settings, meaning that the writer could have done anything under the sun. Thus, both holes were avoidable, leading to better audience/reader reactions.
Still, readers/viewers know writers are not perfect, and they also want to be entertained. I think what I am trying in a roundabout way to prove is that readers/viewers will tolerate certain plot holes. Well then, what are my rules for intentionally allowing a plot hole?
1) Try absolutely everything to avoid a plot hole. Meaning, use only as a last resort.
2) One per book/movie maximum.
3) Make it a small part of the plot, never a huge/obvious hole.
4) Minimize the drama around the hole so that it is not obvious.
5) Provide a solid setup to soften the blow.
This last part is the biggest key to getting the readers/viewers to buy into a hole, and it is what the Snow White movie failed to do. How would I have solved it? Snow White’s best friend could have said, “I read in the ancient text how to break the evil witch’s spell. First, make a deep emotional connection to the person who is under the spell and then say, ‘Hocus-pocus, you are now free.’ That’s all there is to it.” While not a great solution, viewers would mostly accept the big flaw, and there would be no snarky “Super easy, barely an inconvenience!” comment.
There is another circumstance: when the plot hole is not a plot hole. Take Superman; he can fly by putting his hands up, which we know is impossible. Thus, Superman’s flying ability is not a plot hole but a necessary element that the reader/viewer must accept in a superhero-type movie. I guess this mostly gives the writers a pass.
I have saved the worst for last again. The giant plot hole that the writer, beta reader, and editor missed, but every reader/viewer sees like the glaring sun on a hot day. There is only one way to deal with those: “My bad.” Hopefully, this article did not contain such a hole.
You’re the best -Bill
July 08, 2026
