tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post6952295272111504500..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Back Fill Those Plot HolesJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-65942969494775866802014-08-04T08:17:02.204-04:002014-08-04T08:17:02.204-04:00I use it myself. Tough learning curve, but once yo...I use it myself. Tough learning curve, but once you figure it out it's quite handy. I love how easy it is to handle scenes and do just that.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67068823345677053382014-08-04T08:15:57.673-04:002014-08-04T08:15:57.673-04:00Glad I pulled it out this week then. Good luck on ...Glad I pulled it out this week then. Good luck on your revisions! If it helps, I did an article about avoiding contrived plots: http://blog.janicehardy.com/2011/03/what-coincidence-creating-plots-that.html (linked in the above post, but just in case you didn't see it)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-40905224194705164762014-08-04T08:13:57.549-04:002014-08-04T08:13:57.549-04:00Thanks, hope it helps them figure their plots out....Thanks, hope it helps them figure their plots out. Ugh, been there myself so I feel your pain. I take comfort in the knowledge that sometimes a first draft is there to brain dump on the page so we can actually find the real story. Makes those "why aren't you working???" drafts easier to handle :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90323604286307072372014-08-04T08:11:42.904-04:002014-08-04T08:11:42.904-04:00Very interesting. That's a great example of kn...Very interesting. That's a great example of knowing your own "bad habits" (I use that loosely) and being able to weed through them. Now you've made me wonder if I have extra characters for the same reason (grin).Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58166793395010329052014-08-04T08:09:59.132-04:002014-08-04T08:09:59.132-04:00Most welcome! Most welcome! Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-36656334550601104042014-08-02T17:49:58.854-04:002014-08-02T17:49:58.854-04:00I've been using a program called Scrivener, wh...I've been using a program called Scrivener, which I'm sure lots of folks here have used or are familiar with. I like it for that very back fill type of reason. My individual files have headers and I can go back, revisit what I did, can put scenes side by side to determine what I might have missed, and can move things around very easily. <br /><br /> Eva Porterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14855603175280772481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-80647210387908134142014-07-30T19:32:48.403-04:002014-07-30T19:32:48.403-04:00This was some helpful and timely advice as I am cu...This was some helpful and timely advice as I am currently going through a revision process. This can give me some great food-for-thought as I work to thicken the plot and guide the characters on roads that don't come off as contrived.Angela Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03324366495151363782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58799732964187139752014-07-30T12:19:33.241-04:002014-07-30T12:19:33.241-04:00About half the members of my crit group are going ...About half the members of my crit group are going through this right now, so I have shared this post with them. For me, I had dug into a plot hole so huge, I ended up starting my entire story over, but with a detailed outline to begin with so I could find all the plot holes before actually writing the whole thing. And plant clues. And validate something that will happen later in the story by having it happen in a different situation earlier in the story (so it doesn't appear like random bit of magic in this case). But I have no doubt even once I write the first draft, I will have to do more of this! Thanks for the helpful post.jenmcjenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04239531131388642925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90613747885925865762014-07-30T08:50:10.151-04:002014-07-30T08:50:10.151-04:00When I first start having trouble with a scene, my...When I first start having trouble with a scene, my subconscious tends to toss in another character. When things get problematic, I therefore pause and re-evaluate who's in the scene. In one particular case, a story I was working on took a turn darker than I'd wanted, so I paused and backtracked and found the point where the character who'd caused the issue had jumped in—and figured out that he didn't have to be there. Adjusted based on who <em>had</em> to be in the scene vs. who <em>could</em> be in the scene, and that fixed things. :)Carradeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05431561739001270522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-11270871140627326822010-08-13T19:14:10.213-04:002010-08-13T19:14:10.213-04:00Many thanks for these tips!Many thanks for these tips!Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-80040468276718906912010-08-10T07:34:06.922-04:002010-08-10T07:34:06.922-04:00Thanks all! Marilynn, that's a great idea. I&#...Thanks all! Marilynn, that's a great idea. I've done that (and still do) and a mystery writer friend of mine writes her killer's plan before she does her heroes :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-11962664883336478252010-08-06T13:53:25.092-04:002010-08-06T13:53:25.092-04:00Keep that McGuffin floating around. It's an un...Keep that McGuffin floating around. It's an under-rated technique.<br /><br />The McGuffin could be worthless (a photograph of the desert with no particular meaning), valuable (QE II's Coronation necklace), a treasure map or whatever.<br /><br />Its value lies in enabling both character and plot development.Bruce H. Johnsonhttp://www.freespirituniverse.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-55966992012397314042010-08-06T13:33:45.555-04:002010-08-06T13:33:45.555-04:00Plot logic must also work for the bad guy or oppos...Plot logic must also work for the bad guy or opposing character. I often suggest to my writing students that they should write a summary of the plot from that goal-opposing viewpoint to make certain that that plot makes sense from that direction, too.Marilynn Byerlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16720129999636676998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-40865754372847556842010-08-06T12:10:44.377-04:002010-08-06T12:10:44.377-04:00Great suggestions. I sometimes resist changing som...Great suggestions. I sometimes resist changing something. But I'm going to start looking at that with fresh eyes.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-75912739763458563822010-08-06T12:09:07.978-04:002010-08-06T12:09:07.978-04:00This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thanks.This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thanks.Story Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01365323743173762207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-24092597644153974372010-08-06T10:45:05.425-04:002010-08-06T10:45:05.425-04:00I'm thinking that I'll have to go back fil...I'm thinking that I'll have to go back fill my plot and these are great suggestions. Thank you :)Jaydee Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069805915071090479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-39555246353868841982010-08-06T07:48:25.245-04:002010-08-06T07:48:25.245-04:00Excellent post as always. And this is often where ...Excellent post as always. And this is often where beta readers step in by saying, but why would this happen, isn't that a little too coincidental? They are invaluable for finding the little plot holes that we miss.Angiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12526875813399934443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90640823769915406232010-08-06T07:23:57.446-04:002010-08-06T07:23:57.446-04:00Good solid advice. Things need 2 change in revisio...Good solid advice. Things need 2 change in revision as characters grow and "the plot thickness" :-)Deborah Taylor-Frenchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10773321681225063650noreply@blogger.com