Answering important questions in your plot...

Bukarella · Jan 30, 2010

I'm 40K into my YA fantasy, and I still have some unexplained holes in my story. Pretty big holes. We are talking the size of Texas!

For example, one of the party members does not have a solid reason for being part of the quest. I have an excuse worked into the story, but it's not good enough, and most certainly will demand revisions before the first draft is finished.

I'm starting to get worried about the inspiration never showing up!
Has anyone ever left Texas-sized gaps until the very end?

theantisplice · Jan 30, 2010

I used to do that a LOT. It made me phobic about ever doing it again, since plugging in good explanations later without disturbing story flow proved difficult for me. Now I try to plan more in advance and answer the questions before I get to them. Sometimes it's inevitable, though, and fixing it later is all you can do.

If you're really worried, why not jot down some options? Make a list of possible reasons s/he could be there. Hammer out any and everything that comes to you, and see if any of the possibilities feel "right."

kaitie · Jan 30, 2010

I make a list of unanswered questions and work to answer those as I go. I haven't ever left anything hanging until the end, and most importantly I don't really wait for inspiration to strike. Sometimes it just does, but typically I'm actively working to figure it out. If I know, for instance, that something big needs to happen to motivate a character to do something and I can't figure it out, I sit around and talk it out with friends or when I'm walking, etc. until I can figure it out, then I move on.

Everyone works their own way, so it might be fine to just leave it off until the revision. My worry, however, would be continuing in the story when the answer might require a major plot shift. If you figure it out while you're working and it changes other things, it's relatively easy to just make the shift before it's written. Do you have an outline? It might help to try to make one. Something else you could try is writing out a character profile answering different questions about the character, or something I did recently was to write something from that character's point-of-view just to see what he was thinking.

megan_d · Jan 30, 2010

This seems to be an issue that comes down to whether you outline or not. An outliner might be horrified at the thought of leaving questions unanswered, but it's the kind of thing a non-outliner might thrive from.

Stunted · Jan 30, 2010

Like Kaitie, as soon as I become aware of a problem, I start trying to figure out the answer. Often, the answer is that the plot is more complicated than it needs to be. If something needs a cause, it often turns out that the cause is related to something that already exists in the story to which I hadn't paid any attention. Or else, I realize that whatever isn't working just doesn't have to be there.

Z0Marley · Jan 30, 2010

Bukarella said:
I'm 40K into my YA fantasy, and I still have some unexplained holes in my story. Pretty big holes. We are talking the size of Texas!

For example, one of the party members does not have a solid reason for being part of the quest. I have an excuse worked into the story, but it's not good enough, and most certainly will demand revisions before the first draft is finished.

I'm starting to get worried about the inspiration never showing up!
Has anyone ever left Texas-sized gaps until the very end?

I've never really done it. I write in my blog all the time about secondary characters and plot layers. It's probably my favorite thing about outlining.

You might wanna put a short synopsis on the SYW area and see if anyone gives you ideas to play off of.

There are tons of people (like me) that like to add on to plots.

kaitie · Jan 30, 2010

Stunted said:
Like Kaitie, as soon as I become aware of a problem, I start trying to figure out the answer. Often, the answer is that the plot is more complicated than it needs to be. If something needs a cause, it often turns out that the cause is related to something that already exists in the story to which I hadn't paid any attention. Or else, I realize that whatever isn't working just doesn't have to be there.

I've noticed that, too! It seems like when I do get the answer, everything just falls into place and everything in the story just links up. It's awesome.

Khimera9 · Jan 30, 2010

Oh I used to bring this upon myself so many times when I first started out. I used to have to rewrite the whole thing, but now I just stop the production until I can think of a new idea.

mkcbunny · Jan 31, 2010

I've found that when I have Texas-sized plot holes, there are other undeveloped areas of the story. In other words, you think that Character B is missing motivation, but the thing that actually motivates Character B is the plotline for Character D.

So I would advise looking at what you think "the hole" is. What information is missing from the story, and might it come from a place/perspective/character that you don't expect?

Danthia · Jan 31, 2010

I'm doing copy edits for my second book as we speak. My editor had two places where she asks "Why is Nya doing this here instead of that?" I did it because I wanted the story to go that way, and had some plot reasons, but they were obviously not good enough if she pick up on them

So yeppers, it happens even at the published stage.

You can let it go to the end and then see what you can come up with. Often you need a few more pieces of the puzzle before you can put it all together. And if it's churning in your subconscious, you might find yourself writing in the perfect motive without realizing it. As long as you're aware of the problem you can work toward fixing it, whenever that may be.

You can also start thinking about what that character has to win or lose in this quest. Maybe play with their backstory some and see what is motivating them. What do they get out of it?

Bukarella · Jan 31, 2010

I appreciate everyone's suggestions. Ironically enough, I do outline, but I am not afraid to leave unanswered questions in the outline. :gone:

I'm patching up some other holes at the moment (those were closer to Florida, though). I will try to work through it as people recommended. And it's nice to know that it happens at any stage! I'm not alone.

Linda Adams · Jan 31, 2010

I spent my last revision working through every one of those gaps. In my head, I didn't recognize them as gaps, but something I would deal with when I got there. The problem was that the "got there" needed set up to get there. To figure out the answers to some of them, I just took a notebook to work and brainstormed on it at lunch time.

I like the idea of the list of the questions because then it puts it out where it can be annoying, rather than being ignored. I'd also suggest making a note of what might be a deal breaker--something that will affect the entire story if it's not answered. Then you can put a priority on it to make sure it gets fixed on the next revision. Hmm. I'm thinking of trying that myself.

Mr Flibble · Jan 31, 2010

I just found an answer late in my draft and had to go and add a scene to put in the question.

However that's unusual even for me. Sometimes I'll add a little bit of it over a few scenes or sometimes it comes out as a scene that becomes vital for something else too.

If something needs a cause, it often turns out that the cause is related to something that already exists in the story to which I hadn't paid any attention. Or else, I realize that whatever isn't working just doesn't have to be there.

That too.

As for whether to fix now or in revisions, only you can say. I find I generally write up to just before the climax in my first draft, then go back and fix all these kind of things so I'm set and sure where I'm at before the climax really gets going. Then the climax just kind of falls into place.

As long as you're all square before your final draft...

maestrowork · Jan 31, 2010

I think through all my plot elements as well as my characters' motivations behind them. I write logically, as best as I can.

But I don't always explain everything. Actually, I rarely explain everything. It's kind of fun to let the readers ponder, and wonder, and read between the lines. I do make sure that they have ways to access these background information and motivations and come to their own conclusion. But if you expect me to explain everything and tie up all loose ends, good luck.

RJK · Jan 31, 2010

His sister was raped by the antagonist. Now all she does is play solitaire day and night, with a deck of 51 cards.

Lady Ice · Jan 31, 2010

Get down to what the actual problem is. Is the character under-developed? Are his motives unclear? Is the event illogical? It's sort of like when your laces become undone- if it happens on one shoe, it'll probably soon happen on the other.

Question your story and characters. Be harsh and to the point. Does that character need to be there? What purpose do they serve?

dawinsor · Jan 31, 2010

I don't know that I've left them until the end, but I've left them pretty far. One time I had a murder in the background and didn't know who'd done it. I also had an interesting old lady character was I was afraid I was going to have to cut her because she didn't seem to be serving any purpose. And then two thirds through the book it occurred to me that she'd committed the murder. I was thrilled!

I point out that I'm an outliner, and that still happens to me. Novels are such complicated things that you just can't anticipate everything. That's why revision is a wonderful thing.

Miss T · Jan 31, 2010

For me, finishing a first draft puts me maybe halfway through, so... sometimes things become clear later in the story, too. I have terrible trouble sticking to my outlines.

shaldna · Feb 1, 2010

yes.

In my last book I realised that I had left a hole big enough for the moon to pass through.

What did I do about it?

Nothing.

I resolved it in the next book, and in that case it actually became the major plot point.

However, it's generally not a good idea to leave holes.

Answering important questions in your plot...

Bukarella

theantisplice

Punctual

kaitie

With great power comes

megan_d

Falling in the milk

Stunted

Ich heiße Superphantastisch!

Z0Marley

kaitie

With great power comes

Khimera9

mkcbunny

Bufflehead

Danthia

Bukarella

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

dawinsor

Dorothy A. Winsor

Miss T

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.