Plot Holes

I think that plot holes are a critical failure for any story. People who find plot holes are not nit picking; they are finding a major problem which makes the story fall apart. But before I go on, I must explain what a plot hole is to me.

Things that are unlikely are not plot holes. There are lots of unlikely things that happen every day. Similarly, just because a character didn't take perfect advantage of a situation does not constitute a plot hole. Just think about how many times you have realized that you could have handled a situation far better.

A plot hole is when something impossible happens. Shooting a gun and having it circumnavigate the earth and hit you in the back is impossible (if you are in the real world). Having a character's leg be injured in a heroic fight so badly that he has to hobble down a hallway, but then having him successfully leap 30 feet over a chasm is impossible. Establishing a world where magical flight is possible, and then forcing characters to walk everywhere and struggle to get over a tall fence is impossible.

One can have bad storytelling without plot holes. One can arguably have very compelling storytelling even with plot holes. But if you as a reader demand reality or at least consistency, then a plot hole is a mark of highest shame.

I have heard the argument made that plot holes are impossible to avoid entirely. And I understand that the more complex a story gets, the harder it is to avoid inconsistencies. I also understand that when you have a deadline and limited resources, it puts a greater strain on the author. But I disagree that it's impossible. I think that it should be one of the goals of storytellers.

You must entertain. You ought to educate. And you're a lot more likely to entertain us if you avoid plot holes.