Plot holes in your manuscript can make the difference between a successful novel and one that never gets off the ground. But trying to find them might not only be difficult, but so stressful too. So, let's first discuss how we find those menacing plot holes and then how to fix them. 

Before we can repair any plot holes, we must first know how to identify them. A plot hole is a discrepancy or missing piece in the storyline. There are contradictions in certain areas that make the manuscript confusing. For example, a supporting character has issues that remain unresolved, characters change their personality for no reason, or a character seems to forget a vital piece of plot information they were told about in a previous chapter. Another common plot hole is that conflicts are too easily resolved and there are far too many coincidences in the storyline. A reader would forgive most things but this is not one of them, because they would feel cheated. Your plot must be treated like a plant, watered, nurtured and grown gradually. The backstory for your characters must be clear, their behaviours must suit their nature and personality. If something happens to your character, then their behaviour must change in accordance with the event. For example, if your character discovers they have been cheated on by their partner, then their trust issues will be affected. If a child is hurt by a parent then their behaviour will become distant and anxious.  

In repairing plot holes, do not allow your own values and beliefs to hinder the actions and behaviours of your characters. You must always refer to the backstory of your character and write from their viewpoint, not your own.

Distance yourself from the manuscript for a few days once you have completed your first draft and then return to it and read it again with a fresh pair of eyes.  

Compile a summary of each chapter with the main plot points. For example, what each character did or discovered which moves the storyline along. What month or day did certain events happen, and which characters witnessed them. These summaries only need to be a few sentences in length but they will become invaluable to you.  

Explore if the plot makes sense. Did the action in the previous chapter lead to this moment in the story? Have you jumped to a section of the story with no clear explanation as to why this has happened? For example, imagine there has been a murder, you have mentioned that it is raining heavily outside. Your victim decides to take a walk and she is murdered in a remote part of the countryside. The police immediately find her there without searching more obvious areas first. Asking the WHY question will help you identify discrepancies. Why would your character decide to take a walk when the weather was so bad? Why did the police search the remote area first? Did you remember to mention the victim was wet when she was found? If not why not? 

If you cannot afford the cost of a professional editor, then join a writing critique group or ask a friend to read through the manuscript. There could be areas of the story that are not as clear to them as they are to you.