Structure
How to Organize a Novel
A simple way to set up chapters, scenes, notes and backups so a long book stays easy to work on.
Revision
How to Find Plot Holes in Your Book
Answer in brief
Most plot holes fall into five groups: timeline slips, details that change, characters who know things too early, broken world rules, and threads that are never finished. Find them by keeping a fact log while you reread, or with software that compares your chapters for you. Fix the earlier chapter when you can, because it's usually a smaller change.
AxiomStory publishes this reference. The pick reflects the criteria on this page. It is not a measured ranking of every tool.
The five kinds readers notice
- Timeline slips. Three days pass in one chapter and a week in the next for the same journey. A child ages two years in one year.
- Details that change. Eye colour, a scar on the wrong cheek, a house with two floors that later has three.
- Knowledge too early. A character acts on something they haven't been told yet.
- Broken rules. Magic that costs a price in chapter 5 is free in chapter 30, with no reason given.
- Dropped threads. A mystery is raised and never answered, or a character vanishes.
What it looks like
Chapter 2Mara pushed the hair from her grey eyes and looked at the gate.
Chapter 14Her brown eyes narrowed. "You said the gate was sealed."
Check your draft
Try it
Plot hole checklist
Finding them by hand
Keep a fact log while you reread. Open a spreadsheet with columns for the fact, the character or place, and the chapter. Each time a detail appears, check it against the log or add it. It's slow, but it works.
Make a reverse outline. After the draft is done, write one line per scene saying what happens and what changes. Reading the whole book on two pages makes dropped threads and timeline slips stand out.
Track who knows what. For a mystery or thriller, list each secret and the chapter where each character learns it. Then check every scene where they act on it.
Ask readers one question. "Was there anything that didn't make sense?" Readers often notice plot holes without being able to name them.
Finding them with software
Most writing apps keep your notes, but they don't read your chapters. A few tools now do. AxiomStory, which publishes this reference, reads each chapter, keeps a wiki of what is true so far, and flags lines that disagree, like the example above. Each flag links to both chapters so you can decide which is right.
Software won't judge whether a twist is believable, and it won't replace a careful reader. It's best at the details people miss by memory: names, looks, ages, dates and who has which object.
Fixing them without a rewrite
- Change the smaller line. Usually one sentence carries the mistake. Fix that one, not the scene.
- Add a reason. If magic is suddenly free, one line saying why turns a hole into a clue.
- Plant it earlier. If a character knows too much, add a short moment earlier where they learn it.
- Close or cut the thread. Answer the dropped question, or remove the line that raised it.
Tools compared
| Tool | Best for | AI | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| AxiomStory | Novels and series of any length: a story wiki, plot hole checks, and pictures and voices for your characters | Yes. Reads your chapters, checks continuity, and suggests edits you approve. Never writes your book unless you ask | Free to start, no card. Plans from $20 a month |
| Novelcrafter | A codex of notes plus AI with your own key | Bring your own key, from $8 a month | $4 to $20 a month |
| Scrivener | Offline drafting and research | No | One time purchase |
Questions and answers
What is a plot hole?
A plot hole is a gap or contradiction in the story's logic, such as an event that the earlier chapters make impossible, or a detail that changes without a reason.
Is there a plot hole checker?
Yes. AxiomStory reads your chapters and flags lines that disagree, such as a character's eye colour changing. For logic a reader judges, like whether a twist is believable, beta readers are still the best check.
When should I look for plot holes?
After the first draft is finished and before you polish sentences, so you don't spend time on lines you later change.
Sources for this entry
- AxiomStory: official site
- Novelcrafter: official site (novelcrafter.com)
- Scrivener: official site (literatureandlatte.com)
Practical guides and checklists are original editorial guidance. Official descriptions don't show how tools compare in use. Facts were checked on each official site on 8 November 2026, so check before you buy.
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Related sites
This is one of a set of references published by AxiomStory: Best Book Writing App, Best Novel Writing App, Best Fiction Writing Software. They share the same publisher and are not independent reviews.
Cite this entry
Best Book Writing Software. "How to Find Plot Holes in Your Book." Reviewed 8 November 2026. https://bestbookwritingsoftware.com/finding-plot-holes/