Help with Plothole

[kris0707]

I'm sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place. I recently came across a huge plot hole in my story and I was hoping for some advice. You may recognize the story as I shared some chapters on here before.

The story is about a 19-year-old girl who is forced into being a cop because of her family tradition. She ends up being paired with a sexist, talking cat who you later find out in the story was a human that was turned into a cat by a witch for being a jerk to her. This is very much a Beauty and the Beast story with an anime twist. Anyway, the witch turns out to be part of a coven known as the Life Changers. There are two other main characters in the story and you find out later that they are children of the two first-ever Life Changers (they are unaware as their parents were killed while they were kids). The first two Life Changers were actually scientists and they just happened to come across (something) that gave them god-like powers which turned them into the first two of their kind. This is where the plot hole comes in... I never decided what it was they came across or what type of powers the Life Changers themselves should have. Besides the one woman turning the human into a cat. I was very vague with their powers and magic, but I don't know how to fix this... Everything I think of ends up sounding so cliche. Should I be changing the story-line a bit? The whole girl meets sexist talking cat cop theme seems to have a number of fans, but the magic side of things - Well, you can probably tell, I've never told a story about magic so I have no idea where to go lol. Any advice at all would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[jackitaylor]

how important is it that you specify the source or scope of the powers? Maybe you could leave it vague? One thought I have is it doesn't sound like a magic story, if they were scientist and discovered something (like an object?) then it seems more sci-fi, which doesn't really change much, just the explanations, coming from a point of science or technology, rather than supernatural. I'm thinking the scope of powers would have a lot to do with the (something) they discovered, as far as the range of powers or limitations. You've already specified one power, one of them turned a man into a cat, so maybe along those lines, what about shape-shifting? Or, go with a whole cat thing, like an ancient egyptian relic for Bastet (cat goddess)? I am just throwing ideas out there for you, maybe one of them might inspire you. Another thought: you named the coven Life Changers, why? Does that name have something to do with the powers or source of power? I'm just trying to give you things to think about that may get you going. Good luck

[kris0707]

Jack - Thanks much for the reply first of all. I thought I could keep it vague considering it was all going so well until the end. In the end there ended up being more questions than answers, but I think you have a good point that it doesn't sound like a magic story so much. I'm still trying to decide what the object is that the scientists come across, but what I have so far, is they are college students (head of their class) trying to find a way to get rid of the mist on the island where they live. The setting of the story is called Mist Island. That's when they accidentally come across said item. Whenever they gain power from the artifact, I'm planning on the main villain being their professor who got jealous and ends up killing them and gaining the power himself. I originally wanted him to have a very "the world is doomed" and "people are ruining the planet" type of attitude and he ends up using his power to create another dimension for himself and other life-changers (people he shares his power with that serve under him). This is seeming to be a bit of an overwhelming idea for me considering I've never written anything like it before so maybe I'm in over my head. I've worked on the story for over a decade, though and it got decent attention as a web- cartoon once so I was hoping I could turn it into something somehow. I called them life changers for two reasons. One was because they like to change or "ruin" people's lives with their powers and the other being, when I gave them vague powers, one of them was they could give life to just about anything. For example, in one of their final battles, they have to fight a sentient tornado. I know this idea seems all over the place, but it really worked well as a cartoon if I could only decide what it is the first two found and decided for sure on their powers. Thanks for the suggestions. Shape-shifting may be a good start for their powers at least.

[Noizchild]

I would take notes to help through plot holes.

[kris0707]

Noizchild - Thanks for the advice! Yeah, I thought having an outline would be good enough, but with how complicated the story is turning out, taking notes does make a lot of sense. =)

[Noizchild]

kris0707 wrote:
> Noizchild - Thanks for the advice! Yeah, I thought having an outline would
> be good enough, but with how complicated the story is turning out, taking
> notes does make a lot of sense. =)

You don't have to do a whole outline, just take down quick notes and read over them.

[kris0707]

Noizchild - Can't imagine doing a story without an outline, but I'll give it a shot. Thanks again! =)

[Oldtimer]

Haha! Another outliner. I thought I was the only one. Best of luck plugging that plot hole, kris0707.

[Noizchild]

kris0707 wrote:
> Noizchild - Can't imagine doing a story without an outline, but I'll give
> it a shot. Thanks again! =)
I just dive in and write.

[Crono91]

Noizchild wrote:

> I just dive in and write.

Shhh. Don't put those evil ideas in peoples' heads.

---

As for the plothole. I'm not sure how it's a "plothole"? Just seems like you had the intention of giving some characters some powers, but ended up not doing it. The only way this could be a plothole is if you give them a power that could have gotten them out of situations, but didn't (like damn Jean Grey).

As for powers, let's think here... Shape shifting. Increasing power. Extended life...

How about this. It's a take on "teleportation." I call it Spirit Lacus (lacus latin for transport).

Instead of being able to teleport their own bodies, they're able to shoot out their energy into different life forms, like people, plants, even air--some reaching a level of power (Say when the villain takes their powers and multiplies it) where they can tap into the kinetic energies, like sunlight. When they mix their energy into the life forms, they then "teleport" that energy out of the lifeform, and into their own bodies.

This creates some benefits. One is prolonged life. Another is taking on the traits and abilities of that life form. For instance, if they take in the energy of water, they have access to water manipulation.

This come with drawbacks, though. Taking in either too much energy, or energy from multiple subjects, can create temporary mutations. Say moss growing along their arm, after taking in plant energy.