Plot-holes, pot-holes and cracks in the pavement!

Over the weekend, a friend asked me to have a look at a short story he’d written, prior to publication.

It flowed well and had plenty of action.

‘Boss lady’ had been reminding me that the grass needed cutting, so I put my headphones on and had ‘Word’ read it to me, while mowing the lawn – Heaven forbid – I was almost multi-tasking!

It worked fine, and listening helped distract me from the mowing.
But in one section, a character is exploring an abandoned boat with a torch, and later, he has to use a cigarette lighter to illuminate his way.

What happened to the torch?

This question then bugged me for the rest of the story. The author is an experienced and published writer, and there is nothing wrong with the story. But the question of the torch distracted me a little. Like a crack in the pavement, I stumbled over it.

It emphasised to me the importance of asking for support and advice, so consider joining a writer's group. Definitely, instruct an editor to have a look at your work.

Because sometimes there’ll be huge plot-holes, sometimes just smaller pot-holes or even just a crack in the pavement.

However, another person reviewing our work can help smooth the path for the reader.