Authors, what plot point of your own novel did you later realize was completely unnecessary?

[SsemouyOnan]

Asking this, cause the stories I enjoyed reading the most felt like knew exactly what they were, and didn't try to be anything else for the sake of a cool twist.
Follow-up:
How and why did you come to this realization?

 

[APieceOfRock]

I had the protagonist kill the brother of a girl so that I'd have an excuse to make him not able to kill kids. I realized that it was unnecessary because:

1- I found a better way to do it literally 5 chapters later.
2- I can't think of any reasonable way that the girl would forgive the protagonist.

So that's that. He'll live knowing that he killed a kid for absolutely nothing, with no resolutions in the future.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

I planned my story beforehand, so there's no plot point wasted, even those parts seemingly 'mundane'.

 

[Corty]

Giving my MC dual elements. In the end, one was completely neglected. It was a point that I admitted in both the story and in the comments. Had some plans that ultimately, did not come into play.

 

[Iamnotabot]

I have not write this in my chap but i was torn between my mc self learning magic and learn it from another being, now i realise it was pointless either way since it did not affect the story.

 

[ArcadiaBlade]

I am writing a yandere novel but wrote more girls when I didn't plan on making it a harem. Me and my readers completely agreed about not adding the harem but it was too late and I already added them to the story. So it just became more confusing that all the girls basically got more screen time than the actual yandere which completely wipes the plot around having a yandere gf as well...a yandere gf.

 

[HelloHound]

I set up four chapters where I was trying to make my protagonist get revenge against a jackass who broke her nose before finding out that if she actually did it she would literally pulp the dude and had to reverse hard.
my viewer count still hasn't recovered but I'm working on it qwq

 

[J_Chemist]

Retrograded now but I tried to implement some Cthulhu creatures. Was kind of wild and would have caused my story to explode in complexity that I didn't want anything to do with.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Going to France and Mt. Olympus. Killing Rubin Reuben, killing my favorite character to write, and making Opioids a major plot point/the source of the peacekeepers income. I could go on and on.

Oh, I forgot about giving a kid in the 1800s memories of a modern person, basically making them an oracle but also assaulting their mind with internet memes and Vine's 24/7.

 

[georgelee5786]

The isekai part. I realized this because I saw someone say isekai was overdone and I realized he had a point so out with the isekai, just regular fantasy

 

[Rhaps]

I make a lot of unnecessary plot points and make them feels unnecessary. With the mindset of "Oh, something unrelated to the main story is happening", it makes the world more alive as the world don't move with the MC, the MC's story is only one of countless ones being told.

 

[RavenRunes]

pretty much half of them. Then I got confused and thought maybe it was the other half I didn't need.

 

[Empyrea]

One of the status menus I added for some flavor. It adds a ton of math for me when all I really need is one of the things on it. I could have easily put that line on the normal status screen. The rest is never used anymore since the math involved would make me cry.

 

[SsemouyOnan]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts guys.

I planned my story beforehand, so there's no plot point wasted, even those parts seemingly 'mundane'.

Hindsight is 50/50. Planning beforehand can still result in unwanted elements you only discover after you've gone and executed it. Tho, if you truly have no regrets after 10+ volumes of content, props to you.
Also sweet spaghetti is tasty, and I've had all types of pasta >:(

The isekai part. I realized this because I saw someone say isekai was overdone and I realized he had a point so out with the isekai, just regular fantasy

So you thought the isekai happened just so it could happen. And it had no other effect on the story whatsoever? Tough.

I make a lot of unnecessary plot points and make them feels unnecessary. With the mindset of "Oh, something unrelated to the main story is happening", it makes the world more alive as the world don't move with the MC, the MC's story is only one of countless ones being told.

If you think it brings the world to life, that isn't unnecessary. That's just proper world building. Just don't overdo the scale and end up never writing a highly-anticipated sequel.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Hindsight is 50/50. Planning beforehand can still result in unwanted elements you only discover after you've gone and executed it.

Yep, but just as you said, 'can'. Planning minimizes the risk of creating unwanted elements.

Tho, if you truly have no regrets after 10+ volumes of content, props to you.

Thanks! ? I also forgot to mention, I release my volumes once I complete the manuscript, including the edits, so I have time to fix any plotholes and inconsistent concepts/elements I wrote in.

Also sweet spaghetti is tasty, and I've had all types of pasta >:(

Not till you tasted spaghetti with banana catsup. That is gross as feck.

 

[Cipiteca396]

The end of the world. I added it because I was worried people wouldn't read a story without major stakes. I'm sure I was right about that, and the story is interesting with it... But it could just as easily not have been there for the story I'm actually telling.

 

[georgelee5786]

So you thought the isekai happened just so it could happen. And it had no other effect on the story whatsoever? Tough.

Correct. In some stories, isekai might be a pivotal part, but in mine, it added nothing, so I removed it.

 

[gaylolis]

conforming myself to plot points instead of going however i want is my biggest mistake.

i got so frustrated trying to make sure the plot lines, where i can just go full sandbox fun instead.

 

[SsemouyOnan]

Not till you tasted spaghetti with banana catsup. That is gross as feck.

Banana ketchup in general makes me puke.

The end of the world. I added it because I was worried people wouldn't read a story without major stakes. I'm sure I was right about that, and the story is interesting with it... But it could just as easily not have been there for the story I'm actually telling.

You know, I actually enjoy lower stakes more than higher stakes, makes things more personal and lively. It's really just how the author spins it, someone's lost sock can be just as important as some world in the background. Just my two cents, I don't know what kind of story you're building.

conforming myself to plot points instead of going however i want is my biggest mistake.

i got so frustrated trying to make sure the plot lines, where i can just go full sandbox fun instead.

Not having a plan sounds like a good plan to me

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Banana ketchup in general makes me puke.

Told ya so.