S13E4 - Why Didn't They Think of That?

Diagnosing problems in writing can be one of the most difficult tasks for any author. The creators are most often blinded to their own shortcomings. Readers may notice when something is awkward or boring while the author thinks it's one of the more interesting excerpts. The August series is dedicated to diagnosing these problems, from continuity errors to gaps in logic the readers will inevitably question.

There is possibly nothing more frustrating than seeing characters in a book ignore the obvious answers. Why didn't the Order of the Phoenix just disguise Harry in the last book, rather than having seven of them dress up as Harry? These are times when the readers are looking at the book and wondering why. Authors are focused on what needs to happen, not necessarily on what could happen in that situation. That is a mistake. This episode is focused on diagnosing when readers might realize there's a more obvious solution and how to address it to still get the story in the right direction.

First aired August 13, 2020.