Plot MechanicsIntermediate
Coincidence
An unlikely event not caused by the story's prior chain.
Principle
Coincidence may create problems more easily than it may solve them.
Takeaways
- Readers tolerate chance that complicates.
- Chance that rescues often feels like cheating.
- The more consequential the coincidence, the more framing it needs.
Overview
Coincidence is the arrival of an event without clear causal preparation. It can feel lifelike, comic, tragic, or contrived depending on whether it increases pressure or removes it.
Examples
- A missed train forces two enemies into the same inn.
- A lost letter appears at the climax with no prior path and solves everything badly.