Well, one plot is the information paradox. Imagine a time traveler going back and giving Shakespeare all his plays, so Shakespeare didn't actually write them in the original sense. This blurs the line between creation and theft in time travel stories. Also, the ontological paradox where an item or idea has no real origin but is passed through time in a loop is quite common in these stories.
In a paradox time travel story, causality is often disrupted. One type could be the predestination paradox. Say a time traveler goes back to give a famous scientist an idea that leads to a great invention. But it turns out that the time traveler only knew about the idea because of the invention in the first place. It makes you wonder about the nature of time and whether events are fixed or can be changed.
One common theme is the grandfather paradox. This is where a time traveler goes back in time and does something that would prevent their own existence, like killing their grandfather before their father was born. Another theme is the bootstrap paradox, where an object or information has no origin because it was brought back in time and became its own source.
Predestination is a common theme. For example, in stories where a character goes back in time to prevent an event but ends up causing it. Another theme is the bootstrap paradox, like when an object or information has no origin but is passed through time loops. Also, the idea of alternate timelines often pops up, where a change in the past creates a new future that branches off from the original one.
The bootstrap paradox is also quite fascinating. For example, a time traveler goes back in time and gives Shakespeare a copy of his own plays. Shakespeare then publishes them as his own. But the question is, where did the plays really originate? It shows how time travel can mess with the concept of creation and origin. In this case, the information about the plays seems to have no real starting point, creating a paradox.
Another ending could be that the time traveler enters a parallel universe instead of their own past. So, any actions they take don't create a paradox in their original timeline. For example, if they kill someone who looks like their grandfather in this parallel universe, it doesn't affect their own existence in their home universe.
One common theme is the alteration of the past and its consequences. As we saw in 'The Grandfather Paradox', changing the past can lead to contradictions regarding one's own existence.
A lesser - known but great time travel paradox fiction is 'Time and Again' by Jack Finney. It dives deep into the idea of traveling back in time and the paradoxes that can occur. It's a thought - provoking read that really makes you consider the implications of time travel on the past, present, and future.
A different approach is self - correction. In some time travel paradox fictions, the universe has a way of self - correcting. So if you try to create a grandfather - paradox - like situation, some force in the universe will prevent you from doing so. It could be something as simple as events conspiring to stop you from making that final, paradox - creating action, like your gun jamming when you try to shoot your grandfather in the past.
A great example is 'The Sound of Thunder' by Ray Bradbury. In this short story, a time traveler steps on a prehistoric butterfly during a safari in the past. This small action has huge consequences in the present, creating a butterfly - effect - like paradox that shows how even the tiniest change in the past can drastically alter the future.
Another theme is the circular nature of time. Sometimes in these short stories, events seem to loop. Like a character keeps repeating the same actions in different time periods without being able to break the cycle. It shows how time can be like a never - ending circle in a time paradox situation. Also, the idea of self - fulfilling prophecies is common. A character might try to avoid something they know will happen in the future, but in the process of trying to avoid it, they end up causing it.