Plot twists are a staple in every genre and type of storytelling.
They’re fun to read but can be confusing and hard to write. As readers, we’re used to devouring mind blowing plot twists and turns, while marveling at the cleverness of the writers who created them.
But behind the scenes, it’s difficult to think up innovative ways to challenge readers expectations.
What Is a Plot Twist?
It’s a development in your story that readers don’t expect, where something shocking happens or is revealed.
The storyteller sets up expectations and then twists those expectations by revealing new information.
A solid plot twist must be unexpected, it must be narratively sound and it can be foreshadowed.
Misdirect Your Readers
By guiding your readers attention gently away from a potential plot direction. You’ll make it all the more surprising when you reveal what that twist is.
Your aim should be to make them think they know what’s going on, and change that notion entirely.
Some tools you can use:
- Planting false cues or pieces of information designed to steer your readers in the wrong direction
- Use dead ends and firmly dispell outcomes your readers thought they saw coming
- Carefully bury hints or clues in scenes where the reader won’t be paying close attention to them
Remember, if they pick up on what you’re doing, they’ll either recognize the misdirection for what it is, or assume that you’re trying to hold their hand and guide them too far into a certain outcome.
You never want any of that to happen. Your readers want to feel respected by you as the writer, not babied or cheated.
The key here is to guide your audience into believing something so easily and naturally, they’ll believe they thought of it themselves, and that’s when you can plant a plot twist and really shake it up.
Foreshadowing
This is a vital element that precedes any good plot twist. It involves planting extremely subtle clues that help the twist that’s coming.
You have to strike a balance when it comes to foreshadowing. Give enough detail to make a twist believable and plausible, yet keep enough hidden so the twist still comes on as a surprise.
If you’re struggling to add effective foreshadowing as you write, leave it out of your first draft. After, come back and weave it in when you start your manuscript revision.
The Characters Create the Plot Twist
Sometimes, it’s possible to overthink things when it comes to a plot twist.
When you try too hard to create a clever twist, they can leave you frustrated and stuck or make your writing feel ingenuine.
When this happens take a step back. Stop trying to create twists and turns, and let your characters guide the story.
Your Twist Is Believable and Makes Sense
Plot twists by definition are unexpected and sudden. They can have shocking changes of direction, but they must still be sensible and realistic.
No matter how unpredictable your plot twist is, if it doesn’t make sense, it won’t be effective. That means the readers won’t be impressed and probably just roll their eyes and stop reading altogether.
Don’t even think about resorting to gimmicks, and don’t ever introduce a plot twist just for the sake of having one.
They must always serve to further the story in some way—preferably in a way that readers think is believable. It has to be a way that fits naturally within the narrative.
If you write a plot twist simply for the sake of being dramatic or trying to shock readers, they’ll see right through it and feel cheated, the absolute last thing that you want
No One Is Safe
Remember, when you write fiction, things don’t always have to end well. Every story doesn’t have to have a happy ending, every character doesn’t have to thrive and survive. Your lead character doesn’t have to save the day and succeed in achieving their goals.
Sometimes, taking the opposite route can allow you to subvert your reader’s expectations and create a more realistic and engaging story.
Be careful about killing off all your characters just for the raw shock value.
Keep the Momentum Going
After you create that fascinating build-up to your plot twist, what comes after is just as important.
There’s no point in putting all of your effort to make a plot twist work and then failing with your remaining narrative.
You want your plot twist to ramp up on the tension, intrigue and action, not act as a high point followed by a low. One of the main points of a plot twist, is that it entices your audience to keep reading.
You want them to be desperate to find out what happens next. So don’t disappoint them by letting the momentum slow down too much after the twist.
Wherever you write your plot twist, it must be not only preceded but followed by a narrative that’s consistently solid and engaging.
If you’re still struggling for plot twists ideas, here are some examples to get you started:
- Character X is persuaded by Character Y that this is all a dream — when it’s actually not
- A gift from Character X to Character Y is actually a trap
- The reveal is that the NARRATOR is death
- Character X discovers that all of the sounds he’s heard his whole life have been inside his head
- Character X believes that he’s in hell, when really it’s Salt Lake City, Utah
- Character X and Character Y are not themselves because they have been body swapped
- Character X is informed that the previous events were actually part of an alternative reality simulation
- Character X experiences puzzling and unexplained flashbacks because she is actually the reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln (I know, kind of a stretch)
These are just a few ideas to get you started.
Start creating your own plot twists to make your writing more unique and compelling for your readers.
Need editing or publishing help with your fiction story or memoir? I offer free consultation and personalized quotes. Let’s connect. Send me an email: griffinsmith74@gmail.com
