“The best stories are the ones with unexpected plot twists that no one would have guessed, even the writer.” —Author, Shannon L. Alder
We all love a good plot twist; in movies, books, even plays! When done right, plot twists are mind-blowing! But when done wrong, they are simply predictable or just lack credulity —they don’t feel real and logical anymore.
A plot twist is a sudden and unexpected change in the direction of a story and is a sure way to keep your readers entertained because they really don’t know what to expect next.
In fact, let’s be real, everyone looks forward to a plot twist.
Let’s take an example:
Enrique (the main character), a recently dumped and broken hearted twenty-something year old struggling with his music career, gets mistaken for someone he supposedly looks a whole lot like.
This leads to a total stranger confessing her feelings for him in the middle of a bustling airport, all the while believing he was his look-a like. Enrique stupidly plays along with the charade.
After a series of events and even more plot twists, it turns out that Enrique and his lookalike, Esteban, an actually successful musician, are indeed identical twins separated as children while they were in the foster care system.
And that’s a wrap! What a juicy plot twist, I’m almost tempted to make a story out of this one. (And by the way, all rights reserved, do not attempt to steal or you face the law.)
Did you notice something? While the plot twist is intriguing, it is also totally logical. It won’t have readers scoffing at it’s absurdity.
You should probably keep these in mind while creating mind boggling plot twists;
1)It must be logical. This is the number one criteria.
2)Blow your readers’ minds (within logical limits, mind you). Sometimes, we read books and we go like, “ I did not see that coming.” Readers tend to predict the next turn of events in a work, beat them at it!
3)Leave subtle clues and hints in the preceding chapters. Who knew that the baby in the family portrait was actually Rodrigo? That sort of thing.
4) Play with your readers’ emotions. (It isn’t as bad as it sounds, believe me).
The joy of writing is making your readers “feel”. Joy, sadness, shock, anger, excitement… sometimes all at once.
Deliver a roller coaster of twists and turns. But please be careful not to go overboard.
Here’s a plot twist for you;
Character X has to side with but still outsmart the villain in order to get through a crisis.
Action point
Plot storm other amazing plot twists and hit the comments section with them. I’d love to hear all of them!
YOU ARE READING
Beautiful Swirls; Writing Tips
Non-FictionIf you're clicking on this work, you're most likely a wordsmith seeking to improve your craft. In other words, you're a writer or an aspiring author who wants to learn a few things here and there (there's no end to learning). You've come to the righ...
