What was the last story that made you curse out loud? The last story that had a twist so good you remember it years later?
For me, it’s Saw. Avoiding spoilers means avoiding specifics but Saw’s final twist was so unexpected, intentional, and well crafted that all I wanted to do when the credits rolled was watch it again. If you haven’t seen it, I envy that you get to do so for the first time.
I’ve been thinking about plot twists a lot lately. What defines one? What makes one work? Does every story need one?
I’m not sure why I’ve been thinking about them. It may be because I’m in the early stages of writing a new novella, figuring out who the characters are, what drives them, what makes them tick, and what twists and turns lurk in their future.
It could also be because I’ve been reading a lot of Catriona Ward, a writer with a natural ability to shift a reader’s perspective and have you questioning everything you’ve just read.
Therein, at least for me, lies the definition of a good plot twist; the reveal of a new piece of information so powerful it reshapes and re-contextualizes everything you’ve just experienced. Doesn’t matter if it’s delivered via an unreliable narrator or in the type of grand reveal that makes Scream movies so fun, but it should make you want to relive the story armed with that new knowledge.
If you’ve been here a while, you’ll know I love board games and they too can be the perfect vehicle for killer twists. Especially in a sprawling narrative card game like Arkham Horror, one wrong decision or card draw can totally change the game and have you quickly spiralling into all sorts of nightmares.
However, as a writer, it’s not enough to simply deliver a plot twist and hope for the best. The more I think about it, the more I realize there are nuances and groundwork that need to be in place to ensure it makes a lasting impact.
First, writers need to create characters readers care about and stories they’re emotionally invested in, because the more emotionally attached a reader is in those characters and their stories, the harder the twist will hit. You want your reader to feel it. You want them to live it.
Second is the success of foreshadowing and dropping careful but considered hints. I love quiet horror and feel memorable foreshadowing can go hand in hand with creating something that actively feeds into that gentle sense of dread.
As part of that, I think it’s worth noting that twists don’t have to be show-stopping, be-all or end-all seismic shifts. Those are great, but twists can also be subtle, quiet, and considerate, delivered with a conversation or in a change of atmosphere. Something nuanced that just makes you recalibrate your boundaries or approach a character with more caution.
Now, I’m no expert at sowing surprise and, like a lot of things, doing it well is easier said than done. As is the case with a lot of these posts, writing it down helps me make sense of it. It gives me an opportunity to consider it properly and gather my thoughts. Makes me want to put it into action. Lets me figure out not just how writers are plunging blades into the hearts of their readers, but what they need to do before they twist.
Before you go
My latest book, Waxwing Creek, is out now. It’s a collection of interconnected horror stories about a haunted motel in a small town called Hunt. It’s available in paperback and on Kindle (including Kindle Unlimited).
Feel free to check out reviews on Goodreads or click the button below to grab a copy.
If you want to read more of my fiction on Substack, you can check out Lightbulb, 483, A Gentle Rain, Cold House, or Blood Orange, Vanilla, and Musk.
If you want to connect, I love hearing from readers. I keep an Instagram updated and post regularly to Threads and Notes. You can also find me on TikTok.
/ JJW