How to Pull Off a Plot Twist

Note: This is the last week in my vacation from the usual post and podcast. Today, I am sharing another fast tip that I hope you will enjoy and find useful! I will be back next week with a brand new two-part series about how you can use the Enneagram to strengthen your story’s character arcs.

Readers love a well done plot twist. They like to have the rug skillfully pulled out from under their feet at the last minute in a way that changes everything they understood about the story, while simultaneously making them see everything with perfect clarity. One of my favorite romance authors, Kristen Heitzmann, gives us some clues in her romantic suspense novel Indivisible about how to successfully misdirect readers. (If you haven’t read the book, be warned: Spoilers ahead!)

Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann (affiliate link)

In this book, her plot twist revolves around the revelation that the apparently alive twin sister of a POV character has, in fact, been dead for many years and only exists in the narrator’s delusions. Heitzmann does a particularly good job of building up to this revelation. How does she do this?

To begin with, she doesn’t add details to make readers believe what she wants, so much as she leaves out details. She never lies to readers or overtly twists the truth to make them believe the character is alive.

Rather, she allows the narration of the deluded character herself to give the impression that the sister is still alive—and then never does anything to contradict readers’ belief. When the trap is sprung in the ending, readers immediately see how all the puzzle pieces fall into place—without feeling as if the author lied to them or manipulated them.

When considering whether a plot twist is right for your story, keep two caveats in mind.

1. You can’t fool all the people all the time.

No matter how skillful your plot twist, some readers will see through it and possibly be annoyed that the book was built on a twist they realized too early.

2. Poorly constructed plot twists or those inserted just for cheap thrills are gimmicks that will turn readers off instead of endearing them.

The plot twist must be organic to your story, but it shouldn’t be the point of your story. Make sure your tale has some enduring value beyond the twist itself. The goal should to be getting readers to revisit the story even after they know how it ends.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! What do you think is the key to writing a plot twist that satisfies readers? Tell me in the comments!

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