Tips on how to write a superb twist ending
Don't you love a great twist ending?
Often in the middle or at the end of a story, a twist can completely transform the reading experience into a wild ride where anything can happen.
However, making a phrase is not easy and, if done incorrectly, can deeply disappoint your reader.
And that is exactly what many writers do without a clue.
The wrong kind of twist
A "twist" is the disclosure of critical information that radically changes the reader's understanding of the story. And to work properly, the twist must be related to an important decision made by the protagonist.
Many authors do not make this connection. Rather, they think that a twist ending just needs to hold back important background information until the end of the story. And then, when they reveal it, they'll somehow have come to a surprising and satisfying ending.
However, this is not the case.
I thought that was right as a judge of the Fall 2017 Writing Competition hosted by The Write Practice. The "let's fall in love" theme spawned many stories in which characters simply "remembered" things that had happened a long time ago. Perhaps they were visiting a cemetery where a loved one was buried or a residence from childhood. The memories came back and information was revealed throughout the 1,500 word allocation. Then the story was over.
Nothing has happened. Little changed.
Sure, surprising information surfaced here and there, but it did not arrive in the context of the election.
The disclosure of surprising information is not a climatic act. Information doesn't matter; it just explains.
However, if this information is accompanied by a surprising climatic selection, this increases the complexity of the selection.
One bad twist is that information is used as a choice. One big twist, however, reveals a choice that the reader usually can't see and why it's so powerful.
That's the kind of twist you want.
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The disclosure of surprising information is not a climatic act. But when it comes with a surprising, climatic decision, it amplifies an astonishing twist.
The right kind of twist
The best twists focus on choiceand reveal a thing or two:
- A conflicting motivation behind a great choice
- A hidden, contradicting key decision
Take Toy Story 2.
The heartbreaking song "When Somebody Loved Me" is a slow, painful twist that reveals Jessie the Cowgirl's seemingly contradicting choice: go to a museum rather than confide in another owner. Why? Because despite the nature of a toy (to be loved by a child), Jessie was badly wounded by her previous owner and is too scared to make herself vulnerable again.
Tell me this scene didn't tear your heart out!
Or think of The Shawshank Redemption. The protagonist Andy made a very important (and methodical) decision during his 19 years in prison. The twist reveals it and completely changes the characters (and the viewer's) understanding of Andy's choices throughout the story. His secret choice contradicted his visible choices all along.
Tell me that moment didn't change your life!
Both twists accompany and complicate an important decision of a character. They also reveal something contradicting the nature of the character.
This is the stuff of a mighty twist!
How do I write a big phrase
Making a powerful twist end isn't easy. It takes a lot of planning, design, and revision. And it won't always work the way you expect it to. This is how it works:
1. Plan your choices
As you design and draft, focus on the big, risky decisions your characters can make. Experiment with a variety of options, some of which are outside of your plan or even your comfort zone.
And as your characters solidify in the world of your story, focus on one or two ways that will really surprise your reader. Familiarize yourself with decisions that appear to contradict outward appearances, or add deeply empathetic context to your difficult decisions.
2. Don't keep "secrets"
Try not to keep any secrets unless you belong to the mystery genre. Sure, be deliberate and frugal in your portrayal, but don't let the lie that secret background information is considered a satisfying phrase.
In fact, you should write versions of scenes in which you intentionally reveal important information (those potential secrets)! Perhaps the scene works better with the truth on the table. It will surely force you to focus more on character selection than character backstory!
And even in the mystery / thriller genres, the best secrets are also related to selection. Usually these big secrets are wrapped in lies that are considered character choices – especially when you show them in action.
Keep your focus on the selection and you will be in a great position to take a turn.
3. Wait until the perfect moment
The best way to identify the perfect moment is to answer this question: "When is highest?"
It is at this moment that you should unleash your twist as it will make your character's risky decisions difficult.
I enjoyed the opportunity to do so while writing a crime thriller. After the "wrong" ending, when the characters and audience believe the evil is over, the killer reveals his true nature in a deeply personal and shocking way and murders someone very close to him. It changed every decision the audience made him for nearly two hours, and was a complicated decision in itself, motivated by anger and thirst for revenge.
But it took a lot of planning, drafting, and reworking to finally get right!
Do the twist
A great twist ending is well worth the effort. It's located on the storyteller's mountain. Olympus, right next to it, making your reader laugh with a full stomach or a scream with bloated cheeks.
Few stories can deliver it in a profoundly satisfying way. Will be yours?
Remember: these take a lot of practice. You are unlikely to get a perfect twist on the first, second, or even third attempt.
But it is worthwhile in any case. For many of us, great twists and turns in storytelling motivate us to tell our own stories. We long to restore the catharsis of an unpredictable turn.
So do it right. Focus on decisions and the seemingly conflicting reasons characters make them. Don't just hide the backstory, but make the tough decisions each character must make more difficult.
So keep writing, fearless storyteller! And have fun planning and writing great phrases that your readers will love every time!
What are your favorite twist endings? How do you surprise your readers with a brilliant twist? Let us know in the comments.
WORK OUT
Since it takes much more than fifteen minutes to plan, design, and complete a good twist, take this time to carefully study a successful example. Take fifteen minutes to reflect on a twist from one of your favorite books, films, or plays.
What act was revealed and how did it appear to contradict previous acts or the nature of the character? What surprising motivation emerged that complicated this action?
When you're done, share your practice in the comments below and leave feedback for your co-writers as we all learn together!
David Safford
