When it comes to writing any genre, plot twists are always a good, fun thing to have up your sleeve. When it comes to writing mysteries, plot twists can sometimes be essential.
You want the reader to figure it out, but you also want to blow their mind, right?
A plot twist is exactly what it sounds like. The events in your story lead your readers to believe one thing and then suddenly, usually towards the end, something unexpected happens that twists the whole plot around.
It’s a surprise, it makes your readers keep turning the pages, sitting at the edge of their seat.
So, how do you write an awesome plot twist?
1. Reveal something big
When writing a mystery, revealing something big can be pretty easy to come by. Reveal an extra bad guy or even an unknown victim. Find a brand new piece of evidence. Or, let your detective reveal something huge about the case, something that answers some questions, but asks more questions.
2. Allow something unexpected to happen
In a way, this is similar to revealing something big, but allow something else to happen, something that your readers couldn’t see coming. This unexpected happening should be exciting, suspenseful, and add tension to the scene or story.
3. Use foreshadowing
Let your readers guess what could happen. Allow them to piece together flashbacks or certain evidence or dialogue that subtly hints at something. When the plot twist happens, readers should be shocked, looking back at what else has happened and piece it all together.
4. Use red herrings
Lead your readers off the track using fake evidence. A plot twist can be used revealing that the red herring is a fake or more red herrings show up. Or, maybe real evidence show up that chump the red herring and confuses everyone.
There are many ways to add a plot twist into your story. It’s all in how you convey the twist though.
The twist must be:
- Full of tension
- Suspenseful
- Shocking and revealing
- Out of the blue (but not so much that it seems random)
How much do you enjoy plot twists? What are some of your favorite ways to create a plot twist? Let me know in the comments below!
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