A teenager uses magic to help his crush win a competition when he suspects someone of sabotaging her. But like even the most well-loved tropes, they can only tell you what happens in the story. Some (even many) of the plot twist ideas in the list below will probably sound familiar because they use popular tropes.

But only you can make it worth your reader’s time. On some level, they knew it meant something.Īs you read the short story twist examples in the list below, keep in mind these ideas are just the skeleton of the story. To them, it feels like a reward for noticing something that, when they read it, felt like a minor but vaguely important detail. Stage-setting can include foreshadowing, which leads to that “aha!” moment you want your reader to have. The rest of the story quietly sets the stage for it.The twist is unexpected but makes sense.Something shocking happens or is revealed.Read stories with surprising plot twists and ask yourself why they surprised you.Įffective twists have the following in common:.Ask a friend/ beta reader for plot twist ideas they might have (you never know).Play with one of your favorite ideas and see how far you can take it.Ditch the filter and just jot down whatever Stop anywhere in your story and ask at least five “What if” questions.So, how do you create a plot twist with that kind of power? And with the big reveal, they wink in your direction as if to say, “I know you felt a twist coming. It feels like you and the narrator have had a moment. One of the best things about reading a well-crafted plot twist is being able to tell yourself, “Aha! I knew it wouldn’t be that easy….” or “Oh, wow! I knew something was coming, but not that!”

Funny short stories to write about