Setup

[Rexenm]

What is your favourite plot twist? I wonder also, what devices do you employ, to satisfy a reader? When do you put your foot down, on a complicated story arc?

 

[BearBear]

Definitely a redemption arc of the arch-villian or main protagonist.

There have been times in my life where I was strongly on one side of things and then a betrayal or revelation led me to the other side and strongly on that side. So my main protagonists stay on one side but the main antagonist ends up being not only an anti-hero but an actual hero. But from the original perspective they can only be seen as evil and all the propaganda that goes along with it.

People need a scapegoat and a good archetypal villian can be attributed with *everything* even if they're completely innocent.

Also like the Grinch who stole Christmas, they can change their mind and become an ally.

 

[pmmg]

Well...I dont really write with plot twists heavily in mind. But I suppose my Fav are those that have been signaled all along, and some how still surprise. A good example of this is the Saw movies, where if they just listened to Jigsaw, and stopped acting out, they would have been fine, but they didn't.

I hope the readers will be satisfied following the character and enjoying that the story is a deep puzzle which would be hard to guess at. I dont know that they will. If they dont like the MC, they probably wont like the tale. While I do have a lot of complexity and underlying depth to the story, I work pretty hard to keep it from being misunderstood.

In one scene in my last book. I had five Kings all meeting. And I started to feel like, it was just going to be Name soup to keep them all straight. So I added details about them, and mentioned them a lot to clue to reader in to which was which. Initial readers say it worked. They were not confused as to which was from where, and who they were.

I dont feel I have had to put my foot down anywhere... But I am still questioning some of what my editor pointed out. Right now, its over some British vs US spellings. Grey and not Gray, Toward and not Towards and such.

 

[Gallio]

Definitely a redemption arc of the arch-villian or main protagonist.

There have been times in my life where I was strongly on one side of things and then a betrayal or revelation led me to the other side and strongly on that side. So my main protagonists stay on one side but the main antagonist ends up being not only an anti-hero but an actual hero. But from the original perspective they can only be seen as evil and all the propaganda that goes along with it.

People need a scapegoat and a good archetypal villian can be attributed with *everything* even if they're completely innocent.

Also like the Grinch who stole Christmas, they can change their mind and become an ally.

I was impressed by the 'anti-redemptive' plot twist at the end of Harlan Coben's "Hold Tight" (The TV series -- I haven't read the book, I confess).

Spoiler alert:
'Good' character turns out to be not so angelic (actually, this happens twice).

 

[Finchbearer]

I feel like the crime / thriller department is run on plot twists…and they get predictable once you’ve read a few crime novels. They are overrated. I think you can create suspense by giving a minor plot twist or surprises along the way, but culminating an entire story with a giant plot twist? Maybe as a writer this could become an all consuming distraction, all for something that’s not really a big deal.

 

[Gallio]

I feel like the crime / thriller department is run on plot twists…and they get predictable once you’ve read a few crime novels. They are overrated. I think you can create suspense by giving a minor plot twist or surprises along the way, but culminating an entire story with a giant plot twist? Maybe as a writer this could become an all consuming distraction, all for something that’s not really a big deal.

Well, arguably The Lord of the Rings culminates in a plot twist (Book Six, chapter III). And in that book, it's very necessary.

 

[Finchbearer]

Well, arguably The Lord of the Rings culminates in a plot twist (Book Six, chapter III). And in that book, it's very necessary.

Not saying it’s not sometimes put to good effect, but more with contemporary fiction (cause LOTR was written fifty years ago +) I think it’s sometimes a bit too predictable. Contemporary writers need to diversify I think otherwise I know what’s coming and it’s boring.

 

[Rexenm]

If you have a small character, why would they succeed, if everything angles towards the antagonist?

LOL

You can use any object to effect a twist.