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The Sunlit Hearth: The Magic of a Good Plot Twist
Sunfire
CONTENTS
Overview
Good stories don’t just have a visually appealing world and a stellar cast of characters, they have monumental events that impact both in good and bad ways. These events are instances of a classic storytelling device: the plot twist. This literary device as old as storytelling itself, dating back centuries, which is why it continues to be used today.
The premise of the plot twist, at first glance, is simple. It is something that changes the trajectory of the story, usually steering it in a new direction. However, it is more complicated than it looks since it serves several roles in the story which makes it a versatile tool to be used in telling a story.
In order to make a great plot twist, there are several things to keep in mind. Understanding how these elements work is key in crafting a twist that accomplishes its purpose and keeps your viewers invested in the plot since they want to see what happens. The last thing you want to do as an aspiring fantasy creator is come up with one that lands like a dud or fails to do what it needs to do.
Unfortunately, when it comes to this literary device, there are some things you need to avoid using. Using one or more of them doesn’t just harm the twist itself, it can drastically hamper people’s enjoyment of your story and make them more likely to stop and do something else, making it less likely they’ll come back to pick up where they left off.
This is the twenty-third article in The Sunlit Hearth series. If you like this article and want to see what else we have, go to our blog page where there’s a plethora of articles just waiting to be read!
The Roles the Plot Twist Serves in the Story
When it comes to literary devices, the plot twist is one of the most used and for good reason. It jumpstarts a change in the story direction, giving the creator an opportunity to explore new territory and expand upon already established lore. There are a number of purposes this device serves which drive how it is used.
The classic example of a plot twist is an event that upends already existing lore. It could be a shocking revelation that changes people’s mind about something or someone, the sudden end of a character, whether by another’s hands or by simply exiting the canvas since he is no longer needed. This causes the audience to drop their mouth in shock as they endeavor to comprehend what just happened.
Another role the twist serves is to introduce something new to the plot. Perhaps like a new character that will eventually become a major one, a powerful object such as a magic sword that imbues its user with powers that far surpass many others, and so on. This helps keep the storyline interesting since the characters must cope with the new development which can be either good or bad for them.
The third purpose of the plot twist revolves around characters. Some are aligned with the protagonist, others with the villain, and some in-between. A character could decide to switch sides or play the role of a spy. The twist occurs when the audience is made aware of a character’s change in allegiance, whether he declares it openly or deigns to keep it secret as to keep his eyes open for information he can relay to his new master. The character’s betrayal causes reverberating effects that persist through the remainder of the tale, generating trust issues among his former allies.
Elements of an Excellent Plot Twist
A plot twist by itself isn’t successful. Creating one that does its job impeccably requires the use of several elements. Using any combination of them makes the difference between an outstanding twist and a mundane one, or one that does the bare minimum.
The first one, and a significant one at that, is that it must come as a surprise. That is, both the audience and the characters involved must not see it coming, otherwise it wouldn’t be considered a twist, would it? The element of surprise heightens the tension and makes it more likely your viewers will want to see how everything shakes out afterwards.
Secondly, an integral element of a great plot twist is that it fits right in the world and the story being told. When it occurs, it feels natural to the audience and feels like something that could conceivably happen in the world. For example, if your story is set in ancient times, having a character stumble upon a computer that works is jarring, especially considering such a thing didn’t exist in that time period, let alone figuring out how it could be operating without the use of electricity.
The third cornerstone of a fantastic twist shatters whatever illusions the affected character had, forcing him to see things in a whole new light. Essentially, it changes him and how he reacts sets the tone for the next several parts of the story. For instance, a betrayal could make him more suspicious of people since he cannot distinguish between friend and foe.
The fourth part of a plot twist that accomplishes what it set out to do is not the event itself, but the aftermath. Characters are left reeling as they process what happened. The world they knew before no longer exists, they must cope with the new reality. Some will handle it better than others. How they deal with the fallout shines a light on how they perceive the world which will drive the decisions and moves they make going forward.
No-nos of a Plot Twist
This literary device is a powerful instrument for storytelling purposes, however there are things to avoid when making one and placing it in your story. While the twist by itself isn’t inherently bad, using it in the wrong way can damage the story, making it difficult for your viewers to want to keep going on. Thus, it’s imperative you strive to use it right, not wrong.
The first no-no of a plot twist is that you make it feel artificial, not organic. It is as you decided to just slot it in a spot in the tale you thought would work. Doing this not only wrecks your story pace but it messes with the chain of events that you had beforehand. It should feel like a natural progression where a confluence of seemingly-different events come together to create a consequential event that has far-ranging implications.
Having nothing of importance transpire during a plot twist is the second way of doing it wrong. Imagine a major character falls in battle, only to be revived moments later as if nothing happened? You’d wonder what the point was of having him go down in defeat if he just winds up coming back? No, something significant should take place and it should cause reverberations afterwards.
The third wrong use of this storytelling device is having it happen off-screen and your audience and characters find out after the fact. All plot twists that affect the tale should be woven naturally in it, meaning your audience and characters who are involved are there when it occurs where they deal with it in realtime, not find out after it’s already taken place.
The fourth and final way of using a plot twist incorrectly is that it goes against the spirit of the story. That is, it goes against the message it is trying to convey. Doing this understandably muddies the waters for your audience since they won’t understand what you want them to come away with after they’ve come to the end of your tale. Each twist should successfully emphasize the overall message of the story.
In the final analysis, the plot twist is one of the best storytelling devices to use, but only if done correctly. It has the power to fundamentally alter the trajectory of the story which is why when it is used, it is done so in respect to it. It should enhance it, not hinder it.
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Thanks for reading this and until the next time,
Sunfire
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