It is reported that Alfred Hitchcock loved the short story through a literary sustentation due to it lends itself so right to creating unintentional twists. Here are six hints for creating short stories with a twist.
Writing Stories With A Twist: Hint ONE:
There is something I call ' tutor experiment ' that applies when considering the example roll for stories with a twist. In book loop pieces, readers become firmly attached to streak and the trend of the story. To disrupt or violate all that at the extremity with a twist, which denies all that, can be disappointing and equivalent distressful for multitudinous readers. ( The Sting, is a spotless and notable exception. ) In shorter pieces the orator undertaking doesn ' t get a chance to configure itself, so the twist doesnt disrupt the instructor and, in actuality, will typically be enjoyed over an accidental delight.
Writing Stories With A Twist: Hint TWO:
In, perhaps, a clumsy way of stating it, the final twist must not be illogically born from the early plot, character traits, and motivation, but neither must it be in any way telegraphed ahead of its presentation. I enjoy writing ' Hitchcockian ' stories. My goal is always to introduce the twist at the last possible moment in the final sentence and even better, in the final few words of the final sentence. I typically spend more time creating the presentation of the twist than I do writing the rest of the piece. The author must have the twist clearly in mid from the outset. It is the target toward which he writes.
Writing Stories With A Twist: Hint THREE:
Most of the story must be a subtle diversion away from the final twist. It does not dare be obvious. It does not dare raise a red flag ( or even a pale pink one ) in the reader ' s mind. There must be nothing to suggest that the story is not proceeding to what seems like its logical or legitimate conclusion even if that will not specifically be fully understood. ( Why read any story if you know how it will end? )
Writing Stories With A Twist: Hint FOUR:
It is more acceptable to make a bad guy into a good guy as the twist, than a good guy into a bad guy. It can be done with care and planning but it takes great skill. It is human nature to not want good things to turn sour. This is extremely important when planning short stories with a twist.
Writing Stories With A Twist: Hint FIVE:
Always make certain your story delivers the twist without making the reader feel betrayed. I have shelved a number of stories because in the end I couldn ' t find a way to overcome that obvious betrayal factor.
Writing Stories With A Twist: Hint SIX:
Spend lots of time reading and analyzing the all important structure of ' Hitchcockian ' type short stories. You ' ll find a large number by merely Googling ' short stories with at twist '.
A great short story, which delivers an acceptable and unexpected twist is perhaps the most difficult from of story to pull off successfully. Happy writing!
