Twist Your Endings

Normal 0

Twisting the ending of a story is like putting icing on a cake, a cherry on top of a sundae, or nuts in brownies. It is a writer's finale.

A twisted ending misleads the reader and makes them think they know the ending. There are times when the writer doesn't even know what the ending will be. If that is the case, you will have trouble in twisting the end.

First, find a natural ending. Now, decide on an alternate ending that will surprise the reader. Look for a common denominator. Find a place where you can split the story off into an unsuspecting direction.

One good twist is to take the reader back to the beginning scene of the story. This is known as the loop effect. Another good way to twist the ending uses irony.

Irony example: A gent finds a wolf and makes it his pet. The government says the wolf is threatening and they seize it. He files a lawsuit against the government and wins. (Fantasy story.) The man gets the wolf back. They have a big reunion, and the reader thinks the climax has come and gone. As the reader approaches the end of the story, he suddenly learns that the wolf turned on his owner and ripped this throat out.

Lead the readers to believe they know the ending, and then pull the wool over their eyes. This is the kind of thing that made Alfred Hitchcock famous. When you watch his old movies, you’ll never figure out who did the dirty deed until the last scene. Mr. Hitchcock was the original master of TV's twisted endings.