by Ellen Buikema

A powerful tool in the writer’s toolchest is the ability to gift the readers with shock and surprise. Unexpected twists and turns, can ramp up a narrative and leave a long-lasting impression.

Whether you’re working on a thriller or comedy, the ability to surprise your audience can making your story memorable and difficult to put down.

Doing this requires more than adding a plot twist just the sake of shock. Instead, craft a narrative that feels real and save space for the unexpected. Surprising moments can give insights into the world you’ve created and the characters lurking within.

The Power of Crafting the Unpredictable

Why is surprise such a powerful element? At its center, surprise catches the reader off guard, forcing them to rethink the story and its characters, and heightens the emotions. Unpredictability hooks the readers.

Shock and surprise come in many forms. Here are a few examples:

• Sudden death – Johnny Cade in The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
• Plot twist – A fantastic plot twist takes place for the child psychologist in The Sixth Sense
• A character’s unexpected actions – Scout confronts Bob Ewell in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

All of these can disrupt the story’s flow and/or alter the readers’ paradigm. However, the best surprises are those that are carefully set up so they don’t feel forced. They should make sense in the story, not plopped in—just because.

Try creating clues throughout the story that hint at a plot twist through foreshadowing. Drop subtle hints that something doesn’t feel right. This way, the readers can connect the puzzle pieces together. This technique creates suspense and keeps the reader guessing until the twist is revealed.

The Harry Potter series uses many plot twists. J.K. Rowling makes great use of foreshadowing to create tension and suspense. By investing readers in the characters and their journeys, she makes the stories unforgettable.

In horror, mystery and thriller genres, surprise keeps readers wondering what happens next. In comedy, surprise can bring moments of delightful ludicrousness. No matter the genre, surprise can make the story feel alive with possibilities.

Foreshadowing to Create Suspense

The best surprises can be those that feel certain to happen, looking back. By foreshadowing character motivations or future events, you can set up the surprise such that it feels earned.

When using a foreshadowing technique, it’s important to weave the hints into the story in a way that feels right, natural. When the surprise happens, readers can think back and see how the twist was hinted at through the story.

Agatha Christie often features a shocking reveal at the end of her mysteries. Looking back, readers see that she provided clues along the way—in descriptions, and character interactions—that spring the surprise.

In And Then There Were None, Christie uses the characters’ pasts and personalities to foreshadow the twists and deaths that occur later. Each person’s fate is implied through tiny details in their dialogue or actions, still allowing the final reveal to be shocking.

Character Development to Set Up Surprises

Characters are often used to deliver shocking moments in a story. By making characters seem reliable, you can set up a surprising turn of events. When characters act against their expected nature, the surprise packs a bigger punch.

You can do this by creating characters who appear to be one thing but really aren’t. An easy-going character might truly have dark impulses. A harsh, rebellious character could unexpectedly show sensitivity or kindness. These surprises feel real because they are seen through character development.

An excellent example of this is in the character of Walter White in Breaking Bad. Throughout the series, Walter gradually devolves from a high school science teacher into a heartless drug kingpin. Small events within his character development led to a massive change in behavior.

When using character development to create surprise, be careful to make the revelation feel like a natural progression. The unpredictability comes from their internal struggles.

Avoid Valueless Trauma

Writing to shock and surprise is quite effective, but it’s important not to rely on overused schemes. Creating an unpredictable tale, with surprise twists that feel natural, will keep your readers intrigued. A sudden death, that was “only a dream,” or a plot twist that feels engineered can cheapen your story and let your readers down.

Be sure that whatever method of shock you use in the story feels natural and organic, otherwise it won’t resonate with the characters and will fall flat. Each surprise should deepen the emotional impact or advance the plot.

The shocking twist at the end of Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane calls into question the nature of guilt, identity, and reality. This surprise builds organically and gives the readers a better feel for the protagonist.

Final Thoughts

Writing to shock and surprise needs planning and attention to detail. The best surprises are those that catch readers off guard while staying true to the character arcs and story’s themes.

As you create your stories, consider the power of surprise. Break the boundaries of what your readers expect. You can craft a tale that will leave your readers startled, thinking about your story well after they’ve reached the story’s end.

Do you use foreshadowing in your writing? What is your favorite plot twist?

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About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image by Alana Jordan from Pixabay