Yet.
Here's two of Bri's socials, and you can access her others from either page.
I have always loved books on writing for this reason. I feel validated in choices I have made or strategies I have employed, and I also always get new ideas that send my thinking off in an unexpected direction.
These "lessons" on plot twists all use as examples books I have read (and maybe need to re-read) as well as good advice that's clear and direct.
If Bri's fiction is going to be as good as her writing tips based on what she knows and has learned, her books are going to be great!
Obviously, I am not sharing about the plot twists I am working on in my novel projects for the same reason that Bri is not using her own fiction as examples for hers.
If you write, lots to absorb and think about here.
Thanks for tuning in.
7-step plot twist
Struggling to write a good plot twist? Here's how to actually implement one in your story.
Plot twists require at least two drafts: one to write the story and figure out the twist yourself, another to go back and properly seed the clues. Sometimes you'll realize your twist doesn't work and needs adjusting. Sometimes you over-explained and need to trust readers more.
That's all part of the process.
Here's the framework I follow: start with what your character truly wants and fears. Let the twist grow organically from those answers, not from your desire to shock readers. Map out both versions of your story — what readers think versus what's actually happening underneath.
Then reverse-engineer. What clues need to exist for the twist to feel inevitable? Make a list. Plant each clue, but remember they need to serve the story in the moment, not just point to the twist.
Layer your foreshadowing across multiple dimensions. Create ambiguous evidence that could support multiple conclusions. Test the emotional weight: will this revelation change how readers understand a character they care about?
And plan the aftermath. The twist isn't the ending, it's the catalyst for the true climax. Give it space to breathe and develop.
Don't be afraid to cut a twist if it's not serving your story. Your story's integrity matters more than any single plot point, no matter how clever you think it is.
Check out the full deep-dive on my YouTube channel (in bio) where I break down examples from Mistborn, The Fifth Season, and more!
What's your biggest struggle with writing plot twists?
#writersofinstagram #novelwriting #fictionwriting
Betrayal Plot Twist
Never have a character do something out of character purely because you need them to for your plot twist to work.
The betrayal trope is everywhere, but most writers execute it… kinda terribly. They spend 20 chapters showing unwavering loyalty, then announce "surprise, they were evil all time" with zero cracks in the façade.
That's not a twist; that's violating character logic.
If your friend was secretly a traitor, readers need to see the gray area — the place between what seemed to be happening and what was actually happening. Small inconsistencies, moments of hesitation, and/or actions that made sense at the time but look suspicious in hindsight.
Patrick Rothfuss does this really well in The Kingkiller Chronicle. Characters have hidden depths, but when their motivations are revealed, you can trace them through the entire narrative because he's thought through the logic of each perspective.
After your twist is revealed, does your story make MORE sense or LESS sense? Does it add complexity or just confusion?
Make your betrayals hurt because readers believed in the relationship AND can see the pattern looking back. That's when character logic creates devastating, satisfying twists.
Check out my YouTube video for the full framework on writing plot twists that don't feel cheap (in bio).
What's one betrayal twist that actually worked for you?
#characterdevelopment #writingcommunity #amwriting
The Secret to Plot Twists that Actually WorkYour plot twist can shock readers AND make perfect sense. How, you ask? Well, keep reading.
Most writers think surprise and logic are opposites. They're not. Logic doesn't mean predictability, it means following the rules YOU established for your world, characters, and plot.
Great plot twists uphold every type of storytelling logic while still catching readers off guard through misdirection, not dishonesty.
Misdirection isn't lying. Lying is saying "the character walked into the EMPTY room" when someone's hiding there. Misdirection is saying "the character walked into the room" and just letting your readers assume it's empty.
Think N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season. She never lies, she structures the narrative so you make assumptions about timeline and POV connections. When the reveal hits, every piece of information was technically accurate. You just interpreted it differently.
Test your twist with the reread test: would earlier scenes take on new meaning? Do odd character behaviors suddenly make sense? Can readers spot your clues? If yes, your twist is logically sound.
Your twist should emerge from character psychology, not your desire to shock. Let it grow organically from what characters want and fear.
Full breakdown in my latest YouTube video (in bio).
What's one plot twist that floored you because it was surprising AND inevitable?
#writingtips #plottwist #storycraft
Your Plot Twist Should Come From Character, Not ConvenienceThe best plot twists don't exist to shock readers, they exist because that's where the character's journey was always leading. If your twist only works by having characters act out of character, you don't have a twist, you have a plot hole.
Character logic is non-negotiable. People can surprise us, but they can't contradict their established psychology without explanation. If your sweet, gentle protagonist suddenly murders someone in cold blood, readers will revolt — unless you've shown the gradual psychological journey that led them there. Breaking points need buildup.
Take the "secret traitor" trope. Weak version: the loyal best friend who's had zero suspicious moments suddenly reveals they were the villain all along with no explanation beyond "I fooled you." That violates everything you've shown us about their character. Strong version: the loyal friend who had small inconsistencies throughout — information they shouldn't have had, plans that coincidentally led where the villain wanted, moments where their mask slipped but seemed like something else in context.
When the betrayal is revealed, we can trace the pattern. They weren't lying about their feelings. They really did care (which is why it was hard for them), but they also had conflicting motivations we didn't fully understand. That respects character logic, plot logic, AND emotional logic.
In Mistborn, when certain reveals happen, they're not just clever, they're emotionally devastating because they reframe everything we thought we understood about the struggle and add tragic depth to characters we thought were simply evil. The intellectual surprise pairs with emotional gut-punch, and that's what makes it memorable.
Your twist should emerge from who your characters are and what they want. Never have someone do something purely because YOU need them to for the twist to work. Let character drive plot, not the other way around.
Start with motivation, not with the desire to shock.
#characterdevelopment #writersofinstagram #novelwriting
The Art of Misdirection in Plot Twists
Misdirection is not the same as lying to readers; it's the difference between a genius plot twist and a frustrating one. The best twists give readers all the information they need but structure it in ways that encourage natural misinterpretation.
Real clues should: Point toward your twist while serving multiple narrative purposes, appear at least three times in different contexts (the rule of three), and feel natural to the scene rather than obviously planted. In The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemisin presents accurate information about timelines and POV relationships, but she also lets readers assume something different than what's actually happening. She never lies. She just doesn't correct assumptions.
Red herrings should: Follow your story's established logic (they're truths, just misinterpreted ones), have their own internal consistency, and point to conclusions that make sense within your world. A red herring isn't a lie, it's information that seems to mean one thing but actually means another. The protective older brother who seems suspicious? Maybe he's not the traitor. Maybe he's just legitimately protective and readers assumed the worst.
The balance: Control information flow carefully. Show readers things the protagonist doesn't see. Give readers information the protagonist doesn't have. Create dramatic irony where readers feel smart piecing things together before or alongside your protagonist. But never make your characters look stupid for missing obvious solutions.
Think of Patrick Rothfuss in The Kingkiller Chronicle — small inconsistencies in Kvothe's narration, details about magic that seem like flavour text, character interactions that feel natural but take on new significance later. The setup is subtle enough that readers don't consciously catch it, but it registers subconsciously.
Give your readers a fair mystery to solve, even if they don't realize they're solving it.
#writingadvice #fictionwriting #storytelling
The Architecture of a Good Plot TwistThe architecture of plot twists that don't feel cheap comes down to two things: setup and payoff. But most writers get the balance wrong.
They either plant clues so obviously that the twist becomes predictable, or they plant nothing at all and pull the reveal out of thin air, leaving readers feeling betrayed instead of satisfied. The sweet spot is hiding your twist in plain sight the entire time.
Your setup needs three qualities: Multiple types of clues (dialogue, behavior, environment, structure), clues that serve the story in the moment (not just pointing to the twist), and the "rule of three" (mention your clue three times in different contexts so it lodges in readers' subconscious).
Your payoff needs perfect timing: Typically around the 75-80% mark so you have space to explore the consequences. The twist isn't the end but rather the catalyst for the true climax. Show character reactions, change relationships, raise stakes, and prove the twist wasn't just a gimmick but a fundamental shift in story reality.
Brandon Sanderson does this masterfully in Mistborn. When you hit that reveal, it's genuinely shocking, but then you realize he planted clues on almost every page. Patrick Rothfuss layers mysteries throughout The Name of the Wind with such subtlety that most readers don't consciously notice the details on first read, but they register subconsciously, creating that "I should have seen this coming" feeling.
The test: after your twist, can readers reread and find it makes MORE sense? Does it add complexity, or just confusion?
Plant your breadcrumbs early. Make your reveals inevitable in hindsight, not convenient in the moment.
#writingtips #amwriting #writingcommunity
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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2602.04 - 10:10
- Days ago: MOM = 3869 days ago & DAD = 524 days ago
- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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