Hello everyone, today I will share with you a topic that is of interest to everyone who wants to write a manga story or create an exciting anime, which is how to write a plot twist, or as I like to call it, “the surprising plot twist” that makes viewers or readers strongly interact with your story and never forget it.
We are all capable of writing enjoyable anime stories, but what makes a story stick in the minds of viewers? It's the unexpected plot twist that happens at a time no one expects. Here I bring you this important article in which I discuss this topic that anime and manga writers should learn, because it has an impact that lasts perhaps longer than the main story itself. Are you ready?! Let's begin.
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Building expectations calmly
Before you even consider the initial surprise, you'll need to build anticipation in your audience. Have the characters act naturally, exactly as in the script, and present the events as if they're progressing in a clear direction, without revealing your true intentions from the start. This is when you build viewers' trust in the current course of events, so that the impact will be strong when the plot twist occurs later.
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Knowing which plot twist is right for your story
Choose a surprise that serves your message, not just shocks the audience, because a meaningless surprise is quickly forgotten and often unconvincing. So ask yourselves: Does the surprise serve the character of the hero or the villain? Will it change the course of the story in a way that serves the ending you want?.
Put hints between the lines
One of the strongest methods I recommend is adding small details between dialogues, backgrounds, or in the actions of the characters, so that they make sense after the sudden plot twist.
Viewers will understand these hints later when the plot unfolds, or when they reread the chapter or scene, and notice that the surprise was not out of context, but rather was cleverly present.
Choose the timing carefully
Don't rush the surprise from the start, but don't make it too late either, so your audience loses interest in your anime, manga, or webtoon. The ideal timing for a plot twist is:
- When you reach the middle of the story or before the final arc.
- After the character achieves a specific goal.
- When the public thinks everything is under control.
Then you will quickly turn the tables, at a time when everyone thinks that events are normal.
Maintain logic within your stories
Even with unexpected twists in your anime's story, the events should be coherent and consistent with the story's atmosphere and setting. Therefore, I recommend ensuring that any plot twist serves the current section of the story and propels it forward. So, avoid these things:
- A surprising character appears when another important character appears, so as not to overshadow her.
- The death of characters without a convincing reason, or in order to get rid of them quickly.
- A change in the protagonist's personality without a logical event.
- To render the environment insignificant or ineffective in the course of events.
Make the surprise hold significant value.
The best plot twist you can write is not one that causes shock, as many do, but one that affects them emotionally as well, and makes them affected by a particular event. I will give you examples:
- Discovering something about a person makes them rethink themselves.
- Or the heroine may know a sad secret from her past “that is related to a current event.”.
- To make the audience themselves reconsider the characters they initially liked and recalculate their opinions.
This way you will increase the dose of mystery and depth at the same time, which will hold the audience's attention until the last episode or chapter.
Starting today, you can begin thinking about the plot twists you want to add to your story, using the ideas that have inspired you. This is how you will create a well-rounded story. Don't overthink adding sudden plot twists repeatedly and unnecessarily just for superficial shock value or to attract viewers to your work; otherwise, it will be worthless. Instead, it must be meaningful so that it sticks in the audience's memory for years to come.
I hope you have benefited from this important post for every passionate writer. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you soon. May God keep you safe.
