Thrillers VS Romance: How to Twist ANY Plot
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- What if I told you that ANY plot is twistable - it doesn't matter what genre you write! That's why today's video is all about: How to write a plot twist that surprises your readers and MATTERS to your characters. Whether you write romance, psychological thriller, or YA contemporary... you can write an AMAZING plot twist! In this story case study we explore some of the best game-changing midpoints and what makes them so memorable.
GRAB THE 3-ACT STORY STRUCTURE TEMPLATE: eepurl.com/gFYD8z
🎥PREVIOUS VIDEOS IN THIS SERIES:
▶︎ACT 1
THE HOOK → • How to Write a Hook Fo...
THE INCITING INCIDENT → • How to Write an INCITI...
INCITING INCIDENT CASE STUDY → • INCITING INCIDENTS: Di...
THE 1ST PLOT POINT → • How to Write the First...
THE 1ST PINCH POINT → • How to Write a PINCH P...
▶︎ACT 2
THE PRE-MIDPOINT REACTIONARY HERO → • How to Write The MIDDL...
THE GAME-CHANGING MIDPOINT → • How to Write a PLOT TW...
________________________________
✨T I M E S T A M P S ✨
0:00 Introduction
1:27 What is a Plot Twist?
2:59 Case Study: A Beautiful Mind
6:32 Case Study: Pride And Prejudice
8:44 Case Study: Great Expectations
10:51 Case Study: Flipped
12:52 Conclusion
________________________________
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MORE CASE STUDIES VIDS YOU WOULD LIKE:
→ DIVERGENT VS THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
• INCITING INCIDENTS: Di...
→ READY PLAYER ONE VS THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
• Plot Driven VS Charact...
→ SHOWING VS TELLING INTERNAL CONFLICT
• How To SHOW and Not TE...
→ HOW TO WRITE A GAME-CHANGING MIDPOINT (PT 1)
• How to Write a PLOT TW...
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✨ A B O U T ✨
My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.
Story isn’t about “what happens” - it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel - and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!
✨C R E D I T S ✨
All movie clips and soundtracks used for educational purposes under the Fair Use law. A Beautiful Mind (2001) copyright DreamWorks, Pride & Prejudice (2005) copyright Focus Features, Great Expectations (2012) copyright BBC Films and Lionsgate, Flipped (2010) copyright Warner Bros. Pictures.
Abbie: “I could do like an entire case study on just Pride and Prejudice-“
Me: *PLEASE*
Yes but let's see some clips from the BBC version :D
Yes please!
Same about flipped, please! 💟
It is the gold standard for roms.
i know im randomly asking but does someone know of a trick to log back into an instagram account..?
I stupidly lost the password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me.
As it turns out, spoilers often make me want to read or watch things I would've passed over otherwise.
mish the maverick same. If I’m looking forward to a book, I hate them but if I’m struggling with finishing a book or would never have picked it up, they can help
Same. I had passed completely on "Identity" until someone spoiled it, then I couldn't rent the film fast enough... Granted I was working at Blockbuster at the time and hadn't used my free rentals that week, so you knew what I took home that night... Of course I now realize that most people commenting here likely have no real idea of what Blockbuster Video was. lol
despite people saying they dislike spoilers, most research shows that spoilers actually make the story more enjoyable.
samee??? I watch the movie after knowing the plot twist again and again just so I can fild the clues....
@@j.rileyindependentproductions I know what you're talking about- I'm 44!
Abbie, If I ever become a huge author, I owe you my life. Thank you for everything, Abbie! We all love you to death.
How long have you been following her? I just started a couple months ago
Yes! Me too! I owe Abbie tons
Sarah SAME! I started watching her when she published 100 days of Sunlight
I am always ok with learning the ending of a story. In my mind, the journey is more important than the ending, and if the story is well written, knowing the ending only enhances my curiosity.
I am with you. Personally I hate suspense, I don't want to do it to myself. So I read the end early, if it's that kind of story. (Alfred Hitchcock hated to personally suffer suspense too - so much that he would not drive in case he got pulled over.)
Eiieoow i ieowo
Two years late to the party, but there are roughly two ways to engage curiosity with a story. First is where the ending’s a mystery. Second is where you know the ending, but it’s a mystery how it all happens (this is very much the case with all the Bond movies).
My favourite plot twist
The Hunger Games Mockingjay: How Katniss had anticipated the moment she’ll get Peeta back but it turns out he is programmed to hate her. This brought me to literal tears!
Oh my GOSH same !!!
Same book, Prim died. I mean the hole thing was to keep her save
Mine is when Katniss used the last arrow to hit Coin and not Snow. POWERFUL
Ooh this reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer the episode where they make you think she is in a mental institution and never cleared up if her vampire slaying reality was real or if she was crazy lol
On this note! The plot twist in the second book when we figure out the 75th games were rigged in katniss's favour...i did not see that coming
I've often felt that writing a good plot twist is like being a stage magician; you're showing the audience you have 'nothing up your sleeves,' and while you've got them focused on that, you're secretly sneaking in the dove you're going to produce inside that birdcage that was sitting on the table the whole time.
Im not writing a book but a webtoon, just want to thank you so so much for providing tips and techniques to make story interesting and matter to the characters and readers. Without you, my story probably is just a hot mess
My favourite plot twist is from an indian movie called 'Andhadhun' in which Akash(protagonist) is a pianist who pretends to be blind to woo her crush,after a performance he is invited to a former actor's house to play piano,where he witnesses that actor has been murdered by his wife(who assumes he is blind and didn't see anything)
Plot twist:-When the murderer wife comes to know that Akash(Protagonist) is not blind she gives him a drug which actually makes him blind
Wow now that's a darn plot twist!
No he didn't actually became blind as per the ending scene
That movie was awesome literary awesome❤❤ can't get over it
@@khushimishra9658 he did his sight was little bit blurred but he was somehow blind
@@hafsatahir8410 Late reply but it was ambiguous ending. In the last seen, he clearly pushes the can, implying that he's still pretending to be blind and had probably lied about the ending of the story he was narrating to Radhika Apte's character.
The plot twist of Beautiful Mind is still the scariest plot twist I have ever experienced. I saw the film when I was probably 6-8 years old couldn’t really understand all what was going on. But the idea that everything you imagine to be true could just be made up by your mind is something that creeps me out over 20 years later.
Gone Girl is highly underrated... The twist occurs half way through and then the story truly unravels
One of my favorite plot twists is actually not from a movie but a tv show. "The good place" has one of the best plot twists I've ever seen at the end of season one, it really jumped me 😂
"Oh MAN!"
@@jvgreendarmok Are you being sarcastic?
@@hakuu4644 No, it was the start of the line which confirms the twist. 🙂
Absolutely amazing twist, no one saw it coming
A beautiful mind's plot twist is almost exactly the same as that in Shutter Island. I watched Shutter Island first, which messed me up for days too😂
The Prestige, book and movie. There is more than one plot and character twists that snowball at the end that incorporate details of magic, science, and writing into a fantastical and slightly sad ending in both the book and the movie (the movie has Hugh Jackman, Michael Cain, David Bowie, Scarlette Johansson, and Christian Bale).
I would love to see an entire case study on Pride and Prejudice.
I absolutely love Flipped. I haven't read the book, only seen the movie (more than once) and I really love that it's one of your favourites because I don't know anyone else who has heard of it before. It's such a beautiful story.
Same ♥️
This is the video I DESPERATELY needed.
I absolutely *_love_* Flipped and am constantly shook that it's not more popular. It's a masterpiece that I read over a decade ago and I'm still not over it.
I haven't seen "A Beautiful Mind" (this video is totally worth the spoil btw) but I have seen "Shutter Island" which had a similar plot twist. I love rewatching movies with epic plot twists and going back to find the clues. So good!
Agreed. Sometimes I won't even have an interest in a film or book until someone spoils the plot twist for me, such as the case with the film "Identity."
Ghost Stories 2017 has a similar plot twist as well.
Shutter Island is soooooooooo good
But like, with Shutter Island, there is the theory that he wasn't crazy at all, but rather the people on the island set him up for he knew too much about the experiences they did on the patients (lobotomies). At the ending, DiCaprio says: "Which would be worse: To live as a monster or to die as a good man?". That means he accepted that he was an ill man that killed his crazy wife, but that can be interpreted in another way, that being the people on the island finally got him into thinking he was crazy. Let's not forget about him saying in the movie: "Once you're declared insane, then anything you do is considered part of that insanity."
Here's a plot twist from one of my favorite middle grade books, Wonder by RJ Palacio. The MC, Auggie hears the kid he thought was his best friend make fun of him with the kid who had been bullying him about his facial difference.
woah that is good. Overheard praise/offence is especially powerful. I wonder why. Maybe because we are always (unless 100% enlightened) wanting to know what other people think of us, and if you overhear it you feel it is the truth, and generally thought because it comes from out of your bubble.
I pressed as fast as I could.
Me 2
What do you mean by press isit mean show the twist early.
Please do a complete 3 Act story structure case study on Pride and Prejudice! That’s my favorite book of all time 😊
My favorite plot twist is in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Where Huck realizes himself and how far he can go and what morality looks like to him- without being influenced by the culture of that day. It's when the slave Jim, hes been helping to escape, gets captured, and Huck realizes he'd rather look bad in they eyes of his family and the world, then regret not going and rescuing his best friend, Jim. I love that book so much. He is such a great character!!! Great video, Abbie. It helped a lot❤
I love the plot twists in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff. I don't want to give them away, but I'll try to explain why I love them. There are so many subtle clues and foreshadows for the plot twist in The Kite Runner, but, like you said, "once we know the answer to a puzzle, its clues become more transparent than they really were." In LIFEL1K3, the audience and protagonist is thrown for a loop on what to believe. When we FINALLY think we have the answer, it's suddenly discharged. But both plot twists aren't there for the simply thrill. They're there because they matter the protagonists.
"I see dead people."
Awesome video!!!💗✨ Video idea: A series breaking down Disney movies (desire, fear, misbelief and maybe even story beats)🥰
Well done Abbie. While watching this all I can hear in the background is "Luke, I am your father..."
Aaahh, The plot twist. One of my favorite parts of writing, reading, and watching in stories. It is the writer's mind-blowing magic trick done by way of mystery, mayhem, and misdirection. One obvious plot twist that comes to mind is of course from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father..." However, That is not my favorite. My favorite plot twist is from "Fight Club." "We just lost cabin pressure. Please, return all tray tables in there upright and locked positions."
Here is some Trivia for you. :)
-"There are certain rules one must abide by if they are going to survive a horror movie." Take a guess. :) another hint: "Movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!"
-"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
-"What is the Matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer-generated dream world, designed to keep us in line, in order to turn a living human being into this..."
-"The prophecy was a lie. Just another form of control."
-"Mankind should have been more careful when they decided to externalize memory."
When I hear the words "Plot twist", 47 meters down was always the first come into my mind. That disappointing plot twist! I'm just, I'm just literally mad about it! 😂
Thanks to you my book is taking shape and I actually have a good feeling about this book , thank you for all the great help 💙
I really enjoyed the plot twist in "Sweet Girl" with Jason Momoa.
Part of what I enjoyed is that even though I picked up on many of the clues I couldn't quite put them together, leaving the plot twist still fresh and intriguing when it happened, and making so much sense too.
Really enjoy these videos.
One of the best plot twists I've read is 'Dead Famous' by Ben Elton. It's about a murder but you don't even find out who the victim is until about 3/4 of the way through. There are so many others that come to mind, like 'Fire and Hemlock' (Diana Wynne Jones) where you spend the next few days re-reading the end and trying to work out exactly what happened. Not to mention thriller/ detective books operate like this - you think you know what's going on, you think you've outsmarted the characters and then in the last chapter or so, you get proved wrong. I absolutely LOVE this in a book!
By the way, flipped is a lovely story that I love dearly for very personal reasons and you warmed my heart so much by mentioned it.
Also, I just discovered you and I really like your work.
You seriously have one of the best channels on TH-cam. Thank you so much for this indispensable information, I've been applying many of these concepts to writing music and I've very satisfied with the results. You're awesome, really appreciate the work you do!
The plot twist in Shutter island is one of my favorites (although it was at the end)
It took me a long time to figure out the plot twist for my novel, and I realised I was complicating it. I went back to basics and realises that the perfect twist would be for the protagonist to see the true colours of the man he thought he could trust 😮
i was totally shock at frozen, when hans has been revealed as the villain this whole time, great video it made me see things clearly
I found your channel a couple months ago and It’s been SO helpful! It helped me realize that my story was missing so much! Thank you!
Thanks, Abbie. My novel is beginning to take shape with your videos. You explain it in such detail, I absorb it like a sponge.
Also going to watch Pride and Prejudice now 😁
The first plot twist to make me drop my jaw was the sixth sense. When I watched it a second time you could see all the hints!!
Thank you for being amazing and helping all of us on this amazing journey to write a book, we've always wanted to!
GURL! Your editing is on point! Great video, as usual :P
Love myself a good plot twist. This was a great addition to the first video. The examples were relevant and varied and made me think of other not so obvious yet wonderfully executed plot twists in my favorite books. Thank you.
the two plot twists that killed me:
1. now you see me
2. fractured
I loved the Now You See Me twist!😍
Fractured! Amazing!
Fractured. I called the plot twist then I saw that dog and it messed me up!
@@kelleycanwrite2189 TRUE! THE BIGGER MAGIC ACT! I am very surprised that it was all part of the PLAN😂
Now you see me! Yes!
My favorite plot twist is from SHUTTER ISLANS and the movie ORPHAN..
I've learned more about story writing from you in 24 hours of binging than in all 4 years of high school English omg.
One of the most incredible plot twists I have recently seen is not even a part of a movie or novel, but within the Netflix documentary called Icarus, where an amateur bike racer, Bryan is planning on making a documentary about doping within the sport of cycling and becomes connected with a Russian scientist. This scientist was to help him inject performance enhancing drugs and get around the testing within of a cycling race. He was going to show the benefits of the performance enhancing drugs and the ease to bypass drug testing. It is after the race ended the scientist reveals that he had overseen a top secret doping operation during the Olympics Games in Sochi. This whole documentary completely takes a major twist when the scientist's life becomes at risk after international media starts to draw attention to the possibility of a major Russian doping cover up. The Russian government is doing what ever it takes to cover up any evidence. The scientist is forced to escape Russia fearing for his life as he believes he will be killed as a means of keeping the secret. What started as a sports documentary turned into an international suspense drama within a very pivotal moment. I was stunned as I was not expecting the film to take such a major turn and the fact it was being filmed in real time with real people and not actors made it even more incredible.
More case studies please! Of any story beat! I learn best through example so these are super helpful to me.
Alright, books up 🔫
One by one I'm gonna read y'all stories, got it? I'M TAKING NO QUESTIONS!
NAH AS A MATTER OF FACT HAND THEM OVER, IT'S FOR THE OFFERING!
Awesome profile pic ;)
WritersLifeWednesdays... Writing therapy sessions that actually help. Thanks, Abbie.
Congrats on 150K!!
My gods this series is soo helpful. Currently binge watching all your videos ♥️
I would love if you doing an entire case study on Pride and Prejudice!
I love your content. Thanks for this VDO. Very helpful and insightful.
Of all authors on TH-cam, I enjoy and get more out of yours than anyone else, by far! Thanks for the amazing content !
i love flipped the movie sm, it actually kickstarted a major interest in storytelling in me lol. thats why im watching this video
are you continuing this series? Im currently writing my own fiction book and am in love with this series and its helping me so much! struggling with my ending of my story and cant wait to see what you have on that!!
A Beautiful Mind is one of my most favorite movies of all time. Thank you for using it as an example.
Writing a comic book. Stumbled upon your videos and I'm very happy that I did! It's completely changed in a really positive way! Thank you so much!
Abbie, you are the best! You have inspired me so much to chase after my dreams of becoming an author. Also, please please please do an entire case study on FLIPPED!!
ROCK ON!!!!
Thank you for these examples. Also - I absolutely love Flipped. Love it. And the movie is so good.
I would love to watch you do an entire case study on P&P!!! That would be AMAZING!!!
I saw Beautiful Mind in the theater and felt a bit cheated. I remember thinking, “Wait, that’s it? He just has a psychological disorder?” I must have had higher expectations 😋 It reminded me of Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman going in and out of reality and daydreams. Biggest plot twist I read was Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban! My jaw literally hung open as I read about Lupin’s backstory! Murder on the Orient Express (movie...haven’t read the book yet!) Pretty much anything Tarantino is guaranteed to give you a great unexpected plot twist.
When I saw Flipped, I just screamed!!!!!
Of everything I’ve learned about writing, and after writing 2 novels, you have taught me exactly where I’ve been going wrong and why I can’t hook an agent. Thanks so much - my 3rd novel will kick ass thanks to you 😄
The Prestige! I had to immediately watch it again the first time i saw it. And every time I watch it again I discover another "subtle clue" / red herring that makes me go "HOW??? Right under my nose the whole time!"
You're so good, you deserve more views and subscribers.
Well, I just figured out my midpoint and subsequently my disaster thanks to this video! Thank you for another awesome video!
Was binging your videos and this popped up yayyyyyy
damn, I was just struggling with this 😭 Thank you Abbie!!!
One of my favourite final twists (not exactly the point of this video, I know) is the last sentence of Pierre Boulle's original Planet of the Apes novel, which ends with "...and powdered her cute little chimpanzee muzzle." Thus it's revealed that the astronauts viewing the historical files were not humans from the future as the reader assumed, but in fact apes.
While that worked extremely well in the novel, I'm very glad they completely re-wrote everything for the film, giving us the iconic Statue of Liberty in the sand scene that was so much more visually and emotionally compelling.
A close second favourite is the closing statement "And then the lights went out. All over the world." Here I must admit that I've forgotten everything else about that story or book, even the author and title. Only that bit stuck in my head. (And now that I think about it, there was a poster advertising "Eartha Tilt and her fabulous globes" or something like that.) By any chance, could someone help me out?
So, the midpoint plot twist is: your character's misbelief being proven wrong or test. I'm I right?
I think we could argue that in "a beautiful mind" his misbelief might have been strengthened a bit by the plot twist. But I think you are right in that the misbelief gets addressed by the twist and forces the character to face it and either recognize it and overcome it, or succumb to it.
Nicely done. Great examples. I'll hav to view "Flipped."
I liked your music choices, esp. near the end when you summarize for us.
The Sixth Sense.
@@larryallen9631: Are you saying that's the music?
The movie 'Book of Eli' - total plot twist! Incredible.
I love how passionate you are
You save my writing life.
"A Beautiful Mind" is a BEAUTIFUL example! 😀
This video was so helpful
Just like your other videos
Great video. Very informative. Would you consider making a video on Prologue? If they are necessary or not?
I subscribed to this channel for story tips and *movie recommendations*
Fav Plot Twists:
The Others
Lucky Number Slevin
Primal Fear
Mindhunters (2004 movie)
PS I Love You
Running Scared
Saw (First installment)
The Prestige
The Cabin in the Woods
The Departed
There are just soooo many good twists (of course entirely subjective lol)
Shutter island is probably my favourite for twists - one after the other. It's awesome.
Amazing video, thankyou so much. I know you've only used films in your examples so that they're more visually interesting, but, films is where it's much easier to show the red herrings without the audience seeing them. Books are much much harder to do that with. So it would have been great if you showed some book examples too.
Oooo my gosh...I thought I was the only one....I am in lovee with Flipped!
I recommend the movie "Fractured". The amount of plot twists in that movie is INSANE. Whenever you think you know exactly what's gonna happen, YOU DON'T. I think you'd kinda have fun analyzing it like this.
My favourite plot twist? There are many but the most recent one is the mid act plot twist in Promising Young Woman. Big game changer. (no spoiler here) Another one - rebecca - when she realises that Max never loved Rebecca. He tells her that, and that he murdered her, so it's a big revelation and it's very revealing of their less than open relation ship and how and why he is so closed up. Yes,Shutter island, and a beautiful mind, and The Others, although that seems to be at the end.
Please write a book about story science, like save the cat, I need all of these youtube videos in one place
Interstellar is my favourite movie of the last 10 years, and it has a few good twists. I think the twistiest movie of all time was Wild Things.
1st comment
and first time I did this and great video
I also damn love Flipped! Madeline Carroll even replied to my tweet about my admiration to her character in the film. just sharing
Makes them all the more I interesting to Read and watch again 👏
I just don't get why people would dislike this video... I am a new subscriber!!! Thank you so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Wendelin Van Draanen? Wow! My sister would be thrilled right now. She devoured the Sammy Keyes series when she was young. Wendelin Van Draanen is one of her favorite authors. I wonder if she’s read Flipped.
Just curious, did you intend to chose four examples where the plot twist was the protagonist learning or realizing something? Great plot twists can also happen when something unexpected happens, like when seemingly minor character makes a move that derails everyone else's plans but that flowed with the logic of the story.
I like how you explain 😊
You are absolutely right about "A Beautiful Mind" having a great plot twist but that one scene with the baby in the bathtub has ruined any chance of me ever rewatching this film.
I have a question, is having more than 1 plot twist at the same time bad? For my story to go forward I need 3 plot twists in this order:
A: The main character makes a realization that makes them change their goal
B: The villain gets what they want causing disruption between the characters
C: A secondary character turns out to have a hidden identity
All the tiwsts are foreshadowed and tied in a cause and effect line, but is it too much?
can you please talk more about red herring??
My favorite plot twist from the movie called Shutter Island.
My favorite plot twists are some fr Harry Potter, it has a lot (spoiler: Sirius, Snape, Dumbledore, Snape again, the last horcrux, etc.) and of course "I am your father".
And one that may not be as much of a plot twist, but it's in TLOTR, when (spoiler!) Frodo sets to Valinor instead of remaining in The Middle Earth.
Very interesting video. All of them are.