Mastering Plot Twists: How to Use Suspense, Targeted Storytelling Strategies, and Structure to Captivate Your Readers

by Jane K. Cleland, Donald Maass (Foreword)

"...A unique and absolutely invaluable toolbox for any author..." ~Kate White, New York Times best-selling author and former editor-in-chief of CosmopolitanUnlock the secrets to superior plot twists! The key to keeping people on the edge of their seat--from memoirs to thrillers and stage plays to screenplays--is filling your stories with unexpected twists and turns. By integrating Plot Twists, Plot Reversals, and Moments of Heightened Danger (TRDs) at crucial points, you can captivate your readers with I-can't-wait-to-see-what-happens-next intrigue. The quicker pace and focused action that comes from strategically placed twists form the core of the nuanced, multifaceted books that sell--and that help you find a devoted readership. In Mastering Plot Twists, Agatha Award-winning author, Jane K. Cleland goes beyond telling writers what to do; she shows you how to do it. Within these pages, you'll    • A proven, five-step process for using TRDs, with detailed examples from best-selling books   • A deep dive into plotting, structure, pacing, subplots, and more to help you develop surprising yet inevitable twists.   • "Jane's Plotting Roadmap" and worksheets--essential tools for planning your plotBuilding on the award-winning instruction provided in Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot, Cleland's newest guide will help you create effective and credible twists, creating the kind of stories that will keep your readers up long into the night. "...A master class in crafting plots that twist and turn..." ~Hallie Ephron, New York Times best-selling author of You'll Never Know, Dear

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Crafts, How To

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Jane K. Cleland writes the multiple award-winning and bestselling Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries. Her short stories are published by Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. She’s also written the bestselling and Agatha Award-winning how-to books, Mastering Plot Twists and Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot , both from Writer’s Digest Books.

Her latest release is the craft of writing book, Beat the Bots: A Writer's Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Age of AI from Regalo Press.

In addition, Jane presents a free monthly webinar series on the craft of writing as well as the Mystery Mastermind series—her small-group virtual writing workshops. She is also a Contributing Editor for Writer’s Digest Magazine, chairs the Wolfe Pack’s Black Orchid Novella Award, in partnership with AHMM, and is the Vice President of the Florida chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

Jane has an MFA (in professional and creative writing) and an MBA (in marketing and management). Jane is a lecturer at Lehman College where she is also the director of the Program for Professional Communications, and a frequent workshop facilitator and guest author at writing conferences and university programs.

For more on Jane, visit www.janecleland.com.

Reviews

[Samantha Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of examples. (maybe too many?) Could have used a bit more instruction, but overall informative. Presented in a straight forward, easy to follow manner.

ARC received for an unbiased review.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mastering Plot Twists pulls back the curtain on how the writing process works.

Excellent manual on plotting, character motivation and including the unexpected within your writing. Each chapter includes a brief lesson, a multitude of examples, and exercises for the reader to apply the knowledge to their own works. There are also two case studies or stories, which the author uses to illustrate her points. Not only are the case studies from different genres—political thriller and middle grade fantasy—so are the examples making this a useful book for any author. Each chapter concludes with a brief summary of its takeaways. The two tools provided, the TRD (twist, reversal and danger) Development Checklist and the ICE (intrigue, credible and evidence) assessment model will show the underlying skeleton of any book. Jane’s Plotting Road Map will shorten the overwhelming process of writing into manageable chunks.

While marketed to writers, Mastering Plot Twists is an excellent resource for readers and reviewers interested in the mechanics of writing. For both aspiring and experienced writers, there are many tips and tricks to be found here. 4 stars!

Thanks to Writer’s Digest and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot twists and suspense are ideas I've always associated with thrillers and mysteries, not the kinds of romance stories I write. This book showed me that isn't necessarily the case. Any story can benefit from plot twists to increase reader engagement and immersion.

The information in this book is laid out in a three-pronged approach that makes it very easy to digest. First, the whys and hows of pacing, character motivations, and plotting are represented theoretically. Next, the information is examined through examples (both of published works and several stories the author develops during the course of the book). Finally, the reader is encouraged to apply the exercises to their own story.

Overall, this is an actionable craft book with a conversational writing style that is easy to read. While every writer needs to find their own path in using the information presented, there is enough of value here to make it very worthwhile.

[Nev March · Rating 4 out of 5]

An immensely useful book, despite some flaws. Too many instances where one example interrupts the flow of another. Could be fixed in future editions with better formatting.

The examples of TRDs twists, reversals and moments of heightened danger were very well done. Building a fuller understanding of the theme and character motivations helps build out a logical plot and interesting sub plots. And the final chapter on different endings offered many examples from notable books. In fact Cleland’s analysis of different books is one of the unexpected delights of this one.

Even if you do not follow the regimen of planting plot twists with planned periodicity ( I don’t) this book deepens your understanding of the characters and helps build a meaningful Plot.

A must- have for the serious writer of category fiction.

[✨ tweety ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved writing but I've had a hard time finishing anything I plan to write. This is why I was looking for a book that would help me plan ahead and let my creativity flourish until my story would be over, and I was glad I could read this book.

This is not the first guide about writing that I've read. I honestly don't think that guides can help much because to write you not only need to have original ideas (or ideas in general) but you also need to be constant. Being constant is one of the most important things when you decide to write a book - whether it's for your own pleasure or for publication. What I think this book had that others didn't is probably the way the author explains each point and proves it with examples from best-selling books and some excerpts written to explain the purpose of each chapter. Besides the example, there are grinds where you can practice what the author just tried to help you with your story et all.

The book is divided in chapters and in every chapter the author discusses characters, storyline and how to help you produce good material. I liked that there was a logic behind the explanations and while I was reading I jotted down some of the tips the author suggested to craft my own book. I don't know if it will ever be written, but at least I learnt new things that would help me improve.

[Kate Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource book full of clear well written advice and guidance for writers, whilst also educating Readers/Reviewers like myself. I am now much more aware of the skills of writers using plot twists and of more aspects of character development, I have a better understanding of genre differences, and of genre overlaps.
A book to dip in and out of.
A book to recommend to writers, writers writing about writers, and anyone with an interest in the craft of writing.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I found a lot of really helpful stuff in here and it led me to actively work on specific stuff with the novel I’m currently plotting. I will refer back to certain teachings with each novel I plot. Like her other book, Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot, I skimmed some parts and found some techniques poorly explained, but overall I did find this one a lot more helpful.

[Thomas Edmund · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess my expectation of this book was a thorough analysis of plot twists and how to do a good shocker - Cleland has a slightly different take, considering 'twists' to be story beats with changes in tension. So in many respects Mastering Plot Twists is more a general book on writing with more more focus on tension changes than other areas. Which in itself is no major problem, but could be disappointing for those after an intense focus on TWISTS.

Probably the strongest part of the book is the pre-plotting part in which Cleland describes useful planning techniques to setup good tension, rather than just attacking a project and expecting to be able to switch the tensions up as is.

To the books detriment the analysis and breakdowns do get a little dry and list-heavy, examples from literature are always useful in books on writing, but the balance between keeping up interest and dry analysis was a little skewed in Mastering Plot Twists.

[Nicholas Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb, practical analysis of what comprises tension and suspense and then where to drop it in your tale to subvert reader expectations.

I was attracted to this due to a dismissive review that said it was too formulaic - I heartily disagree. It covers pacing and plots and subplots very well and there are plenty of worked examples as well as "workbook sections" for you to apply the theory yourself.

The book also provides examples of how to apply the techniques to all sorta of writing (e.g. writing a memoir is covered alongside a fantasy novel and a political intrigue)

[Rosemary Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a lot longer to complete this book because of the way the content was presented. I didn't feel as engaged as I usually feel when reading craft books. I felt there were too many examples of books with excerpts that highlighted the author's points, but I would have preferred fewer examples and more of the author's opinion on the matter. However, the book is great for writers to navigate how to create plot twists in their novels when they need an example of books to read on further.

[Nic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read through page 55 of 230. I suspect there's accurate information there, but I didn't find the writing style very accessible.

[Davy Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being overly formulaic and prescriptivist, I do think this is a wonderful resource that a newbie writer, or one struggling to piece together a novel they are truly proud of, can use to develop their perspective on writing large, coherent narratives. While I don't believe this craft book should be followed to the letter for a writer's "real novel," it is excellent at deconstructing other books and in practicing your skills.

Additionally, the final checklist does have utility later on. The TRD/ICE system is iffy, but the final checklist is a series of questions that you should ask yourself about every scene or plot thread. These questions are insightful and can help you determine when your narrative is lagging or needs extra oomph (or if it's even believable).

I largely view this craft book as education on the fundamentals. Utilize it to learn, and then apply its lessons to how you approach future writing.

[Shhhh... Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, this book isn't perfect and it's mainly focused on mystery (missing the boat completely with fantasy at times. Like, for any "wider lens" twist, all you have to do is pick up a Brandon Sanderson novel or any novel with a frame story). BUT.

but. I actually know the damn ending of my book now. And it was by doing one of Jane's exercises that I figured it out So, yes, 5 f---ing stars, tying unexpected ideas I'd had in the past together in a bow. Thus, I'd say that in my case, this guide was worth every penny.

More broadly, others have said this book really isn't a book about "plot twists" and I do think the characterization of twist in TRDS (twist, reversal, heightened danger) as "not a full reversal but something unexpected" is a bit ... not quite right, but that being said, I think this is one of the best writing books I've ever read on pacing as its primary focus. And unlike so many other writing books, it really took me in new directions of thought, so for that alone, I highly highly recommend.

[Christine Gonos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart and extremely helpful.

[Amy Reade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book immediately after I finished the author's book entitled "Mastering Suspense Structure and Plot." Though this book is good, it doesn't rise to the masterful level of the first book. The examples were abundant, but I did find myself wishing there were more examples of straight mysteries. There were plenty of thriller examples and examples from the author's own books, but I could have used more examples from other subgenres of mystery (and in particular, traditional mysteries). I will very likely refer to this book in the future, though I don't think it will be as well-worn as "Mastering Suspense Structure and Plot." I would recommend this book to anyone having issues with writing plot twists and new writers of suspense.

[Sarah W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I confess: I have dreams of writing a novel one day. Will I ever actually accomplish this? There's no real way of knowing, but this book is incredibly informative of the structures and devices many writers utilize to craft stories. As an avid reader, reading a book like this is a little jarring, as plots are unpacked, analyzed, tweaked, and reordered like something akin to a mathematical formula. I've rarely known of the writing process to be discussed like this, but it's also clear and logical. This book is makes for a great read for aspiring writers and those interested in the writing process.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 70% of this book was great. The author uses a different lens than I've seen used before to talk about plot twists, reversals, and danger in fiction. She also provides really in depth examples. My biggest takeaway was the strategy of understanding readers' perceptions and assumptions and using those to create surprising plot elements. I liked the content on TRDs (twists, reversals, and danger) as well. The end of the book dragged for me, though and went into far more detail than was useful for me.

I also have to add that I hated how this ebook was formatted. Obviously, this is not a reflection of the author, but there are so many charts and graphs (so many! Probably 1/3or more of of the content) with itty bitty type size. This may be different on other retailers' platforms, but Kindle doesn't have a very functional way of increasing the type size within these charts on their ereader. You can, I found, do a long press to zoom, which sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. Of often have to try 3 or 4 times to get it to work. Then once you've zoomed in, you've got to click back and forth to get to the beginning and end of the lines, which is a slow, clunky, and tedious process. Unfortunately, this really negatively affected my reading experience. I'd suggest sticking to print if you want to read this book.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

The funniest and, yet, most unfortunate aspect of this book is that it is full of iced turds. Well, ICEd TRDs is more accurate. You'll see. Many of the recommendations are pedestrian and easily skimmed. However, this book does contain many hidden gems which make it well worth purchasing for that growing writing craft shelf (or is it shelves by now?). I'm an Underliner, and, having read this book, it's filled with lots of underlining. So. Notwithstanding the cringeworthy acronyms and ho-hum advice, there are some interesting insights here.

[Megan Arendt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

She didn't start actually discussing plot twists until halfway through the book! And it was mostly obvious stuff. You can skip the first half and read "Goal Motivation and Conflict" instead.

[Diane Wordsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love the amount of information in this book. There are lots of good suggestions I'll certainly be trying out. I wish the author's earlier book on a similar topic was available as an ebook in the UK so I could read that one too.

Unfortunately I struggled to reach the end of this book properly as the formatting was all over the place and got quite confusing in places. I tried it on both the Kindle Fire and the Kindle Paperwhite, and things like tables, page numbers, headings, pull quotes, etc, were randomly scattered.

It's not in my nature to give a poor star rating to a book I've not actually finished reading, and certainly not when the actual writing is so good. Therefore, my review will remain only on NetGalley on this occasion and won't be shared anywhere else.

Thanks for letting me see this book.

[Juli Rahel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing keeps me more engaged with a novel than the slow, creeping sense that something drastic is about to happen, something that will change everything I thought I knew. And this isn't just true for suspense novels, but novels in general.

Cleland's 'Mastering Plot Twists' is a great resource for anyone wanting to start writing or stuck in the middle of their writing. I found the advice useful and the worksheets were interesting to engage with as well. Cleland involves a lot of examples, which was really useful for me since I like learning that way. It might not be for everyone however. I also did feel that as a reviewer this helped me gain new insight into plot twists and properly building up to them.

[Christopher Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by this author on the topic of plots. Her books, overall, are excellent and the information is invaluable to writers. It's organized well and diverse. But the original examples she provides are startlingly bad and often cliche to the point of being difficult to take seriously. The inclusion of a middle-grade fantasy was sad; I skimmed it, as I did the thriller example, which was hokey and hard to follow out of a sheer lack of interest. The best examples come from books that have been out for a while and are easily found (and proven successes). Further, some of the material appears in MASTERING SUSPENSE, so that's annoying and frustrating to see it retrod here.

[Alan Kraskow · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took me months to finish this book, even though it has less than 250 pages. I had to force myself to read it. From 32 books I've read so far about writing, this turned out to be one of the weakest on my list. The format was extremely annoying, and it felt like the author was cashing in on ideas presented in her previous book without offering anything fresh. It’s essentially a rehash of concepts fully covered in her first book, with this one just rehashing them without any new insights. The only part remotely worth reading was the afterword—but that alone doesn’t justify a whole book. To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement! The only thing keeping it off the very bottom of my list is that, somehow, there are even worse books I've read about writing.

[Tory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book on the writing craft to be excellent. Jane Cleland is very clear in outlining the basics of plot structure. She doesn’t make it too complicated or too multi faceted for newer writers. She examines the plot structures of books from many genres, to illustrate her techniques and provides worksheets to guide writers as they map out their own plots.

There was another, somewhat intangible, aspect to this craft book that won me over. Cleland exhibits a consistent kindness and confidence in the writers using this book, that I really appreciated. She truly seeks to empower writers in their process, regardless of their goals. She is a master teacher. It really comes through!

[Jo Anders · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Lines: “The stories that keep people on the edge of their seats and up all night, from memoirs to thrillers to literary nonfiction to literary novels, are filled with unexpected twists and turns.” Exactly what I needed.

Voice: Straightforward and encouraging. Perfect tone for learning.

Overall: The first time I read this, I plowed straight through and did not stop to do the exercises. But once I finished it, I started replotting my novel, digging through most of the exercises and rereading the entire book as I went along. Thank you, Jane. I’m working on incorporating my plot twists now.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was probably the most helpful and enjoyable writing book I've so far. It was short and gave plenty of explanations for all the points and then asked you to apply what you learned to your writitng. I have plenty of bigger ideas for novels but have struggled with how to get from one point to another. This book has given me a lot of tools to consider that i think are really going to help me with getting a aolid plot the whole way through. When reading none of the points seem earth shattering, but the explanations and examples really put stuff into perspective for me.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would break down how to set up and execute major twists, but instead, it was more of general, basic tips on how to write a book. There was some good information on building suspense and tension, but not really what I was looking for. The examples felt all over the place, rather than highlighting stories with incredible twists.

Not a bad book, just not what I had been hoping for!

[N. E. Rule · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of good information. A lot of case studies if you like that. This has a lot of images in it and would be a good exercise workbook so it is not ideal to read online - the graphics don't show up great on a smaller screen. I took a lot of notes and wrote out some of the questions in a spreadsheet to use later. Some good takeaways for sure.

[Callie J. Trautmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT!!!! I read this book not expecting it to inspire me to pick up my old manuscripts! Implementing these tips have brought so much "flavor"to my writing. I've read and reread this book, each time slowly so that I can apply the techniques thoughtfully.

[meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good! I would have preferred less examples, and a more in-depth look at plot twists. Sometimes the examples felt a bit too rudimentary. But the material was interestingly written and well explained, and I am curious to try using her plotting method.