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Offers two steps and a three-part test for creating the kind of story surprises that will have readers applauding.

Historical and speculative novelist K.M. Weiland offers tips and essays about the writing life to help other writers understand the ins and outs of the craft and the psychology behind the inspiration.

Intro music by Kevin MacLeod: http://incompetech.com/

Video Transcript: We want to give readers everything they're hoping for when they pick up our stories. Somewhat contradictorily, one of the things they're hoping for is to be shocked. Readers love it when authors surprise them in good ways. Backbones straighten up, mouths fall open, breaths get sucked in, heart rates speed up. It's awesome! As a writer, the very thought of it makes me want to give a very satisfied evil chuckle.

The thing about surprises, however, is that they're kinda tricky to pull off—much less pull off well. Our first requirement in giving our readers a nice, healthy little shock is figuring out how to surprise them. The best way I know of to do this is to grab a piece of paper, sit down, write "Things the Reader Won't Expect" at the top, and then start brainstorming. Write down any and every idea—no matter how stupid or implausible some of them may initially seem. Readers won't expect your hero to turn into the bad guy. Readers won't expect him to run away to the circus. Readers won't expect him to eat a live grasshopper. Who knows? One of these could completely transform your story.

Once you have a nice healthy list with some ideas that are already tickling your imagination and urging further exploration, your next assignment is to make certain the items on your list can pass a final test. In order for something unexpected to not just be a shock to readers, but a good shock, it has to make sense. It has to arise from your characters' established personalities and, particularly, their motives. You can't turn your hero into the bad guy or send him running off to become a circus clown unless 1) it advances the plot, 2) it contributes to conflict and theme, and 3) it is absolutely plausible within the rules you've defined for both the story as a whole and your character in particular. If your unexpected event passes this three-part test, then feel free to start your evil chuckling any time you like.