Plot Twist Story Prompts: Start Packing

Plot twist story prompts aren't meant for the beginning or the end of stories. Rather, they're for forcing big and small turns in the anticipated trajectory of a story. This is to make it more interesting for the readers and writers alike.

Each week, I'll provide a new prompt to help twist your story. Find last week's prompt, Eavesdropping, here.

For today's prompt, have your characters start packing. In this instance, I'm not talking about carrying a gun or any other sort of weapon (though I suppose that's one interpretation of this prompt). Rather, I'm thinking of a moment in the story when a character is forced to start packing some or all of their belongings.

(5 Ways to Seize the Moment With Sensory Detail in Action Scenes.)

One cause could be foreclosure or being kicked out of their parents' house. Or perhaps, the character has decided they've had it and are going to move out. Of course, it doesn't have to be negative; the reason to start packing could be a great opportunity that just opened up, whether a job, romance, or other adventure.

There are other reasons characters may have to "start packing" immediately that could include an army or other destructive force (hurricane, fires, or zombies) moving across the land. This plot twist prompt gives your characters a chance to prioritize what's most important, what can be left behind, and how they handle the stress of having to choose.

So have your characters start packing and see what happens next.

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Have you hit a wall on your work-in-progress? Maybe you know where you want your characters to end up, but don’t know how to get them there. Or, the story feels a little stale but you still believe in it. Adding a plot twist might be just the solution.

Click to continue.