Plot Twist Story Prompts: Stuck Together

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, Sudden Death, here.

For today's prompt, make it so that two of your characters are stuck together. Whether it's a romantic comedy or suspenseful thriller, sticking two characters in a situation together can drive the story forward and in new directions.

First, think about which two characters are going to be stuck together. Are they bitter enemies? Are they strangers? Do they seem to get along immediately, or could they be polar opposites? Answering these questions are important for developing the characters and the story.

(Forced Proximity: 50 reasons for your characters to be stuck together.)

Next, think about where they are stuck together. Deserted island? Abandoned mine? Hotel room? As in business, location is an important factor in getting characters stuck together. Of course, it's entirely possible that they're stuck on a moving target—like a cruise ship or train.

What happens next is anyone's guess? Maybe the two characters try to kill each other. Perhaps they learn to work together. And who knows? Maybe they'll even fall in love and save a life (or the world).

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