Plot Twist Story Prompts: The Old Acquaintance

Memorable stories often have a great opening. They also usually have killer endings. But there aren't many great stories that get from point "once upon a time" to point "the end" without a good unexpected twist or three (or many more). 

So I'm starting a new series of prompts that are focused specifically on plot twists. We'll shoot for a new one every Thursday morning.

These prompts can be a starting place for a story, sure, but I think they might be even more fun if you throw them into an already existing story. If you need a place to start, use one of these 25 ways to start a story. Then, throw in a twist.

For today's prompt, have an old acquaintance emerge. Maybe the acquaintance was a good friend of the protagonist. Or maybe he or she was an ex-lover. They could have parted amicably, in anger, or under a cloud of mystery.

The cool thing about the old acquaintance twist is that the protagonist, antagonist, or secondary character has ample opportunity to reveal a different side of their character with their past literally standing by them. While the acquaintance can be interesting on their own, it's often what they reveal about the other character's growth or lack thereof that is fun for story development.

This is a great opportunity to interview your characters and ask what secrets they're hiding in their pasts. Who would they most like to cross paths with again? Who would they most like to avoid?

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