Another plot twist could be a sudden change in the setting. Suppose it's a story set in a small, idyllic town. All of a sudden, it's revealed that the town is actually an experimental site for a mad scientist, and the people are all part of his experiment. This completely changes the tone and direction of the story.
A character's identity can be a great source of plot twist. For instance, a girl who has been living as an orphan discovers that she is actually a princess from a far - off land. This revelation not only changes her life but also the entire narrative of the story as she has to deal with new responsibilities and a different world view.
One idea could be that the character who seems to be the hero is actually the villain all along. For example, in a story about a detective solving a crime, it turns out that the detective was the one who set up the crime in the first place to gain fame.
A time - related plot twist can be interesting. For example, a character believes they have been living in the present day but then discovers they are actually in a post - apocalyptic future where time has been distorted. This forces them to re - evaluate everything they thought they knew.
One idea could be that the seemingly innocent child character is actually the one causing all the horror. They have some sort of dark power that they are using to torment the adults around them. For example, they make people see their worst nightmares come to life.
A woman moves into a new apartment. Strange things start to happen like objects moving on their own. She believes it's a ghost. But it turns out that her ex - boyfriend has installed hidden cameras and is remotely moving things to make her think she's haunted. He's obsessed with her and wants to drive her crazy. This adds a more human - made horror element rather than the supernatural at first glance.
Surprise is key. For example, in 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. At first, it seems like a normal small - town lottery. But then it turns out the 'winner' is actually going to be stoned to death. The sudden shift from a seemingly positive event to a horrific one is what makes it a great plot twist.
Maybe there's a magical object hidden among the beggars' possessions. And as the characters in the fanfiction start to discover its powers, it leads to a race between different groups within the banquet setting. For example, some might want to use it for good, while others for evil.
You could write about a man who inherits an antique mirror from his deceased grandmother. When he hangs it in his bedroom, he notices that there are strange reflections in it at night. The reflection shows a different version of his room, with dark, shadowy figures moving around. As he stares into the mirror more often, he starts to feel a presence trying to reach out from the other side, and he realizes that the mirror might be a portal to a haunted dimension.
One interesting one is about a couple camping in the woods. They hear howls all night. In the morning, they find a huge paw print. They decide to leave but get lost. As night falls again, they see a pair of glowing eyes. Just as they think it's a wild animal, a ranger comes out. But then the ranger's face twists and he says 'I'm the real danger here'.
The element of surprise. When you read a story and suddenly something completely unexpected happens, it catches your attention. For example, in 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant. A woman borrows what she thinks is an expensive necklace, loses it, and spends years in poverty trying to replace it. Only to find out at the end that the original necklace was a fake. This sudden revelation makes the story very appealing.
They often play with our emotions. We might be feeling sympathy for a character, and then the plot twist changes everything. It makes us re - evaluate how we felt about the whole story. In a good scary plot twist story, the author builds up a certain mood and then shatters it with the twist, like in 'The Monkey's Paw' where the wishes turn out horribly wrong.
One is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. At first, it seems like a normal small - town lottery event. But the plot twist is that the 'winner' of the lottery is actually stoned to death as a sacrifice. It's a very dark and unexpected turn.