Plot Twist Story Prompts: Not Enough

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, Blackmail, here.

For today's prompt, have a character's strength not be enough. If they're supposed to be the strongest person there ever was, take that advantage away. If they're supposed to be the smartest, deny them that power.

(The Power of Theme.)

There are a few ways a character can lose their advantage. The first is that you counter it with someone or something that's stronger. For instance, the world's strongest person learns that there is someone stronger (either from the same world or a different one). The world's most clever person learns there is someone or something (perhaps AI?) that's craftier.

Another option is to have something introduced that literally takes away the power. A good example would be kryptonite's impact on Superman. But a quick-witted person may find their powers drained when they drain several pints of alcohol or some other drug.

The real strength of this plot twist is that it forces your character into unknown territory. Their identity is probably built around their core strength, so what happens to them when that's not enough anymore? Do they rise to the occasion? Crumble under pressure? Lash out? That's what you get to discover with them.

So have a character's strength not be enough, and see what happens next.

*****

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.