Predictability may keep us feeling safe and certain in real life. But it’s fatal in story. You never want the reader to see what’s coming next. You want to keep readers guessing.
A great story is unpredictable. Once the reader can predict how the plot will unfold, when there’s nothing to wonder about, worry about, guess or infer, there’s no reason to read any further.
So you want to stay one step ahead of your reader, and in most cases, one step ahead of your characters.
You know what’s going to happen to your characters. You know what the outcome of the story will be. But your characters don’t, and neither do your readers. Or at least, they shouldn’t know.
So in this episode, I’m going to give you 4 ways to create and sustain uncertainty in your story to keep readers guessing.
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Episode at a glance:
[03:43] Character Worry
When your protagonist doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, or worries about what might happen next – when there’s a perceived possibility of physical or emotional danger, they’re going to feel anxious and worried. And and so will your reader.
[08:37] Character Unpredictability
Story is about a character in crisis. When characters act out of character due to the circumstances they’re up against, it creates tension. That moral dilemma pushes your character to do things they may regret later.
[10:51] Uncertainty in the Plot
The reader doesn’t want to see every plot twist and turn coming. You always want to stay ahead of the reader. You always know what’s coming next. You know whether your protagonist will get what he or she wants by the end or not. You know whether they’ll get the desired outcome at the end of each scene, but your character does not. Both character and reader should be in a state of uncertainty at all times.
[13:40] The Antagonist
The opponent is a powerful way to create uncertainty for both character and reader. Learn the different types of antagonists, and how they create unpredictability.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Episode 207: 5 Questions To Nail Down Your Central Story Idea
My Absolute Darling: A Novel by Gabriel Tallent
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
A Father’s Story (Winter Father and Other Stories by Andre Dubus
Today Will Be A Quiet Day: Collected Stories by Amy Hempel
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