Novelists: 4 Ways to Shock your Readers

As a thriller writer, I always aim to surprise in my writing. I work on plot twists, red herrings, and unreliable narration. This week, I’ve been thinking of ways to really ‘shock’ your readers, for that mega impact in a story that gets them talking!

Be brave with your themes

There are a lot of common tropes in books, and this isn’t a bad thing at all. Many readers are drawn to familiar tropes that they know they enjoy. However, if you want your story to stand out, you need to be brave with your themes so that you still make an impact. Don’t be afraid. Just be sure you don’t shock for the sake of it – it has to make sense in the context of your story.

Kill off a favourite

Think A Song of Ice and Fire – you find yourself really rooting for a character, expecting them to triumph, only for them to be killed off. This can really ramp up the tension in your story, and leave readers fearing for their other loved characters. Again, be sure this adds to the story and has a purpose – otherwise you will just annoy your readers.

Have your protagonist fail

A story includes all sorts of wins and fails. That is inevitable. Your protagonist is on a journey after all, and if it were a smooth ride it would be boring. But having your protagonist fail at a hurdle reader’s thought they’d succeed at can be a great way to surprise the reader and leave them wondering how it will all turn around for the lead character.

Shock yourself

Stuck on a major plot point in my current work in progress, I sat down with pen and paper and thought about what would shock me as the writer. And although it meant some of my favourite characters becoming less favourable, and some my least favourite more likely to succeed, it made so much sense and left me excited to keep writing.

I hope this has been of some help. Share your thoughts on the matter in the comments below.

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