Overheard a guy at the library say plot twists are just lazy writing

Got me thinking about my book club's last debate where we couldn't agree if the ending was clever or a cop out, anyone else's group split down the middle on this stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

nathan8517d ago

Dude, "plot twists are just lazy writing"? That's NUTS to me. I can totally see a book club splitting right down the middle on this because it's all about HOW the twist lands. If it comes out of nowhere with no setup, yeah that's lazy and feels like the author cheated. But a GOOD twist, one where you look back and see all the clues you missed, that's the OPPOSITE of lazy. That takes skill to weave into the story without making it obvious. Your club probably had people who hated feeling tricked and other people who loved the surprise. It's the difference between being bamboozled and being delighted, and that line is REAL thin.

reese_bell6d ago

Oh, is that guy for real? I mean, I get where he's coming from a little bit, but that just seems way too harsh. My book club actually had the exact same fight a few months back over this thriller we read. Half of us were like, "that twist was brilliant, it totally made the whole book click into place," and the other half were so mad they felt cheated and said the author just threw it in at the last minute. It got pretty heated, honestly, people were almost yelling about it. I think it really comes down to whether you're the kind of person who loves being surprised or the kind who hates feeling like the rug got pulled out from under you. It's a real fine line between a smart reveal and a total cheat, that's for sure.

the_mia4d ago

Reese, that book club argument is completely relatable. I was in a similar standoff a few years ago over a mystery novel and we nearly came to blows, or at least passive aggressive emails. I think the worst part was realizing halfway through the shouting that I had forgotten to finish the last three chapters, so I had no real standing in the fight. It really does come down to trusting the author to earn that big reveal, and my track record with finishing books on time is not great.