: Re: How to decide if a plot twist worth doing? There's a major piece of information in my story, which I could either make tell right away - or else keep it a secret, and use it as a plot

@Kevin153

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If any of the viewpoint characters know the brothers' identities, this won't work as a plot twist. It might work if you use viewpoint characters who are not privy to the information.

In general, a revelation makes good plot twist only if it surprises the current viewpoint character. That is, the reader learns the information at the same moment when the viewpoint character learns it.

If it's a revelation only to the reader, and if the viewpoint character already knows the thing that's being revealed, that's not a plot twist. That's an authorial swindle. That's you (the writer) playing unfair with the reader. Readers get very annoyed at that.

But if a character is shocked and surprised by some revelation, that's characters playing unfair with each other. And that's delightful.

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