ann y.k. choi
Toronto-based author and educator
Happy, dark, or ironic – Short stories with a twist
Whether they are happy, dark, or ironic, I love twist endings. I stumbled onto “A Letter to God”, a short story by Gregorio Lopez Fuentes (translated by Donald A. Yates). It is about a poor farmer named Lencho who sadly loses his crops during a terrible hailstorm. Poor, but a man with strong faith, he writes to God and asks for money to help him get through the winter. The ending made me laugh out loud – it was so nutty. You can click on the story title to read it online.
Some of my other favourite short stories with a twist include “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin.
It takes talent and good storytelling to create a twist ending that works. It can’t feel forced or heavy-handed to be effective.
Here are some links you might want to check out:
- Five Ways To End With A Twist (written for screenplays but applicable to all genres)
- Writing Short Stories With A Twist Ending
- Classic Twists (collection of short stories)
ann y.k. choi 
Just read “A Letter to God” – I wasn’t expecting that ending! Thanks for letting me know about the story. It gave me a good chuckle.
Glad you enjoyed the story 🙂
Pingback: These are a few of my favorite things: #13 (The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant) « Ritu’s Weblog
I just read your blog on “The Necklace” – yes, the twist ending is great! (http://ritusthoughtcatcher.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/these-are-a-few-of-my-favorite-things-13-the-necklace-by-guy-de-maupassant/)