Inference creates a mental puzzle for the reader to solve. The reader’s mind will always jump past the immediate and form its own conclusions, based on the information it has been fed. For example:
Sierra was in labor. She had a healthy monkey.
You've seen headlines like this in the Enquirer and other magazines. On the surface, one would assume the following:
A woman had mated with a monkey and got pregnant
She went to the hospital to give birth
Her baby wasn’t a child, it was a monkey
It was a historical event
This event would open new doors to the medical community and scientists
The news media would hound the monkey child throughout its life
Documentaries would undoubtedly be created
A movie would be in the making
Thoughts would flood your mind. Did the woman go on a safari? Was she attacked by a monkey or an ape? Where was her husband? Or was she even married? How will her family accept the monkey baby? Does it have any human characteristics?
Or, you could read it the way I was thinking when I wrote it: Sierra was in labor, and she owned a monkey. Or from another point of view, Sierra IS a monkey and she had a baby. Do you see what inference can do?
Feed the reader bread crumbs and their minds will automatically follow the trail you give them. If you are writing a mystery story, you can mislead the writer and switch to a twisted ending..Use inference in any story by showing what you want to say instead of telling it.
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Have Fun Doing the Twist
Twisting the ending of a story is like putting icing on a cake, a cherry on top of a sundae, or nuts in brownies. It is the ultimate satisfaction.
To twist an ending: First, think about where your story is going. What is the logical ending? Next, think of an alternative ending that will surprise the reader. Now, find a common denominator between the two endings where you can split the story line off in an unsuspecting direction at the last minute.
One good twist is to take the reader back to the beginning scene of the story. This is called the loop effect. Another good technique is to employ irony. Have fun!
