Reverse Storytelling: Start with the Ending, Then Work Backward

What if the story starts at the twist? This 'Writing for Fun Friday,' we're playing with backwards narratives.

Some of the best stories don’t start at the beginning. They drop you right into the moment of impact—the body on the floor, the wedding that never happens, the last breath of a dying star. Then, piece by piece, they reveal how it all unraveled.

Writing a story in reverse forces you to think differently. It’s not just about what happens, but why—and how every choice, every action, led to this inevitable moment. Done well, it hooks the reader immediately and makes them desperate to know more.

Quick Tips for Writing in Reverse:

• Start with the twist. The first line should feel like an ending.

• Work backward in logical steps. Each sentence should reveal something new.

• Make every reveal feel inevitable. The ending should feel both surprising and unavoidable.

Example:

She tightened the last screw on the casket lid.

An hour earlier, he had begged. Apologized. Promised this time would be different.
Before that, she had stood in the kitchen, staring at the bruises on her wrist.
The morning had started like any other—coffee brewing, sun streaming in. She almost believed she was safe.

Your Challenge: Write a 100-word story where the first sentence is actually the ending, and everything that follows explains how it happened.

🔒 Full subscribers: Let’s break down why reverse storytelling works and how to master this technique in longer fiction.