Situational Irony Can Be Funny, Tragic or Even Terrifying

Good writers often develop a kind of sixth sense for situational irony. Indeed, the ironic perspective can be a major asset for storytelling.

Recall that our situational irony definition involved circumstances that appear to be the opposite of what the reader might have expected. Knowing when to anticipate the expectations of an audience — and exploiting the difference between what they assume will happen and what actually will happen — can make all the difference in storytelling.

As an exercise, see if you can recognize some common examples of situational irony in your own life. You’ll probably be surprised at how often this occurs.

Then, try to extrapolate from this, starting at the level of a short story. When you are wondering where the plot should go next, consider what might be expected, then imagine what the opposite would be.