I've talked about writing twist endings before. In fact, I've used that exact GIF, and I will use it whenever possible.
To recap, here's a paraphrase of what James Scott Bell says about writing twist endings in his book Plot & Structure:
As you near the end of your story, quickly write down 10 alternative endings to the one you probably have in mind.
After a day or two, cull the list. Keep the top 4, but add complexity.
Choose which one would make the best twist.
Go back through your story and plant clues about the twist ending here and there.
This month, I'm reading The Structure of Story by Ross Hartmann, who also has something to say on writing twists.
His advice is pretty similar: figure out the truth, then the false reality, then plant clues. However, he has a list of questions that might help when you're trying to add complexity to your possible twist endings.
Who do we want the audience to think is the real villain?
What do we want the audience to think is the true relationship between characters?
What do we want the audience to think about the identity of the character?
What do we want the audience to think is the plan or strategy?
Furthermore, Hartmann says:
To create the false reality, consider what evidence would need to be provided to the audience in order for them to make an assumption or adopt a belief.
In The Sixth Sense, what makes the audience think Bruce Willis is alive? What evidence are we given to help us adopt that false belief?
False evidence begins early. We see Bruce Willis get shot. But in the next scene, he's sitting on a bench, months later. Assumption: he's healed. We assume this long before we're told there are dead people in the movie.
We see Bruce Willis interacting with objects: he writes in his notebook; he uses his tape recorder. Assumption: he's a physical presence.
We see Bruce Willis sitting across from Toni Collette, making us assume that the two have just been conversing.
We see Bruce Willis talking to his wife, and although she doesn't talk back, her actions make it appear that she's nonverbally responding.
These things are more fuel our false belief that the movie is about a psychiatrist trying to help a young man adapt to his sixth sense. The assumption is that the psychiatrist is the authority figure and the boy is the only figure being helped.
The truth is that it's about a psychiatrist who needs to adapt to being dead. The boy, being the one who can communicate with the dead, is the actual authority, and the psychiatrist is also in need of help.
Rewatch your favorite movie or re-read your favorite book with a twist, but this time, ask yourself what evidence is being presented to the audience, and what false assumptions you are being prompted to make. What do you learn?
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