Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is one of the main reasons that authors can pull off the satisfying payoffs that we love reading. Of course, this is not restricted to fiction but for now, that is what we will focus on. Using the different types of foreshadowing detailed below will allow you to pull off these payoffs and leave the readers satisfied. It may not be easy, but once you understand and practice it, you will be surprised at the results. Like this introduction where I just foreshadowed what is to come!

Contents:

Foreshadowing in the Narrative

Foreshadowing Within the Scene

Foreshadowing Tone, Genre and Readership

Conclusion

Foreshadowing in the Narrative:

Arguably the most common form of foreshadowing is that which makes narrative events believable. It is vital to include this throughout the larger plot to make the events grounded in your story and not feel randomly thrown in. 

Almost every event in a story should be foreshadowed in some way, the more influential the event and the closer to the end of the novel it is, the better foreshadowed it should be. This is also the case for subversions and twists. To be clear, it is better to fail at the reveal than at the foreshadowing. Even if the reader expects the twist, they will still get the satisfaction of having predicted the outcome even if your characters do not. If the surprise fails, then the reader will be left feeling cheated and unsatisfied. There are exceptions, particularly near the beginning of the story but the closer to the end you are, the more the events need to be foreshadowed. 

This can be applied to many other parts of storytelling, such as magic systems in fantasy novels. Some criticise fantasy as a genre for having the ability to have magical creatures save the characters but just like any other event in fiction, proper foreshadowing has to make it seem plausible. In romance, this can be applied to the main relationship. Sure, the writer could simply, get them together at the end but if this moment isn’t foreshadowed, then it will be unsatisfying. 

While reading books or watching films, you may ask yourself, ‘why was this ending so great to read? And how did they pull off that twist?’ In almost all cases it is because it was foreshadowed correctly. If you want further proof of this, re-read the novel with your favourite ending and take notes of every place that indicates the actual ending. You will be surprised.

Foreshadowing Within the Scene:

Foreshadowing isn’t just important within the larger narrative, it is vital for individual scenes too, particularly ones that involve a lot of action or dialogue. Describing the setting throughout can distract from the subject of the conversation or the beats of a fight. 

Within a fight or action sequence, describing the room before the action allows you to foreshadow objects that may be used in the fight. These may be the tools that are used to win, or that cause them to lose it. A broken chair needs to be there at the beginning if it is used. Be creative, the character could trip over it or shove it out of the way, to begin with. With more obvious clues, such as a weapon on the table, make sure that they are used or the reader will be disappointed when it isn’t. Objects, however, are not the only way to use foreshadowing for a fight. Water on the floor or an open window may also indicate how the fight could play out. What the character overlooks, is often how they lose the fight, so get creative with this.

Sometimes what you deliberately glance over, if you make it obvious enough can put a mark on it too. Papers on a desk before a conversation happens may indicate that the subject of the conversation could shift to what is on the paper. Use this to add intrigue if your reader or character doesn’t know what is one them and anticipation if they have to explain bad news related to the documents. What is not relevant to a scene is generally not included within the descriptions, so don’t describe something if it doesn’t affect the outcome of the character in any way.

Foreshadowing Tone, Genre and Readership:

Every author would like to sell more books and hook more readers that preview their novel, but you do not want the wrong people to buy it and the right people to be turned away by incorrect foreshadowing in the first few pages. This can result in bad reviews or manuscript rejection depending on how you are publishing. Beyond that, to make the ending satisfying, it needs proper foreshadowing at the beginning.

This first part of the story has to do many things and is difficult to get right, but if the reader doesn’t get past here, the rest is irrelevant. The first lines are often less important than you may think but the first few pages are vital. While setting the tone and character conflicts, the rest of your story is generally indicated by these preliminary scenes whether in a prologue or first chapter. Either way, the reader needs to indicate what sort of journey the story will take them on.

For example, take The Philosopher’s Stone, or, The Sorcerer’s Stone. The first chapter is effectively a prologue since it is not from the main viewpoint character. In this chapter, Harry, as a baby, is left at the doorstop at his aunt and uncle’s house by a wizard, a cat, and a half-giant that rides a flying motorcycle. This immediately tells the reader that despite the next few chapters, there are strong fantastical elements in this story. It also introduces a conflict that is not explained until much later in the book and is vital for the ending to be satisfying. If instead, the book began with Harry in the second chapter, readers would find themselves confused instead of satisfied when it is first revealed that he is a wizard.

Prologues and first chapters are not the only way to foreshadow the narrative or story. In some cases, simply the author’s name, if well known enough, can indicate what kind of story it will be. This, however, relies on reader trust, because fans of these authors will often buy whatever they put out and they are well known enough that they can get away with it. For the rest of us, it is safer to properly foreshadow. Introduce the key story and tonal elements early on and the reader will know what kind of journey you are taking them on, even if they don’t know the destination. 

Conclusion:

To wrap it up, foreshadowing is essential to make almost any event or scene plausible and most importantly, to satisfy the reader. Even within a scene, it is vital and connects each action with its outcome and ramifications. With reveals and twists, it is better to fail at the surprise than the foreshadowing, so give the reader a little more crumbs than you think they need and allow them to bail out if they are not interested, after all, a satisfied reader is a mark of a great book.