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Nov 16, 2021 · How to Use Foreshadowing in Your Writing. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Nov 16, 2021 • 3 min read. No one likes a spoiler, but everyone loves a good breadcrumb. When done the right way, foreshadowing brilliantly steers a reader’s journey through a story.
- Types of Foreshadowing
- Direct Foreshadowing
- Indirect Foreshadowing
There are as many ways to foreshadow as there are stories to tell, so the possibilities are endless. But head to the library, and you’ll likely find two broad categories of foretelling in novels: direct and indirect. 1. Direct foreshadowing occurs when an outcome is directlyhinted at or indicated. It gives readers a nugget of information, prompting...
1. The Narrator
We witnessed this example in the introduction of this very post. In a nutshell: the person telling the story provides readers with key information but leaves out context or other details. Take this opening line from Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall: “They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that’s not how it happened for me.” What we know:The narrator is dead. What we want to know: How did they die? The key to this kind of foretelling is to include informat...
2. The Pre-Scene
A gift shared among people who have the uncanny ability to predict the endings of stories is an eye for the “pre-scene.” These scenes show something that will play an important role in the future — and they usually play out as a brief, toned-down version of the main event. For example, in the first half ofOf Mice and Men, Carlson is convinced that an old dog should be put down so that it can have a quick death and end its suffering. He complies, ensuring the process is as painless as possible...
3. The Name Drop
If someone told you, “Tomorrow I’m going to my friend’s house,” you likely wouldn’t think much of it. But if someone told you, “Tomorrow I’m going to Reedsy Mansion,” you’d probably want to know more. Similarly, by casually name-dropping a place, thing, or person in your story, you signify to readers that this entity is important. See this example in action in the first installment of The Hunger Games: “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s...
6. The Innocuous Statement
While the previous examples of foreshadowing could be said to be “hiding in plain sight,” sometimes it becomes a rhetorical device, used in a much subtler way — allowing the reader to go back and find the clues that are now only clear after the fact. Consider this line spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi to Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II: "Why do I get the feeling, you will be the death of me?” At the time of their utterance, these lines don’t seem like anything more than the lament of a tire...
7. The Pathetic Fallacy
Pathetic fallacy is when human emotions are projected by non-human things — such as nature. And it can be a very effective tool. Just think: would Wuthering Heightshave been quite the same if the majority of the story took place on idyllic, sunny days? Probably not. A chilling gust of wind or the sun breaking through heavy clouds can say a lot: the former can evoke a sense of foreboding while the latter can predict a positive changing of tides. In other words — let’s say it together — it can...
8. The Symbol
A scene opening on a character coming across a raven will project a very different message than a scene opening on a character spotting a dove: one is typically an ominous symbol while the other generally references peace. Because symbols take the form of recognizable visuals that represent a more abstract idea, they’re a great way to foreshadow by hinting at something without stating it outright. Consider this excerpt from the opening of Hemingway’sA Farewell to Arms: "The leaves fell early...
Nov 10, 2022 · When does a writer use foreshadowing? Foreshadowing shows up in many ways in creative writing. Some common places to use foreshadowing are in titles, dialogue, and symbolism. Title. Why not begin at the beginning? The title of a book can provide a huge hint about what’s going to happen in the book’s plot.
Plot twist. Self-fulfilling prophecy. Foreshadowing (for-SHA-doe-wing) is a literary technique used to hint at what will unfold in a story, such as future events, connections, or outcomes. Foreshadowing can be subtle or obvious, and often has an element of irony attached to it.
Take a closer look at some of the types of foreshadowing you can use to build suspense and hold readers in your story. 10 Key Foreshadowing Techniques to Use When Writing. There are dozens of writing techniques and many forms of foreshadowing you might use to foreshadow events in your story.
We’ll teach you how to use foreshadowing elements in your work to build anticipation, heighten suspense, and twist the audience’s expectations—plus, a few foreshadowing examples from literature to show you how it looks in practice.
