How do you guys use foreshawdoing? Do you include it in your first draft or add it at a later stage? Are there any good techniques I should know about when it comes to foreshadowing? How do you know it's subtle enough not to insult the readers' intelligence, and yet not so subtle that it slides right of the screen all together?
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Foreshadowing doesn't necessarily have to be subtle. It actually can also be obvious, or even stated. It really depends on the scene and the story. Even something stated or obvious can be suspenseful if the reader knows something is going to happen, but the heroine doesn't.
Foreshadowing can pretty much turn up in everything you write ... dialogue, setting, symbols, character behavior, description, you name it. For example, if a particular person was important, you would spend some time describing him, even if he only looks like an extra at that point in the story.
If you need to be subtle though, and something is really important, then a good technique is to revisit it at least three times in different ways throughout the book. Our heroine uses a particular throw on one of the bad guys at the end. In the early part of the book, Character A uses the throw on Character B. Later on Character B runs into Character A and isn't forgiving about being thrown. Then later on, Character A shows heroine how to do it. You can mix all the different methods--dialogue, setting, etc.--to do variations of the foreshadowing to keep the reader minded that something is about to happen.
Foreshadowing can pretty much turn up in everything you write ... dialogue, setting, symbols, character behavior, description, you name it. For example, if a particular person was important, you would spend some time describing him, even if he only looks like an extra at that point in the story.
If you need to be subtle though, and something is really important, then a good technique is to revisit it at least three times in different ways throughout the book. Our heroine uses a particular throw on one of the bad guys at the end. In the early part of the book, Character A uses the throw on Character B. Later on Character B runs into Character A and isn't forgiving about being thrown. Then later on, Character A shows heroine how to do it. You can mix all the different methods--dialogue, setting, etc.--to do variations of the foreshadowing to keep the reader minded that something is about to happen.
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I like to use sets of three. For a number of things, including foreshadowing.
For example, if some object is going to play into the resolution of the story, have it appear in the background, in the description or in someone's hand or whatever, twice before the point where it's going to be used for the resolution. That way, when it becomes important, readers will think, "Oh, yeah, I should have seen that coming, b/c it was there earlier." It's a variation on the old Chekov saying about "if there's a gun on the mantel in the first act, it had better be used by the third act." And it's a variation on the mystery writer's first commandment of playing fair with the reader (and not pulling the solution out of thin air, without any chance for the reader to have figured it out).
During revisions, I look for things that I can make into threes, both for foreshadowing and for running jokes and subplots and motifs patterns that carry though the entire book and tie the story together in subtle ways. And then I try to make sure there are three connected/related whatevers, sprinkled throughout the book. It doesn't have to be an object, either. It can be an idea or a setting or a situation even a series of actions that are repeated, not verbatim, but in essence, and with slightly different meaning each time, because the character/situation has changed.
JD
For example, if some object is going to play into the resolution of the story, have it appear in the background, in the description or in someone's hand or whatever, twice before the point where it's going to be used for the resolution. That way, when it becomes important, readers will think, "Oh, yeah, I should have seen that coming, b/c it was there earlier." It's a variation on the old Chekov saying about "if there's a gun on the mantel in the first act, it had better be used by the third act." And it's a variation on the mystery writer's first commandment of playing fair with the reader (and not pulling the solution out of thin air, without any chance for the reader to have figured it out).
During revisions, I look for things that I can make into threes, both for foreshadowing and for running jokes and subplots and motifs patterns that carry though the entire book and tie the story together in subtle ways. And then I try to make sure there are three connected/related whatevers, sprinkled throughout the book. It doesn't have to be an object, either. It can be an idea or a setting or a situation even a series of actions that are repeated, not verbatim, but in essence, and with slightly different meaning each time, because the character/situation has changed.
JD
foreshadowing
For me, foreshadowing is never done consciously. I put something in because it seems to belong there, and whatever I put in becomes foreshadowing.
Good foreshadowing is seldom seen in advance. It's often best being misseen, in fact. It looks like one thing is going to happen, a different thing does, but the right foreshadowing makes the read slap his forehead and say, "Of course. I should have seen that coming."
If a reader can look at the foreshadowing, and know from it exactly what's going to happen, why bother reading the rest of the book?
For me, foreshadowing is never done consciously. I put something in because it seems to belong there, and whatever I put in becomes foreshadowing.
Good foreshadowing is seldom seen in advance. It's often best being misseen, in fact. It looks like one thing is going to happen, a different thing does, but the right foreshadowing makes the read slap his forehead and say, "Of course. I should have seen that coming."
If a reader can look at the foreshadowing, and know from it exactly what's going to happen, why bother reading the rest of the book?
The danger is that foreshadowing so readily gives way to telegraphing. As a reader, I detest being teased.
Many years ago, my beautiful Russian blue, Teddy, taught me that lesson. He liked me to dangle a toy for him -- but if I didn't let him get his claws into it enough, he'd attack my ankle.
And Teddy was correct. He wanted to interact with me, not just to sit there & be played a fool for my amusement.
Don't dangle red herrings all over the place, or your readers might find it more entertaining to go for your ankles.
Many years ago, my beautiful Russian blue, Teddy, taught me that lesson. He liked me to dangle a toy for him -- but if I didn't let him get his claws into it enough, he'd attack my ankle.
And Teddy was correct. He wanted to interact with me, not just to sit there & be played a fool for my amusement.
Don't dangle red herrings all over the place, or your readers might find it more entertaining to go for your ankles.
Historical Prelude
I use historical preludes to preface my stories. Usually, some event that will have a cascade effect for the characters involved; sometimes (as in Kokopelli's Flute) happening 120 or more years before. I suppose this is a type of forshadowing, but less specific than has been mentioned so far.
JPS
I use historical preludes to preface my stories. Usually, some event that will have a cascade effect for the characters involved; sometimes (as in Kokopelli's Flute) happening 120 or more years before. I suppose this is a type of forshadowing, but less specific than has been mentioned so far.
JPS