what is foreshadowing?
& what The Dark Knight Rises can teach us about storytelling
Hi writing buddies,
Let me ask you a question.
Have you had a moment in your life, as something is happening, you can so clearly see the tracks that has been building to this exact moment but it was impossible to spot it as it was happening?
Things you took note off but didn’t think too much about, and now it suddenly makes sense (or it’s glaringly obvious in a way that’s almost starting you in the face in retrospect).
In life, we call that hindsight.
Or.. well life.
In writing, it’s foreshadowing.
Let’s talk about what it is, how to use it and what different types of foreshadowing there is - and how to apply it to your own writing.
If you haven’t seen me before, I’m Elin
Coffee obsessed, spends too much time in book and coffee shops, and I quote lord of the rings too often.
I publish weekly chapter of a fantasy novel on my second publication.
So what is foreshadowing?
At its simplest, foreshadowing is a hint of what’s to come later in the story. Laying tracks, so when the reader looks back, they can see how all roads built towards this.
Sometimes the reader notices it as they read. Most of the time, they don’t.
Foreshadowing isn’t there to spoil the ending. (that’s when it’s not executed well)
It’s there to make the ending feel earned.
It’s why a twist doesn’t feel random.
It’s why, on a reread, everything gets more meaning.
Types of foreshadowing techniques
There’s definitely many ways to do this, but to give you a starting point, I recommend looking at these 3 examples.
Symbolic Foreshadowing. This is when something represents what’s coming later; emotionally or thematically. A house that’s always too cold, a clock that keeps stopping or a character who never unpacks their suitcase.
Dialogue Foreshadowing. Dialogue foreshadowing works best when it sounds casual. A joke that turns out not to be a joke. A belief a character states early on.
Visual Foreshadowing. This is about what you show the reader early on. A locked drawer no one talks about. A mirror a character avoids.
Continue to read for the price of getting me a coffee. x
