Foreshadowing: How to Foreshadow in a Novel Effectively & Sneakily

[@user-jz3mb6lc5o]

Drop your favorite bits of foreshadowing from novels down below! And don't forget to check out this post that goes along with it: self-publishingschool.com/foreshadowing/

[@Oh_to_sonder]

Self Publishing School Your video was very helpful but how do I know whether I've done too much foreshadowing?

[@user-jz3mb6lc5o]

@@Oh_to_sonder Usually Beta readers can help you identify this. If they're predicting your outcome too much, it's too obvious of foreshadowing. Its hard to tell yourself since you know the story, but that's why beta readers are so important! When in doubt: write for the more intelligent people. Meaning, make the foreshadowing a little less obvious than you think it should be but remember that you KNOW everything (so it might mean it seems obvious to you but others won't catch on).

[@Oh_to_sonder]

@@user-jz3mb6lc5o Thanks so much! I'll make sure to get my beta readers right on it!

[@pedromattos4091]

"For shadowing is what makes the ending make sense"... never thought about it that way.

[@Ella-op7xf]

I put a foreshadow in my novel without even knowing it!!

[@kaelanmarriner2871]

Really? What was it?

[@snfsociety]

@@kaelanmarriner2871 we may never know

[@ignea259]

@@snfsociety we never did find out

[@Telefragger]

Foreshadowing is the element that adds uniqueness to every good novel! Great video as always Bella!

[@Writermakescoffeeforawriter]

The Harry Potter foreshadowing done in book 3 is amazing!!! In the POA the teachers and the golden trio along with a few other students are all sitting at a table. Professor Trelawney arrives and Dumbledore stands to greet her, making a chair for her but she refuses saying if thirteen dine together, the first to rise shall die first. Mcgonagall convinces her to sit anyway and they all eat together and Harry and Ron rise together so Trelawney is worried but they dismiss it but in book 6, Dumbledore dies first which is correct because at the table before Trelawney came, there were already thirteen at the table because Scabbers was in Ron’s pocket who was actually a man and Dumbledore had stood up then and later Trelawney sat. This is amazing!!! 🤩🤩🤩

[@blakesmalley7739]

One of my favourite uses of foreshadowing in a book comes from the witcher series. The main character always rejects the thought of destiny, even when he has several of his colleagues mention its inevitability, and ends up following the path of his fate. Love it 🤯 Edit: I'm trying to stay vague to avoid spoilers for those who haven't read the books.

[@ChandlerBoltOfficial]

Great video (and blog post) on foreshadowing in a novel! This is something I think a lot of fiction authors skip or do poorly...causing readers to disengage from their book. Cool to see more fiction content on the channel. Thanks Bella!

[@lachance1111]

Love your "twist" on #4. Just when things are seeming a little too obvious, you throw another curveball that impacts the plot! Great content

[@astrophile5977]

A great example of foreshadowing used repeatedly and well to set up innumerable mysteries that all pay off incredibly, is in a story called Re: Zero. It's a light novel series so it may not be well recognised in the west, but oh my if you only follow it, there's so much twists that would blow your mind. Such a well planned and well executed series.

[@ellaineursuy6956]

Great thought to add a twist that is less obvious!

[@pannacseresznyes5435]

A great example for "the bad feeling" that came to my mind is an episode of Grey's anatomy. The one where Meredith didn't want to wake up because she thought she will die that day. That was the episode with a real ticking bomb in the guy's body.

[@nathanexplosionn]

Foreshadowing doesnt ONLY apply to the ending. What you're talk iij ng about is cohesiveness. Foreshadowing can happen at ANY time throughout the work.

[@earlpayud3222]

Flash Forward, or Future Vision

[@ernest1676]

the light bg made me felt like being guided by an angel to my novels.. hahha

[@kshitijgaikwad997]

thanks !

[@zally8183]

Are twists always necessary?

[@Ella-op7xf]

They catch the reader's attention and make them want to know the ending. Twists are not always necessary but they help the story.

[@sideways_chip_eater6420]

if sequals or prequals are planned you can have one moment of foreshadowing that doesn't happen in the movie (or book) until the 2nd one

[@mygameera]

🎉🎉🎉

[@ralflewissembrano7149]

rawr

[@Yourmomisemo1]

In the beginning of the twilight book

[@kshitijgaikwad997]

breaking bad is best example of foreshadowing.