HOW TO WRITE A THRILLER

Instructor: Craig Hart

FORESHADOWING (transcript)

So let's talk about foreshadowing, which is one of those nifty little writing tools that can
really elevate a story from ordinary to spectacular. It's sort of like setting up dominoes
and then waiting for the perfect moment to let them fall, and by so doing you create this
mesmerizing chain reaction. It's about planting seeds for future events, so when the
time comes your readers hopefully gasp in awe as everything clicks into place. That's
kind of the holy grail.

But what exactly is foreshadowing? Well essentially, it's the art of giving subtle hints or
clues about events that will unfold later in your story. Those events can take the form of
symbols, dialogue, minor occurrences that may seem insignificant at first, but eventually
they reveal their true purpose. So the readers coming along for the ride may not even
notice it, but when they get to the point generally near the end of the story they say,
that's why they did that.

So let's talk about why that technique is such a powerhouse for storytellers. Well, first of
all it creates a sense of anticipation. If the readers do notice something peculiar, they're
going to be curious to see where it leads. Like a detective, they'll start piecing together
the puzzle, and as the story unfolds, they're going to eagerly anticipate that aha moment.
Readers are savvy, and so if you hint at an aha moment, there'd better be an aha
moment, just as a side note.

I was at this event in Denver, it was called Readers Take Denver, and I was part of a
panel where we were doing a crime scene, and the audience itself was tasked with
figuring out the clues and interviewing suspects, and I was one of the suspects being
questioned, and boy did they give me the third degree, so much that I actually forgot
part of my role, but you know they were tasked with figuring out who did it and all that
good stuff, and I was surprised at how good they actually were at following that
breadcrumb trail of clues. So if you put something in there, there is a good chance
they're going to pick up on it, so fulfill their expectations, I guess is what I'm trying to
say.

Anyway, so by doing the foreshadowing, it's a great way to build up the tension, because
readers are starting to pick up on something, what's going on, they're not sure exactly
what, but they want to find out exactly what is happening, what it means, and so that
helps propel the story forward and keeps them turning those pages, which is obviously
what we want. So by hinting at potential conflicts, it will keep the readers on the edge of
their seats, because they're craving that resolution. For example, if a character discovers
a cryptic note, well they're going to want to know who wrote that and what it means,
right? It's that sense of impending drama that keeps them hooked, what's happening, to
whom, why, and of course how is it going to resolve itself.

So how do we craft this little trick? Well, the key is subtlety, as is with so many things.
You don't want to give away too much or make the foreshadowing too obvious. Instead,
weave those hints into the narrative, like a sly whisper into your reader's ear. We don't
want to shout at them, we want to whisper to them. If they notice, then you're going to
create that drama. If they don't, that's okay too, because when they get to the end, they
will remember those things in hindsight, and that's just a beautiful thing. But balance is
essential here, because you want to pique their interest, but you don't want to spoil the
surprise. Because again, readers are savvy. Another tip is to use misdirection. So by
leading your readers down a path that seems logical, only to unveil a twist they just
didn't see coming, well they love that. Readers love being tricked, and that's the honest
way to trick a reader. So this is when the true significance of the foreshadowed event is
revealed.

Of course, foreshadowing isn't only reserved for plot twists or dramatic reveals. It can be
employed for character development too. By sprinkling in hints about a character's past,
you can create that rich, multilayered backstory that sort of unravels over time. A story
without foreshadowing can still be engaging but foreshadowing really is… provides the
frosting for the cake, I guess. It gives it that little extra something. By planting those
seeds for future events, and then letting those seeds grow, being patient with them, you
can create a lush, immersive world that will have your readers captivated from
beginning to end.