How does foreshadowing...?

[Reiqua]

Sometimes I think my writing is decent. But then sometimes I come across basic things that show me I really don't know how to tell a story.
So I know foreshadowing is a thing (mostly thanks to Hermione), but I have no clues on how to use it properly in a story.

Basically my issue is that I want to write a story that is set in a different culture and I need the readers to understand certain cultural customs before they come up and are necessary in the plot. How do I do that?

Do I try to show it incidentally (like in an establishing shot if it were a movie)?
Or should I have a little side story with different characters to introduce that particular thing?
Should I use the same characters that will be my main characters and try to work it in to the introduction??
I'm just worried that it'll spin out the first part of my story too much and make it boring before I can get to the climax and... I'm just confused.
Any thoughts, no matter how unpolished, would be greatly appreciated!!

[Shinko]

Worldbuilding is what you're talking about- not necessarily foreshadowing, although they can dovetail with one another when aspects of worldbuilding play into your plot.

The best thing to do is to show it incidentally- the narrative tool here is called "show, don't tell." If you have a scene with characters who are irrelevant to the story except to establish plot point A, then it feels a little forced and comes across as a glaring, flashing neon sign of "REMEMBER THIS, IT'LL COME UP AGAIN LATER." Ideally, foreshadowing should be subtle- hint at things to come without making them obvious. Because what fun is it to read a story if you can see what's coming a mile away?

To use an example, in the movie "The Incredibles" there is a scene where a superhero costume designer named Edna is talking about making a new super suit for Mr. Incredible. The character is essential to the story because she makes a set of matching suits for the whole Incredible family, including the kids who have never had suits before. There is a moment when she's talking about what the suits will look like that Mr. Incredible requests a cape, and Edna firmly shoots the idea down, stating that capes are impractical and can get caught in things. This serves in the story as a comedic moment that is totally in keeping with the tone of the character, and doesn't come across as anything but a lighthearted jab at stereotypical superheroes and their impractical costumes. But at the end of the movie (spoilers) the main villain, Syndrome, is defeated when his own cape gets caught in a jet engine. This is excellent foreshadowing because it hints at what is to come without making it obvious, weaving it naturally into conversation in a scene that furthers the plot by it's own merits.

Hope that helps!

[Twillie]

For worldbuilding and foreshadowing, I'm usually one for the "establishing shot" technique, but I've been working with a more visual medium these past few years, so I don't know how easy it is to use in writing x)

In general, though, I like peppering little world building details throughout the story so that the reader can slowly pick them up and put them in their subconscious, but nothing is dwelled upon for too long to derail the story or make any foreshadowing too obvious. Like, at the start of a story when both the characters and setting are being established, perhaps the protagonist is taking an everyday stroll through their town, and they see the snippets of life going on around them. It's through their eyes, though, so they're treated as just an everyday occurrence and the descriptions are more vague. When those events become more plot relevant, then some greater details can be given to catch the reader up on the specifics.

I don't know if you want the entire process of the customs to be known before they become plot relevant, but in general, I like mentioning the customs' names and/or a general description of what they're for, and then I dive into the finer details later. So, they're in the back of the readers' minds, but they don't actually scream "important" until the moment they actually are.

[Reiqua]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, I found that really helpful

So I'm thinking generally that the more incidental I can make the introduction of this concept, the better.

Trouble is, the particular custom I need to introduce is actually a rather intricate/complex set of guidelines around inheritance and bloodlines - hence why I felt it was important for the readers to have some prior (though probably partial) knowledge of it before it came up.
Now, that feels to me like it'd be quite hard to work into an establishing shot (or equivalent). So I'm wondering if I need to create a context right at the beginning where this is relevant to my characters (eg, the funeral of a family member), and make it seem like it's more about the funeral, or the character relationships developed there, and not about this funny ritual which is hinted at being present but not really fully discussed... I think that would work?

(Sorry for not being more specific, but I haven't really worked out the details myself yet!)

[Tiger]

Yeah, like Shinko said, you're talking worldbuilding =D

This sort of thing is usually why authors use a newcomer as a protagonist, since they can just ask questions and get things explained XD But that doesn't always work and isn't always the fun way to so it, so! Usually what you want to aim for is introducing the worldbuilding through action as much as possible rather than prose; have characters talk about events (just watch out for "as you know, Bob" dialogue XP), maybe show one of the rituals taking place if you can.

I'd say use your main characters if you can. Balancing information and action can be tricky, but I think it's easier than using other charactera who don't show up again to illustrate it. Though to some degree, it depends what exactly you need to introduce.

I'll try to think of some books that did their worldbuilding well and without a newcomer character; it's probably easier to pick up by example than through straight instruction.

[M is for Morphine]

Jan 14, 2017 20:44:25 GMT -5 Reiqua said:

Thanks for the thoughts guys, I found that really helpful

So I'm thinking generally that the more incidental I can make the introduction of this concept, the better.

Trouble is, the particular custom I need to introduce is actually a rather intricate/complex set of guidelines around inheritance and bloodlines - hence why I felt it was important for the readers to have some prior (though probably partial) knowledge of it before it came up.
Now, that feels to me like it'd be quite hard to work into an establishing shot (or equivalent). So I'm wondering if I need to create a context right at the beginning where this is relevant to my characters (eg, the funeral of a family member), and make it seem like it's more about the funeral, or the character relationships developed there, and not about this funny ritual which is hinted at being present but not really fully discussed... I think that would work?

(Sorry for not being more specific, but I haven't really worked out the details myself yet!)

I don't think it's super important for the audience to be introduced to the concept in advance. I think it's more important how it's used, and it's importance to the story. How much of it do we actually need to know for the following scenes to make sense? Does it take a long time to explain, and will that drag the momentum of your story to a halt? Your audience is pretty smart, they can work on some pretty scant information. If they go to a funeral and Billy has to engage his brother in ritual combat for their dad's 67 Camaro, and no one is surprised, then it must be a pretty normal occurrence. If it's the only difference between their world and ours, we might get a little whiplash, but if other differences have already been presented I imagine we can go with the flow ok. If it's too jarring you can go back and soften it with some reference to it prior to the event, but it doesn't have to be much. "Oh, I have to get my machete out of storage for funeral." XD Obviously these are silly examples.

So I'd go- "Is this important to the story?" > "Is it potentially interesting to the audience?" > "Is this something I'm excited to write about?" and if the answer to any of this is yes than throw it in there. If it doesn't work, that's what editing is for. If the answer is no, think about why you're including it. These aren't the only good reasons to include something, but they might help you narrow down what parts of your worldbuilding make it in and what don't, since you're going to end up with waaaay more details about the world than you can use.

I also like Tiger's advice of thinking about how foreign concepts are introduced in works that you enjoy.

[Ian Wolf-Park]

TV Tropes has a page, including examples. Like the others that have posted, yours is more like world building/ introduction to the world rather than foreshadowing.

I'll also give you an example, one from a video game (Fire Emblem Awakening). It's major spoilers to the overall plot.

Early on in the game, Chrom and the Shepards arrive at Regna Ferox in order to convince the leaders (khans), Basilio and Flavia, to join their side against Plegia. Chrom is chosen as Flavia's champion, and fights Basilio's chosen champion, 'Marth'. They match blows, leading Chrom to ask the question about-who taught him to fight like that?'. 'Marth' simply replied that it was his father. Later on, we find out that 'Marth' is actually Lucina, Chrom's daughter from a terrible future. With that information in hand, it puts that battle in a different light.

[Reiqua]

Thanks again for the input guys - very helpful.

Tiger I've been thinking about your advice, and I think that could well work for me if I introduce the concept through a child character asking a question. Children kinda are newcomers by definition!

M is for Morphine, thanks for your thoughts as well. I think it's been helpful for me to frame it in terms of a 'how much do I really need to put in here?' question. All the same, I think I should include it (at least partially) in order to avoid, well, this. I just think otherwise it'll be all too convenient and out of the blue when I do introduce it as a plot point.


I think I've got enough thoughts on this to have an initial crack at writing it. If it all goes pear-shaped, I'll just try again and try something else!
Feel free to make further comments/recommendations, though.

I might also post my story to this thread when I'm done if people wanted to give feedback on how they thought it went. It should only be relatively short.

[Reiqua]

So.
I've started writing this story, and would be interested to know what you think.

It's probably early days yet to talk about worldbuilding/foreshadowing, because you don't yet know what the rest of the story will look like or how necessary it will or won't be to have that background knowledge... but I'd welcome any initial thoughts anyway.

I do however have another question, about perspective. And which perspective I should have the narrator take.
My main character has only just got a first mention some 800 words in, so while I'd normally take her perspective, I haven't been able to do so thus far and have felt kinda lost.
I expressed the same question more elaborately over on my other thread, so maybe go take a look there.

If you have any thoughts that you're willing to share, you could do so there or here, whatever you feel

Also if you're wondering where the rest of the story goes, I'll give you a quick summary here:

SPOILER: Click to show

(You should probably read what's in the other thread first, though, or this won't make sense)

SPOILER: Click to show

• Elmarak, Maasim, and Kirratah all die, leaving Nalini alone in Modi with her two daughters-in-law (neither of which managed to produce an heir before their husband died)
• Nalini goes back to her homeland. Ruza goes with her, but Orlan stays in Modi. Nalini has Elmarak's field, but no men to work it or money to get them.
• Ruza goes out to pick up left over heads of grain dropped by the harvesters, and happens to find her way to Borthan's field. He's really nice to her.
• Nalini is really excited, all like "Oh, he can buy my husband's field and that means he gets to marry you and produce heirs for Elmarak and yay!"
• So Ruza goes and does this weird ritual where she's basically asking Borthan to marry her.
• He's like, "yeah, but one problem: Regidan"
• Then he goes, talks it out with Regidan (who wants the field, but not the girl), wins, marries Ruza, and they live happily ever after.

(It sounds kinda lame when put like that, but trust me it won't be (hopefully)

[patriciagwen]

Love foreshadowing! It builds up dramatic tension/irony/suspense, and gives the reader the sense that the author has a sense of foresight/where they are going with this.

Depends what is being hinted at in the future …

I like hinting at the future in the form of repeated imagery/phrases. For example, why is this object or character mentioned so often, maybe something is going to happen!

It's fun dropping hints/foreshadowing as a writer because it makes you feel like you are teasing the reader, or leading them up to some kind of crescendo, like in music when "the beat finally drops" haha.