Definition
Foreshadowing is a narrative technique where the author embeds clues, hints, or suggestions early in the story that point toward future events. When done well, it creates a sense of inevitability — readers feel surprised by a twist but also recognize, looking back, that the groundwork was laid all along.
Why It Matters
Foreshadowing is the difference between a plot twist that feels earned and one that feels cheap. It's how you make readers say "I should have seen that coming" instead of "that came out of nowhere." It also creates tension on rereads — readers who know the ending will catch your planted clues and appreciate the craftsmanship.
Types of Foreshadowing
Famous Examples
Romeo says "my life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love" in Act 2 — directly foreshadowing his eventual suicide.
Carlson shooting Candy's old dog mirrors exactly how George must later handle Lennie — same gun, same reasoning, same mercy.
Amy's diary entries contain subtle inconsistencies that foreshadow the unreliable narration reveal, rewarding attentive readers.
Common Mistakes
If your reader can predict the ending from Chapter 2, you've over-foreshadowed. Bury clues inside scenes with their own purpose.
Every planted seed needs to bloom. Unfulfilled foreshadowing feels like a dropped subplot — it breaks trust with the reader.
Retrofitted foreshadowing often feels mechanical. The best clues emerge when you know your ending and weave hints naturally into early drafts.
Foreshadowing points toward what actually happens. Red herrings deliberately mislead. Both are valid tools, but they serve opposite purposes.
Try It Yourself
Take a short story you've written (or a chapter from your novel) where something significant happens. Now go back to the first page and add three subtle details that point toward that event — one physical object, one line of dialogue, and one sensory detail. Read it back. Does the opening feel richer?
The Consistency Guardian flagging a detail planted in Chapter 3 that never pays off — the kind of gap that's easy to miss across a full manuscript.
Does your foreshadowing actually pay off?
Novelium's Consistency Guardian tracks every planted detail across your manuscript and flags when a setup doesn't have a payoff — or when a payoff appears without setup. It catches the foreshadowing gaps that even careful rereading misses.