Too much foreshadowing?

» tougy - How to know when it's too much

I'm starting to write a novel and for the beginning I have some foreshadowing. I have a hard time, though, telling when it's too much to give it all away. Seeing as I already know my story, I don't know if that particular line is giving too much away. Could you help me recognize when it's too much, and perhaps help me with this beginning? Thanks.

...This adolescent was unique, with a promising future that would affect an entire race, but at the moment, she did not know it...

Before was a paragraph of beginning. I go into introducing the main character, and then I have this. Is it too much? Should I take out "that would affect an entire race" and just leave it as "with a promising future" ?

Thanks again.

-- posted by tougy

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» silver_pencil - Re: How to know when it's too much

In response to How to know when it's too much posted by tougy:

I'm no great author so if you don't like what I say don't use it if you don't want, but I think the answer depends on the novel. What kind of novel is it? Is it blatently obvious from the title, summery, etc. that someone is going to save the world? If so, everyone expects the main character to be the hero, and if they know you are introducing the main character, then it doesn't really matter what you say or not because everyone knows this character is going to save the world. However, if the story is more vague to start off with, like, for example, The Hobbit (you really have no idea what is happening until the dwarves arrive) or a mystery of some sort, then by all means leave it out if you don't want people to know that this person is going to do something massively big. Basically it comes down to what you want people to know, and what you will just have to expect that they know or assume already. I hope this helps you.

-- posted by silver_pencil

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» wallybear - Re: How to know when it's too much

In response to How to know when it's too much posted by tougy:

...This adolescent was unique, with a promising future that would affect an entire race, but at the moment, she did not know it...

I beleive that you are giving away too much information, if your goal is to keep this character's future accomplishment a "surprise" for later in the story. "...affect an entire race..." would give me, as a reader, a grandiose impression of this character. I may or may not be let down at the climax by the actual "affect" that you have created. This is only my opinion and I can only hope that I have been of some help. Good luck with your writing.

-- posted by wallybear

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