Telegraphing vs. Foreshadowing

Got my first round of feedback on Untitled Funny Fantasy Romance novel (formerly known as HCH), and good news! The patient is healthy. It needs a name and a cover, but the hardest (writing) work is all done.

But getting that feedback highlighted one of the thorniest problems for me (and probably a lot of writers): the fine line between foreshadowing and telegraphing. Foreshadowing is good, and necessary in some cases. Things don't pay off unless you set them up first. You have to hint at things to come, but you can't just hang a big sign saying THIS HAPPENS NEXT. That's boring, and completely unrewarding. But you can't be too subtle, otherwise you haven't actually done anything, and things feel cheap and unearned.

Finding that line, for me, is one of the single most valuable pieces of feedback I get from having other people read my work before it's "done." I know all the answers before I even write them down, so it's very, very difficult to thread the needle of how much information I dole out as the story goes along. It doesn't have to be a twist or a mystery, either, just setting up pieces, giving the main character the tools she needs to resolve the climax in a satisfying way that feels natural and cathartic.

When it works, it's wonderful. When it doesn't, you might have to audit the whole story line by line.

Thankfully, so far, it's been wonderful. Lots more to do, but I feel the book is in a good place. Given the state of the world, and things that have happened in my life in the process of writing it, this one means a lot, and I'm really excited to get it in your hands (and eyeballs).