So I was googling "backshadowing" and came across the explanation below. Does anyone think it's correct? Because according to this, backshadowing is the same thing as forshadowing, it just depends on what order the writer came up with the stuff that's in the final draft.
Foreshadowing is the art of knowing in advance what plot points or mechanics you need, and placing at least three allusions to it earlier in the text. Backshadowing is the opposite: putting things in the text that are awesome or feel right, but have no known purpose—then, later in the manuscript, you find that purpose.
Joss Whedon is known to do this with his writing. He’ll drop random things into early episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for example, without knowing exactly what those things are for. They’re just cool. Then, later, he’ll figure out a way to develop those things into something that actually is cool.
The effect this has is incredible: it results in very strong foreshadowing for the reader/viewer. But the author didn’t have to know in advance what the thing was for! Plus it allows you to go off-outline without having to rewrite the book.
Backshadowing 101
- Put something interesting or cool into your manuscript that wasn’t in the outline
- Figure out a way to use that thing later on—preferably several times
- Don’t be afraid to really develop it—you might even come up with a whole new magic system or plot!
taken from http://www.jeremythomasfuller.com/backshadowing-foreshadowing-in-reverse/
So the point is that without academics officially nailing down terminology, you never know what anything means? If left to our own devices, those devices remain solely our own; no one will ever understand, and we'll have to explain ourselves every time we want to use our cute terminologies.
I like the first one, sort of putting yourself into a corner so you're forced to fight your way out of it. Although, as a pantser, I'm constantly doing that - having stuff happen without knowing exactly where it will lead.
The starting with the ending thing, I'm pretty sure has another name. Hopefully someone will be along soon with the name..
At what point does it become ineffective - - you're describing stuff that will never come back into the story and they're nothing more than red herrings?