Where did the Summer go? I’m not ready for more… everything.

What About Worldbuilding?

There is no more prevalent trope in storytelling than that of prophecy. Tolkien popularized it, and his successors took it and ran toward the turn of the century. We, as readers, are inundated with a prophecy after prophecy, chosen one after chosen one… and it’s past time we said that “Enough is enough.”

The Power of Prophecy

Now then, just as a disclaimer here: I’m NOT, repeat NOT, telling you that you can’t write a prophecy into your story.

Properly executed, a prophecy can add a level of suspense and drama to a narrative that carries from the first page to the last. If you can pull that off, I commend you. Well done.

Sadly, for every well-executed use of prophecies in a narrative, there are a dozen or more poor examples that show why it needs to be avoided. Yes, prophecy has power in a narrative, but that power can have different results depending on the way it is employed.

In the right hands, in the right situation, and using the right level of detail, it can strengthen a narrative. On the other hand, if done poorly, it can destroy it. Including a prophecy is like walking a tightrope with your pants on fire and bees in your hat. It’s a hell of a show if done properly, but one magnificent tragedy when done poorly.

Keep It Simple, Stupid

Excellent advice, right? It’s not mine, but I’ve been told it enough times to stake some sort of claim to it.

Here’s the thing. I won’t be able to dissuade you from including a prophecy in your story, and I don’t plan to bother trying. If you want to do it, do it, but do it right.

Depending on the model you ascribe you, prophecy is either poetry or prose. For the base model of poetry, look no further than Tolkein’s “All that is gold does not glitter”, for prose… well, take your pick. I’ve found that the Malazan Books of the Fallen have some of the best occurrences of prophecy in modern fantasy. They build tension throughout the narrative and serve to immerse you in the work you’re reading.

Whatever method you choose, there’s one thing to remember: Don’t be too vague, and don’t be too specific. We’re looking for a Goldilocks zone here, that’s what you want.

Let’s start with the latter, looking at the overly specific prophecies which can cause your narrative to grind to a halt. The more specific the prophecy in question, the more your writing becomes a slave to it. Everything you do, especially if the prophecy is centralized within the story, has to harken back to that same prophecy and make sense within the context of it.

You force yourself into keeping that prophecy propped up by the events of the story, to lend weight to it and legitimize it as you go. And, honestly, it kind of sucks. IF, and it’s a big IF, you manage to pull it off, you’ve already given away so much of the basic path of your story that the high points have been spoiled long before you get to them.

On the other hand, we have a vague approach. You can be vague, but if you’re too vague it’s… just nonsense. Do you know what I’m saying? If you make your prophecy so vague that it could apply to anything, then it’s pointless. At that point, relevancy to the story is negligible. Yes, you want the mystery associated with prophecy to be there, to lend weight to several different events and keep the reader guessing, but if you’re just spouting meaningless purple prose in the hopes that can apply to multiple situations in your story… well, that’s annoying. (And, no, I'm not referring to the Azor Ahai thing)

Prose or Poetry

Choose whichever you like, but be aware that purple prose and bad poetry are hard to read. If you’re going to do it, make sure that it is something you need to do.

Oh, and just so we’re clear… foreshadowing is NOT a prophecy. You can foreshadow all you like, go wild with it but remember that payoff is key there.

Anyway, peace. Have a nice day.

Flash Fiction Results!

Thank the judges, folks

1. /u/Xacktar - First place

2. /u/psalmoflament - Second place

3. /u/babyshoesalesman - Third place

Honorable Mentions:

/u/lululit for The Sweet Romance

/u/beardyraconteur for Proving it doesn’t always have to be heavy