Prologues, what's in yours?

[flynx]

Originally Posted by Anne

and as we well know, the reader - like a newly-hatched gosling - is likely to imprint upon the first viewpoint character unless told otherwise

A very interesting observation and one borne out in a novel by Christopher Brookmire, which I obviously forget the title of. (If you're into scifi read Brookmire. Not an ounce of scifi in his novels but written in exactly that style)

This novel starts with about 3 or 4 different apparent protagonists. People you're introduced to and want to know more about and he kills every one of them just as soon as they're introduced. A short chapter or a few paragraphs each.

Then he introduces the guy that kills them (a paid terrorist) and eventually introduces the real protagonist as a flashback of the paid terrorist.

amazing stuff from a writer's point of view and an amazing read too.

[KSeriphyn]

I need to write a prologue for my second book (lol the first one's yet to be published. Ever the dreamer).

I the idea of playing big brother with your characters: introducing them, killing them off, introducing more until only one person is standing. That sounds like a real challenge but a fun one.

[Marky Lazer]

In my two-pages-long prologue of a funny little story called "Paper cuts," I only explain the name of the world where the story takes place.

[scalem X]

marky! you're back!

[The Curious Orange]

My prologue was/is set some years before the start of the story, and tells the story of my villan's first attempt at world domination, how and why it went wrong. The main story is the story of their second attempt.

But the prologue features several secondary characters that crop up in the main story. Some of these are POV characters, and I wanted the reader to relate to these guys from the start.

So I re-wrote my prologue from the omniscient-narrator voice into the POV of these characters. It's a much better piece of writing as a result, but it's far too long - about 21,000 words.

So I split it into chapters. What was my prologue is now chapters 1-6. Chapter 1 is now chapter 7, set some time later, in which we meet the hero.

An odd structure, sure, but I think it works.

[Anne Lyle]

Originally Posted by KSeriphyn

I the idea of playing big brother with your characters: introducing them, killing them off, introducing more until only one person is standing. That sounds like a real challenge but a fun one.

I think GRRM beat you to it

[Lith]

So did Lost. And both are in danger of losing my interest entirely because of it. If you have to kill them, do it in one fell swoop at the end. Otherwise I don't like seeing more than a couple characters die. It's like buying things that keep breaking- no fun, and reading is supposed to be fun.

The killer of all prologues has to be the introduction to the Scarlet Letter- 40-something pages about his old job, the old geezers he worked with, and the mysterious letter he found in the attic. Nothing to do with the story.

[Giovanna Clairval]

I am not a fan of prologues, and –despite being a bookworm and a light-speed reader– I could be dubbed a moron when it comes to prologues. I read them, and then I forget everything about them –unless they are extraordinary. I usually go back at them when I’ve finished reading the book or somewhere along the road if I feel that I need to do so: ‘Ah, right, now I see what she meant!’

Serious studies say that the ‘average’ reader doesn’t read prologues at all, but of course F and SF readers (with the exception of a few like stupid me) are above average, aren’t they? Still, the number of average readers buying the book will make the difference between an acclaimed author and a best-selling author. Well, I agree with you: “acclaimed” is not that bad. But I’m also thinking of what, in a first novel, will attract the Dreaded Agent/Busy Editor, who, being dreaded and busy, dislike prologues from unknown writers (with a few exception, of course).

Unless you are writing an epic fantasy that spans centuries, you probably don’t need a prologue.

Successful authors suggest not writing prologues at all.
Umberto Eco finds them irkish too; T. Brooks regrets writing one for The Sword of Shannara (even if, in my opinion, he should regret having written the whole damned thing; sorry, if there are fans out there).


Prologues and Preludes must have a raison d’être.

As it has already been said here, a prologue (synonym: foreword) of course relates facts that happen before the story begins, and prologues can be better than flashbacks, because flashbacks slow down the pace, which… er… doesn’t mean one should never use them.

There is also what I call a “prelude”, a beginning that plunges the reader in media res, in the middle of things, and in full action, usually introducing one of the main character, but anything is legal here.
This ‘prelude” is, in fact, one of the normal chapters, the first before the first, sometimes shorter, and has, sometimes, a different POV.

Of course, the above depends on the PLOT.

The plot is the master, the prologue the slave.

In any case, the prologue, or prelude, should always relate something essential, the seed of the story; otherwise, we could call it “introduction”, “info-dump”, and the like.

I really feel that any other reason for writing a prologue reveals weaknesses in the structure of the novel.

I know. I’ve been there and I can wind up there again, because it’s tempting.

[Jarshen]

My prologue happens before the main action of the novel, deals with a major aspect of the book, and starts with the reactions of the fates, follows them, as it were. Subsequent prologues will offer more information of what happened 33 pre main novel.
You wont need to read the prologue, but it is fun, there are clues and hints and one or two mysteries.
I am also hoping that it may illuminate the lives of others pre-that of the main protagonists.

Has to be said that there is an epilogue at the moment. Completely surprised by that unplanned. See what I think at the 2nd draft stage.

[J.G.Thomas]

Prologues are interesting creatures...I find they have the ability to both suck me into a book or completely put me off.

My personal favourite prologue is George R.R. Martin's from A Game of Thrones. While it (as of yet) seems of little importance to the overall plot, it is such a brilliant start to a novel and grabs your attention straight away.

I'm using a prologue for a similar purpose. My story could probably manage without a prologue, but it will add some depth and will set the scene a bit more. Perhaps more importantly it will be very action-orientated, offering a more exciting opening to the novel than my first 'proper' chapter.

[Flag Pole Sitta]

I always read prologs, but then I also read those author’s notes and introductions and things, plus those long dedication thingies at then end and I think most people don't read those... but oh well
I tend not to write prologs, but when I do it's usually setting up the history of my world, but that’s defiantly not the only way to do it. Just write whatever you want and then worry about whether or not it's any good.

[Ursa major]

Originally Posted by Giovanna Clairval

There is also what I call a “prelude”, a beginning that plunges the reader in media res, in the middle of things, and in full action, usually introducing one of the main character, but anything is legal here.
This ‘prelude” is, in fact, one of the normal chapters, the first before the first, sometimes shorter, and has, sometimes, a different POV.

I like this idea of the prelude.

I'm non too keen on the info dumps found at the beginning of many books. The trouble with SF and F, though, is it's hard to avoid, given that the reader has to be given some (but not all) information on the environment in which the story takes place.

In my first (short) chapter, I like to have part of the action of my story; it can be pacier than a traditional prologue. Its purpose is to leave the reader intrigued (not, I hope, confused): the reader should have a small(?) number of questions to which they'd like answers. Once the reader is hooked, it should be safe to provide (a little) more information.

If I recall correctly, in German, a musical prelude is called a Vorspiel, literally (I think) fore-play; and isn't that what our prologues should be: a lead-in to a pleasurable activity, in this case, a good read.

[Giovanna Clairval]

Hi, Ursa Major!

I like "preludes" too.

warning: this is not an official word, just my use, but I did see a few authors call their first chapter "prelude";

a few novels begin like that (I invented nothing).

From Latin prae-ludium from prae-ludo: litt. "before-play" (foreplay).

[Ursa major]

Before anyone complains, I ought to apologise for putting the lewd in prelude. And for that pun.

Another musical term that may be appropriate is in overture, in the sense of making an overture to the potential reader. Or is that overdoing it?

[Hawke]

I am having a similar problem with prologues...halfway through my first chapter I have a character "flashback" to explain the current state of the Kingdom and why it is such a dangerous place to live...but it just looks out of place, I was considering expanding the flashback and making it a full prologue, which would give me a chance to introduce the main antagonist of the story as well as a few other minor characters (it's set about 30 years before the main story)

What do you guys (and gals) think?