Comments on: Should Your Novel Have a Prologue?

By: Mike Van Horn

Mike Van Horn — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 03:12:47 +0000

I’ve written fiction with prologues and without. Depends on the story. Recently, I made Chapter 1 into a Prologue because it had such a different feel. It was the only part of the book in first person, and it foreshadowed without giving anything away..
Two things you didn’t mention:
— Prologues in series. Perhaps “The story up to now.” I do this in my series.
— Epilogues. I just used an epilogue in a romance to show what happened 20 years later. It helped the “lived happily ever after” message.
— In a series, at the end of a book, I’ll give a short piece foreshadowing the next book, as a hook to draw the readers forward.

By: Lucy V

Lucy V — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 21:14:26 +0000

In reply to Michael Dunne. Same to be honest!

By: Lucy V

Lucy V — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 21:13:34 +0000

In reply to Henry Kaye.

Yes, historical fiction, fantasy and Sci fi – any genre that needs a lot of worldbuilding – can benefit from a prologue. That said, I have used them in my own mystery/crime novels. I don’t think there are any hard and fast rules, as should probably go with our guts.

By: Michael Dunne

Michael Dunne — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:17:58 +0000

I’ve written and then taken out the prologue in book 1 of my fantasy series (WIP). I bowed to what seemed like an industry trend that didn’t want them. Mine took place a couple thousand years before the main narrative and offered some key details that would make sense later in the story. My prologue was (I thought) dramatic, action-oriented , and ended with a startling event that is relevant to the main narrative – although it wouldn’t be truly understood until later in the book.

I still have the text and could put it back in as a prologue or just use it for exposition and back story as needed throughout the book.

Color me, still on the prologue fence.

By: Henry Kaye

Henry Kaye — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 13:22:06 +0000

I, for one, typically skip a Prologue in mystery novels. I do NOT include them in the mystery novels that I write. On the other hand, I’m in a critique group with a lady who writes historical fiction and I’ve found her prologues extremely helpful in setting the time frame and place. I can see where a prologue would be valuable for novels set in locals where ‘world building’ is necessary.

By: Lucy V

Lucy V — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 19:11:51 +0000

In reply to Matt. Yes, I don't know why some readers don't like them on principle ... I take it on a case by case basis!

By: Lucy V

Lucy V — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:54:17 +0000

In reply to Ingmar Albizu. Agreed, prologue should never be too long!

By: Lucy V

Lucy V — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:53:28 +0000

In reply to Gifford MacShane. Yup, sometimes prologues can provide really important context.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 06:20:52 +0000

I like prologues as a reader. Just my preference.

By: Ingmar Albizu

Ingmar Albizu — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 23:25:02 +0000

I am a fan of prologues but, it should be like an appetizer before the main course. The problem is some prologues are so long that they may as well be chapter one.
A prologue should not be more than a page and a half. Long enough to intrigue and make the reader jump into the story.

By: Gifford MacShane

Gifford MacShane — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 20:46:11 +0000

During the beta phase of my first book, several readers didn’t understand why a character reacted as strongly as he did to a situation. I considered a flashback, but it just didn’t work. So I wrote a 1-page prologue, relating a scene from the character’s childhood that showed how his reaction was rooted in his family’s traditions. I got “‘ah-ha”s in response.

I think prologues work best when they’re short and amplify a character’s… well, character. I personally skim through one that’s just world-building or more than a few pages long.

By: Lucy V

Lucy V — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:37:13 +0000

In reply to Alex J. Cavanaugh. Nice! I've written about 10 novels now and I think I might have used one 2 or 3 times (though I'd have to check).