Writing Tips: Prologues

Writing Tips: Prologues

Today’s topic is Prologues – and why you should use them.

In my personal opinion, a Prologue is the most beneficial tool for a novel. We will talk about why. But, first, let’s be sure to define what a Prologue actually is.

Simplified, a Prologue is an introduction to a story, taking place before the first Chapter.

Because of its placement and many other benefits, Prologues serve as the single most beneficial and versatile way to hook a reader, especially in Fantasy.

Pros of Prologues:

• Disjointed – They do not need to flow into Chapter 1. They can be completely unrelated and is the only time such a practice is acceptable. This means you can have a completely unrelated event occur in the Prologue that will either make sense later or provide background detail to the reader without needing to info dump immediately in your story. Want to start your opening scene with a dragon falling from the sky to preface that your world’s magic was gifted by dragons and non-magical organizations are hunting them down? Boom. Your prologue can define all of that in a few simple paragraphs immediately to a) let the reader know about the world and your plot, b) hook them immediately with an intense scene where a godlike creature is struck down by average humans, and c) set up the setting all within one, action-packed scenario that you normally wouldn’t have been able to do until the end of your novel.
• The Hook – It is much easier to steal the interest of a reader if they are thrown into the fray. The most typical opener is some sort of high-stakes (or mysterious) scene that leaves them wanting more. That’s not to say slow-burners won’t get a reader’s interest piqued, it’ll just be harder to do so.
• Setting – One of the most common phrases you’ll hear as a writer is ‘Show, don’t tell!’ (No, really, you’ll hear it fifteen times a day) But the reason is because a lot of new writers will detail out the world they slaved over, trying to get as much information to the reader up front in a short period of time – info dumping. A Prologue is a great way to let the setting show itself while being strapped to a more intense scene. Chapters can do this as well, and certainly can do it well. But because Chapter 1 must lead into Chapter 2, it can be more difficult to get a wider view of the world, instead of just the local setting. On the other hand, a Prologue is nearly limitless in its potential.

Examples of the above: Want to start your opening scene with a dragon falling from the sky to preface that your world’s magic was gifted by dragons and non-magical organizations are hunting them down? Boom. Your prologue can define all of that in a few simple paragraphs immediately to a) let the reader know about the world and your plot, b) hook them immediately with an intense scene where a godlike creature is struck down by average humans, and c) set up the setting all within one, action-packed scenario that you normally wouldn’t have been able to do until the end of your novel.

Now, there are definitely times when a Prologue is not necessary. Let’s explore a few of those.

When not to use a Prologue:

You should not be using a Prologue unless it is relevant. In my opinion, in Fantasy, this is extremely rare. Contrarily, other genres such as non-fiction don’t need to rely on Prologues, because the reader either already knows the setting or there would be no benefit to it. You really don’t want to send the reader mixed signals by throwing them into a high-stakes Prologue, just to have Chapters 1 through 48 be sloooooooooow.

That brings us to the next point: Benefit. Prologues are basically a limitless source of creativity that you have access to. However, there are stories out there that really don’t need to have them and can start directly in Chapter 1. At that point, your Prologue is just unnecessary fluff.

Alternatives:

A Prologue is unique in its capabilities, but there are some similar options to open your story.

First, there are Excerpts or Quotes. They can either be from fiction created for the point of your story, such as a journal entry from your MC’s father, or even real-world quotes – many writers use more commonly known pieces, such as from Shakespeare or the Bible. Using existing pieces can have its own set of Pros and Cons, but we won’t get into that today.

Excerpts and Quotes serve similar benefits to Prologues in the sense that you can provide the reader with details about your world, characters, or plot up front. However, they’re also typically much shorter, which can be better or worse. Think of them like a taste test, where the reader can get a quick snippet of the story for immediate consideration.

Here’s an example:

17th Day of the Fourth Sun

Today it came again. The guards are terrified to stand vigilant at their posts and the maids have started to refuse their nightly duties. I can’t believe they arrived again so soon. It had only been three nights since last they entered the castle. They took another child, Ephraim’s boy, Huri. The poor man, I feel for him. Despite my need to show strength and confidence, even I have hidden my daughter away since the last night the demons came. What kind of ruler am I, to cower before these beasts while expecting my subjects to stand firm?

I know nor care naught, for what kingdom would I rule without my daughter?

This is much shorter than a full Prologue, but immediately lets the reader know a) demons are coming to a castle and stealing children, b) the king has a daughter – most likely the MC, and c) setting. This is everything a Prologue offered, but in a smaller and more refined dose.

So, there are a few alternatives that can work well. None of these, Prologues included, are blanket solutions, though. You need to see what works best with your story and gaining a reader’s interest.

That’s all for today’s Tip, folks. I was going to add in a section on Epilogues, but that’s a whole beast in itself and this post is already pretty long. Maybe next time!