These are bad prologues. I don't know what you're reading, but I don't see these kind of prologues very often in recent novels.
Do prologues work or not?
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These are bad prologues. I don't know what you're reading, but I don't see these kind of prologues very often in recent novels.
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The only instances where I see a prologue may work well is if the prologue takes place years before the main story, and is necessary for the user to understand how things came to be; or if it's necessary to explain the setting. Usually applies to Sci-Fi or Fantasy.
J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was supposed to start with a prologue, but she rewrote it as Chapter One, knowing many people might not read it if it had been labeled as a Prologue.
J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was supposed to start with a prologue, but she rewrote it as Chapter One, knowing many people might not read it if it had been labeled as a Prologue.
PROLOGUE
This post I am about to make is being submitted because I have been writing and reading for a long time. I live in Alaska, and work as a geologist and teach classes in both geology and English composition at the local university. I have two grown children, one a musician, the other a techie editor, and three cats. My wife owns and runs a retail toy store. I love Mexican and Asian food, and am a fairly decent cook. I garden avidly in the summer, and hike around in the woods across the street from my house, avoiding whatever bears and moose may be about. All of this has influenced my views about writing, and it has been necessary to explain these things so that those reading further will understand the basis for my comments.
CHAPTER 1
I've posted previously in this thread, and have read all of it with great interest. I confess to being a bit of a skeptic about prologues, mainly because I've seen so many bad, unnecessary ones in unpublished manuscripts, especially among the vast universe of aspiring Fantasy fiction writers. The question to ask yourself, as a writer, is: What am I trying to accomplish in a Prologue? Pertinent to which is: What have published writers accomplished in Prologues?
And, to reiterate what's been said before in the many threads here that have addressed the issue of Prologues: Those you see in published work are the ones that have passed muster with an editor. What you don't see is those which have resulted in instant rejection of manuscripts.
caw
This post I am about to make is being submitted because I have been writing and reading for a long time. I live in Alaska, and work as a geologist and teach classes in both geology and English composition at the local university. I have two grown children, one a musician, the other a techie editor, and three cats. My wife owns and runs a retail toy store. I love Mexican and Asian food, and am a fairly decent cook. I garden avidly in the summer, and hike around in the woods across the street from my house, avoiding whatever bears and moose may be about. All of this has influenced my views about writing, and it has been necessary to explain these things so that those reading further will understand the basis for my comments.
CHAPTER 1
I've posted previously in this thread, and have read all of it with great interest. I confess to being a bit of a skeptic about prologues, mainly because I've seen so many bad, unnecessary ones in unpublished manuscripts, especially among the vast universe of aspiring Fantasy fiction writers. The question to ask yourself, as a writer, is: What am I trying to accomplish in a Prologue? Pertinent to which is: What have published writers accomplished in Prologues?
And, to reiterate what's been said before in the many threads here that have addressed the issue of Prologues: Those you see in published work are the ones that have passed muster with an editor. What you don't see is those which have resulted in instant rejection of manuscripts.
caw
The last prologue I read that worked was in "The Trespasser" by Tana French. It was about the MC's dad, and at first I thought it was absolutely hokey--that the author had stubbornly wanted to hang on to a passage that had no bearing on the plot and was only supposed to make the audience feel sympathy. Wow, did I turn out to be wrong. It turned out to be relevant on several counts. Prologues work, I think, when they figure later into the plot or characterization in some ways--prologues have to be there for a reason, and connect well.
I've heard some electronic media (like kindle) will skip by forwards, prologues, etc, and will automatically start at Chapter 1.
My first book had both a prologue and an epilogue, but I didn't call them that - they were chapters 1 &21. Both were used to create mood, not provide a back story.
My first book had both a prologue and an epilogue, but I didn't call them that - they were chapters 1 &21. Both were used to create mood, not provide a back story.
Hm... I own both a Kindle and a Nook, and have never noticed either jumping a prologue in an eBook. (I have, however, seen some with cruddy coding that made navigation tough.)
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Yeah, every e-book I've ever opened on my nook goes directly to the front cover image first thing, then lets you page through to the ToC so you can choose where you want to start.
What I heard was probably wrong then.
I have had books open at chapter 1, and had to specifically go back to find the TOC or anything earlier than that. It could be just the way that particular book was formatted. That's the thing with KDP, the programming that displays the book is kind of out of our hands. I had no problem with mine though.
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I did have one book skip a prologue on Kindle, so I always check now. But so far it was just one. Unfortunately, it was an important one that I really wished I had read when I found out about it.
One of the books I'm reading has an amazing prologue. And then chapter 1 was infodump-ville. Worse, half the infodumping was information that had been introduced naturally through the prologue. I had been hooked by the prologue, then so bored by chapter 1 that I almost put the book down forever in disappointment. Luckily, it got better after a couple chapters. It makes me wonder if the first chapter was always that bad and the prologue was added to give the reader something interesting to read at the beginning or if some of the infodumping had been added to chapter one at some point because "People don't read prologues."
One of the books I'm reading has an amazing prologue. And then chapter 1 was infodump-ville. Worse, half the infodumping was information that had been introduced naturally through the prologue. I had been hooked by the prologue, then so bored by chapter 1 that I almost put the book down forever in disappointment. Luckily, it got better after a couple chapters. It makes me wonder if the first chapter was always that bad and the prologue was added to give the reader something interesting to read at the beginning or if some of the infodumping had been added to chapter one at some point because "People don't read prologues."
I personally don't bother with a prologue.
But if it adds to your story in a good way, why not?
Cheers
But if it adds to your story in a good way, why not?
Cheers
My Kindle does that, but if there's a prologue, it will start with that. It does skip things like the acks and the TOC. I can always go back to those if I want.
I wonder if there's a setting to change that. My own preference would be to start with the cover art and go forward from there. But I think Amazon assumes that most people want to go straight to the actual story.
I think the starting point is determined by whoever does the file coding before the upload to Amazon, as the starting point differs between books. I always now wind back from wherever my kindle decides to open to make sure I'm beginning where the author intended. Reason is the "prologue" of The Life of Pi is called an "Author's note" so the kindle decided to skip it and open at Chapter 1. Had I read it when Martel intended, it would have been very helpful context for the story. You live and learn.
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Because that's a contradiction in terms? A prologue is not chapter one, and chapter one is not a prologue. They have very different definitions. People who don't understand that are often the people who say they don't like prologues.
I have seen a disturbing number of manuscripts which demonstrate that the writer does not understand this. Therein lies the problem. I think that, especially among aspiring Fantasy writers, there is a concept that you must have something called a Prologue at the beginning of your story, regardless of what the beginning of your story actually is.
No, people who don't understand this are often the very kinds of writers I just cited above. And the very reason why a lot of readers (and editors and agents) don't like prologues.
caw
But you also get the readers who say 'I hate prologues, just call it chapter one' - demonstrating that they have no concept of what a prologue actually is, and think a writer can fool the reader into thinking it isn't a prologue just by re-badging it. These are the readers I was talking about.
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A foreword or preface is part of the front matter. A prologue is part of the text.
When you write a series of books, do you usually use a prolog to give the reader background info on previous books in the series?
That would be an example of a bad prologue. A skilled author can remind the reader of what they need to know during the story.
Do you see that kind of prologue in many sequels?
I'm always baffled by the prologue-hatred when I encounter it, and aghast when people say they don't read prologues. To me that's like skipping Chapter 1 in a book without a prologue (not that I think a prologue and a first chapter are the same thing, as was being discussed upthread!!). I mean, I figure if a writer starts a story someplace, that's where I need to begin reading, and if I don't, I miss vital stuff. I just assume that I'm in the hands of a competent writer who wouldn't put unimportant stuff in the book at all, especially not in such a crucial place.
I haven't been proven wrong yet re: prologues, but maybe I'm just missing all the books where they don't work as well. (Full disclosure, I've been known to use them when need be.)
I haven't been proven wrong yet re: prologues, but maybe I'm just missing all the books where they don't work as well. (Full disclosure, I've been known to use them when need be.)