Are prologues to be numbered contiguously with the rest of a manuscript, or do they get their own separate number sequence?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Prologue numbering?
- Thread starter arkady
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Number all the pages in your manuscript continuously. The number on the last page should be the number of sheets of paper in your hand.
The purpose of those numbers is to allow the editorial assistant who dropped the manuscript to put it back together in order.
How the publisher numbers the pages in the finished book is something different, and not under your control.
The purpose of those numbers is to allow the editorial assistant who dropped the manuscript to put it back together in order.
How the publisher numbers the pages in the finished book is something different, and not under your control.
more on prologue
Here's a related question.
I've seen some submission guidelines (agents and publishers) that ask for the first three chapters or whatever but no prologue. They specifically say don't send the prologue. Why is this?
Seems to me that the prologue is an integral part of the beginning of the story. Why wouldn't someone evaluating my manuscript want to read the prologue?
Just wondering. Thanks!
Here's a related question.
I've seen some submission guidelines (agents and publishers) that ask for the first three chapters or whatever but no prologue. They specifically say don't send the prologue. Why is this?
Seems to me that the prologue is an integral part of the beginning of the story. Why wouldn't someone evaluating my manuscript want to read the prologue?
Just wondering. Thanks!
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My usual advice to people who want to put a prologue on a story is to delete it.
As to why some publishers don't want to see a prologue -- my guess is that they want to see your main story and how it develops.
You need to understand that half -- or more -- of readers will skip the prologue anyway.
As to why some publishers don't want to see a prologue -- my guess is that they want to see your main story and how it develops.
You need to understand that half -- or more -- of readers will skip the prologue anyway.
followup question on prologues
Okay, then maybe my perception of a prologue is a bit mislead. If my prologue is important but perhaps not part of the meat of the story, should I just slap a ONE above it and make it my first chapter instead?
Okay, then maybe my perception of a prologue is a bit mislead. If my prologue is important but perhaps not part of the meat of the story, should I just slap a ONE above it and make it my first chapter instead?
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zarch said:
Exactly. If the reader needs to read it for the story to make sense, it ought to be Chapter One.
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If the material is something that can go anywhere -- put it anywhere. If it's something that needs to come first, put it in chapter one.
Please notice The Lord of the Rings. There's a prologue -- a little thing "concerning hobbits" that some people might read and others not, to no detriment to the story.
The stuff that's actual prologue material is mostly presented in the Council of Elrond scene, half-way through the first book. (The filmmaker made it into a prologue again -- mostly because moviegoers have no choice but to see all of the film in order.)
Please notice The Lord of the Rings. There's a prologue -- a little thing "concerning hobbits" that some people might read and others not, to no detriment to the story.
The stuff that's actual prologue material is mostly presented in the Council of Elrond scene, half-way through the first book. (The filmmaker made it into a prologue again -- mostly because moviegoers have no choice but to see all of the film in order.)
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That's how I feel about prologue: it may enhance my enjoyment, but if I skip it, it shouldn't be detrimental to the story or makes me go "huh?" later. If what you have in the prologue is important to the story, and you're not repeating it anywhere else in the book, you should include that in the main story instead (chapter one, mid-book, whatever).
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