As promised (or threatened), let’s discuss prologues to novels.
Do you really need or want a prologue?
What should a prologue accomplish?
How should a prologue be written?
How long should a prologue be?
Do you really need it?
As writers, we're often cautioned against using a prologue. Why?
Gatekeeper reaction
Literary agents, editors, and book publishers often warn against prologues. These can send up red flags to these gatekeepers, mainly because so many writers (especially newer writers) don’t know how to properly craft a prologue.
Sometimes prologues are used to set up the story rather than just diving into the story. Prologues frequently fail to hook the reader into the story. Writers sometimes use prologues to get their writing juices flowing but then become emotionally attached to their prose and refuse to delete it when it’s no longer needed.
When an agent or acquiring editor opens up a submitted manuscript or sample pages with a query letter and the first word they see is “Prologue,” i…
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