A prologue serves as the gateway to your story, offering readers their first taste of the world you’ve created. It’s a powerful tool that, when crafted skillfully, can hook your readers from the very first page. However, writing an effective prologue is an art form that requires a delicate balance of intrigue, context, and restraint.
Whether you’re setting the stage for an epic fantasy, providing a backstory for a gripping thriller, or establishing the tone for a heartfelt romance, the prologue must captivate your audience and leave them eager to dive into the rest of your story.
In this blog post, we’ll explore essential tips for writing a prologue that not only grabs your readers’ attention but also sets the tone for the entire narrative. We’ll delve into examples from various genres, illustrating how different authors use prologues to draw readers in, establish important themes, and foreshadow events.
What Is A Prologue?
A prologue is an introductory passage at the beginning of a literary work that is separate from the main narrative.
It sets the stage for the story or provides background information about the characters, setting, or events. Prologues are commonly found in books, plays, and other literary works, particularly in fiction.
The length of a prologue can vary depending on the author and the work, but it is typically shorter than the main narrative. It can range from a few paragraphs to several pages.
Prologues exist in plays, novels, movies, and sometimes even poems.
What Is The Purpose Of A Prologue?
The purpose of a prologue is to provide background information or context about the story, characters, or setting. It can also set the tone or mood for the work, introduce the main themes, or foreshadow events that will occur later in the story.
A well-written prologue can capture a reader’s attention and draw them into the story. It can provide essential context and background information that sets the stage for the main narrative.
How to Write a Prologue That Hooks Your Readers
Let’s assume you are going to write a prologue. What should you do next to make it the best prologue possible? Here are a few useful tips:
1. Set the Tone of the Genre
A prologue plays a crucial function in creating the book’s mood and tone.
Consider writing an epic fantasy with the first chapter taking place on a farm before the main character embarks on their mission.
This is a common problem with books in which the first chapter begins in a state of relative calm compared to the rest of the book. There are little to no action or genre conventions.
Your prologue should therefore do all of those things.
If your book has a lot of action in it, make sure the prologue has action. If your book has magic, make sure magic is used in the prologue. The same can be said for any major genre conventions: mystery, suspense, horror, romantic relationships, etc.
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2. Don’t Info Dump
It can be easy for authors to want to cram their prologue full of everything a reader needs to know about the book. Instead, try to find ways to immerse the reader into the narrative, with as much left to context as you can.
You don’t want to leave the reader completely clueless, however, which is why you should take advantage of the old adage: show, don’t tell.
The best way to do this is by looking through the eyes of a character. That character would not describe everything that is going on, and explain it all to the reader, because the character is not talking to the reader.
3. Avoid “Purple” Prose
A stumbling block that goes hand in hand with info dumping is “purple” prose. This is a term for prose that becomes overly flowery or unnecessarily wordy.
It is usual for writers to want to wow their readers at this early stage of the work, or to make the plot appear more essential. However, keep in mind that a reader does not yet know you or your characters, and there is no incentive for them to stay put.
You need to get their attention quickly and efficiently. Spending too much time writing fancy text will not do that. Avoiding purple prose not only engages readers but also speeds up the writing process.
A good example of purple prose is:
He strode forward, like a raging lion about to pounce, the robes of his cloak billowing back and forth, back and forth, until I thought I might go mad with the grandeur of it.
From the example above, you’ll notice the use of long and unnecessary words. This makes the sentence overly dramatic.
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4. Remember It’s Not the First Chapter
If your prologue is also the first chapter of your book, it should only be the first chapter.
In virtually all cases, your first chapter should introduce your core plot and will most likely be where you begin your main story.
Additionally, you should ensure that both your prologue and first chapter are equally captivating.
5. Keep it Short
A prologue should rarely be long. You’re trying to set up certain events in the novel and establish a tone. This shouldn’t take long.
The length itself can depend on the genre of the novel (fantasy is generally more forgiving of longer chapters), but overall it should not exceed the average length of the other chapters in your novel.
I would personally shoot for half the length of your regular chapters if you can.
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6. Leave the reader wanting more
One great way to create an engaging prologue is to leave the reader with questions.
And the most important questions you can ask are questions related to the conflict of the novel. Conflict is ultimately what drives your characters, and it’s what encourages your reader to keep turning the pages (literally or on their Kindle device).
What Are The Different Types of Prologues?
There are several prologues, including character, setting, and thematic prologues. Let’s take a look at the four common types of prologues:
1. Future protagonist
This prologue gives readers a taste of what the main character will become.
2. Past protagonist
This type introduces readers to the protagonist’s past experiences or background.
3. Different point of view
This prologue is written from the perspective of a character other than the protagonist.
4. Background
This prologue provides historical or contextual information that sets the stage for the story.
FAQs On How to Write a Prologue
A prologue is the first section of a literary work that gives context or background information.
A prologue can work in various ways, such as providing context, setting the tone, or introducing themes.
A prologue precedes the main narrative, whereas an epilogue follows the main narrative and provides closure.
Conclusion
Writing a prologue that hooks your readers is a vital skill for any author. It’s more than just an introduction; it’s a promise of the journey to come. By knowing when and how to use a prologue, and incorporating essential elements like intrigue, character, and context, you can create a beginning that not only captivates but also sets the stage for a memorable reading experience.
References
- dabblewriter.com – How to Write a Prologue That Gets Readers Amped
- novel-software.com – How to Write a Prologue That Sets the Tone and Captivates Readers
- grammarly.com – What Is a Prologue? Definition and Examples
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