Prologues can set the tone for your novel as well as introducing some relevant backstory.
Should you use a prologue?
Prologues often get a bad press because of info-dumping or irrelevance, but a great prologue sets the mood, gets you hooked, and leaves you hungry for more. A well-crafted prologue can entice reluctant readers into continuing the story and show the mood, theme, and even introduce key characters who may appear at a later date.
Atmosphere
A prologue is a great way to establish the overall tone of your narrative. Whether you want to give readers a sense of foreboding, or show them a world filled with magic, humor, or romance, your prologue is a way to let readers know the kind of story that lies ahead.
Foreshadowing
You can drop subtle hints or foreshadow key elements without giving away too much, making your readers want to find out what happens in the rest of the story. For example, a letter arrives but the readers aren’t privy to the contents. All they can observe is the effect of the letter on the person who receives it.
Start with a key Character
Choose a character who’s central to your story and show them in a situation that’s causing them difficulties. It’s a good idea to write the scene from this character’s point of view. This allows readers to form connections early on and invest emotionally in the unfolding drama.
It’s not necessary for them to be the main character or even make a personal appearance in the following narrative, but they should impact the story’s events.
*You can read more about characters, here.
Conflict
Use your prologue to introduce conflict that will impact the following narrative. A declaration of war, a battle that ends in defeat, a broken romance; the possibilities are endless. Show how this conflict will affect the major characters and hinder their progress in the rest of the story.
Loose Ends
Resist the urge to tie up all loose ends in the prologue. Leave certain elements unresolved, prompting readers to seek answers in the rest of the narrative. Just like starting the scene with a hook, end the prologue with something compelling – a thought-provoking question, mysterious happening, or a subtle revelation.
Tips
- Keep it brief. Most prologues work better as a few hundred words rather than thousands.
- Maintain a consistent tone. Ensure that the mood established in the prologue aligns with the overall atmosphere of your narrative.
- Avoid info-dumping. Provide enough information to interest your readers but avoid excessive world-building details.
- Introduce relevant characters. Every character introduced should serve a purpose and contribute to the narrative’s development
- Leave some things open. Use a closing hook at the end of the scene to encourage readers to seek answers to unresolved questions.
Conclusion
A well-crafted prologue is a way to hook readers’ interest and show them the kind of story you have created. It doesn’t need to be an info-dump for your story’s lore or a way to show all that amazing world-building you’ve done. Use it instead, to set-up some conflict, introduce key events, or even characters who might only appear as backstory or much later.