When do i use a prologue

I fully agree that there is a place for prologues in some fiction. My pet peeve is that most writers just use it for back story. To me it has to be an event that preferably took place before the time of the story. It is a hinge point, the relevance of which only becomes clear later in the book. By then the entire plot can be perceived to be hinged on this event. Use a flashback in the first chapter. Hi, Sami! Stop making those embarrassing mistakes!

Subscribe to Daily Writing Tips today! You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! You'll also get three bonus ebooks completely free! Try It Free Now. Prologues certainly are very important for novels based on some past time or some research work. But many a times authors write so bad prologues that it actually kill the mood of the reader.

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Why I Write Poetry. Poetry FAQs. Get Published. Build My Platform. Find a Fiction Agent. Find a Nonfiction Agent. Write My Query. Sell My Work. Business of Writing. Breaking In. Be Inspired. Writing Prompts. The Writer's Life. Writing Quotes. Vintage WD. From the Magazine. Martin did a great job with this in his infamous series Game of Thrones. The series opens with a prologue of men venturing beyond the wall to investigate certain occurrences. This will often make them skim the prologue, skip the prologue, or skip the book entirely.

Prologues are a great story-telling tool when used properly. Make sure you need a prologue before you include one, keep it brief, keep it interesting, and keep it Absolutely Necessary.

A great prologue means nothing if it only ever sees a folder in your computer that you only open every seven months. If you really want to finish writing your book and even self-publishing your book someday, a kick in the butt to get it done will help. Disclosure: Some of the links above may contain affiliate partnerships, meaning, at no additional cost to you, Self-Publishing School may earn a commission if you click through to make a purchase.

Hannah Lee Kidder is a contemporary and fantasy author, writing coach , and YouTuber. She has published two bestselling short story collections, Little Birds and Starlight. Hannah is currently minding her own business, streaming a variety of writing and life content on Twitch , somewhere in the Colorado mountains with her roommate, Saya, who is a dog. We help you save time, money, and headaches through the book, writing, marketing, and publishing process by giving you the proven, step-by-step process and accountability to publish successfully.

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