Monday, May 14, 2012

Prologues and Epilogues


Prologues

      To have or not to have, that is the question

Last week a member of my writer’s group asked the rest of us if we thought the novel he was working on needed a prologue. The answer was unanimous—no.  The other question he raised was if a book had a prologue, did that mean it required an epilogue? That question also got a unanimous, negative response—one does not necessitate the use of the other. Epilogues, like prologues, are done at the whim of the author.
            As a reader I like prologues. The ones I don’t like are italicized and make it difficult for me to tell how far back in time they’re going, if at all. I hate prologues that involve a dream sequence, or long dream narratives anywhere in the book unless they’re short and meaningful to the storyline.  But that’s my own taste as a reader.
            Epilogues? I love epilogues. They’re very satisfying to readers like myself who enjoy knowing how the characters fared after the mystery is unraveled. Prologues and epilogues are most common in the mystery/suspense/thriller genre. If you’re writing in one of these genres, a prologue gives you the chance to begin your story twice, at two different points. But adding a prologue can work for or against your story.

Before adding a prologue, ask yourself three questions:
 -  Do you really need a prologue?
-  What do you need the prologue to do for the story?
-  Will it get the job done for you?

The prologue needs to be an integral part of the novel by offering the reader a compelling hook that will propel him into the first chapter. The prologue generally takes place in a different timeline from the rest of the novel. This timeline needs to be made clear in the prologue and again in the first chapter.
            Advice from the pros is most often against using a prologue. Before including one in your novel, I’d advise doing some research first, and again I’d suggest adding Don’t Murder Your Mystery, by Chris Roerden, to your how-to library. The entire first chapter is devoted to the use of prologues.

Dear Readers,
I hope all of you had a nice Mother’s Day. I’d like to hear from everyone on the topic of prologues. Readers, do you like them? Writers, do you use them? If not, why?  How about the use of italics? I find reading italicized sections annoying, so when I write I try to avoid using italics for lengthy sections. Any suggestions on how to set something apart from the rest of the story without them?
As always, I look forward to your input.
Have a happy and healthy week,
Marla

11 comments:

  1. When I'm interested in a novel and find a prologue, I immediately feel more investment is needed to even begin. I've heard that term around: 'investment' - how much time or brain power or whatever is the reader going to need to invest in this piece of work. I just think that the prologue is like adding two beginnings, so the investment doubles immediately especially in a subconscious way. If the reader is hanging on by a thread, that is, if the cover, logline, liner notes w.h.y. have only provided a small interest, but enough to get their eyes inside, they might bolt at the sign of a prologue. I know I have.

    I'm not a published novelist, but I am working on a full length contemporary fantasy (sorta upscale fiction) novel. I had a prologue which I eventually printed and made a paper plane out of. It flies pretty good (now).

    I actually turned the prologue, which was really a journal entry by one of the characters, into a dialogue scene which works much better at presenting the initial conflict.

    That's my take. Thanks for raising this question.

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    1. Thanks for your input, Bree. You put a lot of thought into adding a prologue and that is what we need to do, make sure it's really necessary. Good job.
      You're right about the investment. A prologue gives the reader one more thing to keep track of!
      Good luck with your novel,
      Marla

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  2. Good advice, Marla. A prologue really needs to be a significant event that leads into the first chapter and the heart of the story. Then they can be really valuable and add a lot to the story.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Ellis!
      I had doubts about the prologue in my first book, so haven't done one in the one I'm working on. I was tempted though, then decided I could do it a different way so I wouldn't need it. Tough decision!Knowing when you really need one probably comes with experience!
      Enjoyed your input,
      Marla

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  3. Writer Dave says:
    Prologues are useful for introductory scenes if needed.
    So far in my writing, I have not felt the need for one. I jump right into the story.
    I find using dates and timelines at the beginning of chapters helps the reader keep in touch with the
    movement of the story.
    I use italics sometimes for a flashback, but I keep them to a minimum.

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    1. Using dates is a good way to do it, too. Much better than having reader wondering when a scene is taking place. I used some chapter dating too in my first novel.
      Thanks for visiting!

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  5. Great blog post, Marla. I agree with Ellis about prologues. I have one book where there's a short scene. I don't call it a prologue. I don't call it anything. But I do like epilogues and use them. Sometimes they're short, sometimes they're long and tie up all the loose ends. I would never say a writer shouldn't use either. It depends on the needs of the story. I love Chris's book. Learned a lot from her.

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    1. You're right, it always depends on the book and should be well thought out.
      Chris's book is my bible! I reread it every now and then.
      Thanks for visiting!
      Marla

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  6. Thank you so much for posting this! I have an idea for a new novel and was thinking of doing a prologue, but wasn't sure if it should have one. Your explanation showed me it does need one! As for an epilogue, not quite sure how the book will end yet.

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    1. I write suspense, so prologues are always a consideration. Never was too sure about the one I did in my book, She's Not There. Glad you have it resolved, that's a good feeling!
      Not sure epilogues are ever needed, but I like them because they let me know more about the characters.
      Good writing,
      Marla

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