Need suggestions for a prologue

[PBJ_Time]

This has been on my mind lately, but I'm quite conflicted on whether I should. The main premise of my story is "Prideful MMA fan gets reincarnated into an open world filled with billions of monsters at every corner." Think Vampire Survivors or HoloCure, only the protagonist is a blood-crazed maniac perfect for the job. He always dies in a gas explosion at his apartment, too.

Since I want a prologue within his perspective, I have my own ideas:

1. The prologue starts with the protagonist doing his daily routine of keeping his 150th win streak at his local MMA club. He takes his trophy back to his apartment but then dies in a gas explosion.

2. The prologue starts with the protagonist getting ready for school, hangs out with his friends, and beats a few delinquents making trouble. He dies the same way.

3. The prologue starts with the protagonist visiting the Hachiko statue in downtown Shibuya, then gets invited into a wedding of his two best friends. But alas, as he dresses for the occasion back at his apartment, the inevitable happens. You get the idea.

If those last two sound a bit too personal with his previous life, that's because I got them from an unused draft. But I would love to hear anyone else's suggestions, especially from fellow authors who have written prologues of their own. Thank you.

 

[Fang_Yuan]

This has been on my mind lately, but I'm quite conflicted on whether I should. The main premise of my story is "Prideful MMA fan gets reincarnated into an open world filled with billions of monsters at every corner." Think Vampire Survivors or HoloCure, only the protagonist is a blood-crazed maniac perfect for the job. He always dies in a gas explosion on his apartment, too.

Since I want a prologue within his perspective, I have my own ideas:

1. The prologue starts with the protagonist doing his daily routine of keeping his 150th win streak at his local MMA club. He takes his trophy back to his apartment but then dies in a gas explosion.

2. The prologue starts with the protagonist getting ready for school, hangs out with his friends, and beats a few delinquents making trouble. He dies the same way.

3. The prologue starts with the protagonist visiting the Hachiko statue in downtown Shibuya, then gets invited into a wedding of his two best friends. But alas, as he dresses for the occasion back in his apartment, the inevitable happens. You get the idea.

If those last two sound a bit too personal with his previous life, that's because I got them from an unused draft. But I would love to hear anyone else's suggestions, especially from fellow who have written prologues of their own. Thank you.

The prologue is good place to hook your readers. What will they expect? It should be a chapter where their interest will be triggered. What's your story about anyway? Character development? Redemption? Humbling the prideful MMA fighter? What is it about? What can we expect from your story.

 

[PBJ_Time]

The prologue is good place to hook your readers. What will they expect? It should be a chapter where their interest will be triggered. What's your story about anyway? Character development? Redemption? Humbling the prideful MMA fighter? What is it about? What can we expect from your story.

Well, since my prologue is about the protagonist's life before getting reincarnated, I suppose I can try writing an amalgamation of all my ideas. I can also flesh out his two best friends since they're supposed to be a couple, I don't know. It's common for an isekai prologue to start in the real world, but it might cheapen the premise.

 

[SabrielSilver]

I totally get the struggle with prologues - I’ve seen a lot of feedback from writers where readers associate prologues with info dumping, so I renamed my own prologue to chapter 1 for that reason. It was a bit of a bummer, because I wanted to tease the action to come to hook the readers in the prologue but it was largely skipped.

For your ideas, option 1 stands out. It’s direct, action-packed, and gives a great sense of your protagonist’s pride and intensity, while the explosion delivers a strong punch to transition into the reincarnation. I’ve read that starting with something high-energy hooks readers faster.

Happy writing!

 

[RepresentingThree]

I'd go for number one. I just feel it leads itself more to the character you described. Also, why the gas explosion obsession? [Insert laughter that is infact "out loud" here.]

 

[PBJ_Time]

Also, why the gas explosion obsession? [Insert laughter that is infact "out loud" here.]

Because I needed something a bit more unique yet still mundane than the usual.

 

[Fang_Yuan]

Well, since my prologue is about the protagonist's life before getting reincarnated, I suppose I can try writing an amalgamation of all my ideas. I can also flesh out his two best friends since they're supposed to be a couple, I don't know. It's common for an isekai prologue to start in the real world, but it might cheapen the premise.

I think you might be straying from what a prologue is meant to do... a prologue isn’t just a prelude to the story—it’s a hook and an introduction to the core themes, tone, or stakes of the narrative. Your main story is about an action-packed, blood-crazed adventure in a monster-filled world isnnt it? so the slice-of-life tone you're considering for the prologue doesn't quite set that expectation.

1. Mismatch in Tone: If the main story is about intense combat and survival, starting with mundane life events like visiting a statue or attending a wedding might mislead readers about what they’re getting into.
2. Lack of Connection to the Premise: While the gas explosion is the reincarnation trigger, it doesn’t reveal much about the protagonist’s personality, skills, or why they’re being reincarnated. Without these elements, the prologue risks feeling disconnected.
3. Amalgamating All Ideas: Combining all three ideas might dilute their impact. It could make the prologue feel unfocused and overly long, which might bore readers.


Instead, I suggest focusing on what makes your protagonist exceptional and flawed. Or the “what can we expect?”

Keep the prologue concise. It’s about showing why his life before reincarnation matters, not just what happened. If you focus on his pride, combat obsession, and how it sets him up for the new world, the prologue will hook readers and set the right expect
ations for your story.

 

[Comatoast]

This has been on my mind lately, but I'm quite conflicted on whether I should. The main premise of my story is "Prideful MMA fan gets reincarnated into an open world filled with billions of monsters at every corner." Think Vampire Survivors or HoloCure, only the protagonist is a blood-crazed maniac perfect for the job. He always dies in a gas explosion at his apartment, too.

Since I want a prologue within his perspective, I have my own ideas:

1. The prologue starts with the protagonist doing his daily routine of keeping his 150th win streak at his local MMA club. He takes his trophy back to his apartment but then dies in a gas explosion.

2. The prologue starts with the protagonist getting ready for school, hangs out with his friends, and beats a few delinquents making trouble. He dies the same way.

3. The prologue starts with the protagonist visiting the Hachiko statue in downtown Shibuya, then gets invited into a wedding of his two best friends. But alas, as he dresses for the occasion back at his apartment, the inevitable happens. You get the idea.

If those last two sound a bit too personal with his previous life, that's because I got them from an unused draft. But I would love to hear anyone else's suggestions, especially from fellow authors who have written prologues of their own. Thank you.

Building off the idea above me, It would be kind of epic and very fitting for the character to die trying to be some sort of vigilante or messing with a group of thugs because he thinks he can beat them and getting absolutely whooped.

That way people get a glimpse of his mentality and why he is such a perfect fit.