??! Prologues are Criminal !??

Representing_Tromba

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Reading all the comments, I think people who complain about prologues have serious issues defining what they think a prologue is.

And they most certainly don't know the difference between not liking something and thinking "I didn't like how the story starts = bad prologue" or something along that line... :blob_unsure::blob_hmm_two:
Agreed.
 

owotrucked

Chronic lecher masquerading as a writer
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Just put a smut scene in the prologue to set the tone
 

HelloHound

Hound of hell, lover of girls
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I usually prefer just to start on ch1 and worldbuild from there, specifically things that are relevant to the story I'm trying to tell. Any bonus or extra stories that could shed light on what's happening but set before the story I usually just make a bonus chapter
 

Kamelingil

Some random sock with Headphones and a Phone
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Uhh, how do I use Prologues? All my works have Prologues but it pretty much still connects to the main story and it was considered as a chapter 1
 

CheertheSecond

The second coming of CheertheDead
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A prologue is generally not compulsory for a novel. Its job is to introduce a tidbit of the relevant background of the novel. If your prologue held enough significance to influence how the audience will feel about your novel or a major character in your novel then it should not be there in the prologue. It should be woven into one of the official chapters.

Technically, your audience should already understand what your novel is about and whether they should jump into it just by reading the synopsis. The prologue could be considered a demo run to showcase how well you craft the words, construct the verses, and set the mood. It was like a taste test before you are 100% sure you like this ice cream flavour or not.

Overall, I can not tell you how you should structure your novel but for me the general rule is that "anything that is important to the novel will be found in the official chapters". This means there should be nothing too important in the interlude, epilogue, prologue, bonus chapter, or any other extra materials that isn't the official chapters. Everything the readers need to read start with the first line of chapter 1. That is how I structure my novel. If I couldn't capture the audience with my chapter 1, I did something wrong, or it was not the readers' cup of tea.


Frankly I want my chapter 1 actually has some meaning. It is titled chapter 1 so people should be able to look at it and tell that "this here is where the story begins".

I will not speak for other authors.
 

melchi

What is a custom title?
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The only good prologue is the one in princess bride where they give a brief explanation of the rise and fall of the most beautiful women in the world.
 

Ruyi

༺ aureate sect ༻
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The only thing I hate about prologues here is how they throw off your entire chapter count. Like there’s no actual “chapter 0,” it’s just your prologue masquerading as chapter 1. Same issue with translations too, you think a completed novel has 140 chapters and you only see 139 but actually it’s because the author put the prologue as c1 so 139 IS all 140 chapters (prologue + 139). Drives me nuts every time.

If I ever write a prologue in the future I’m just gonna put it on top of ch 1. That’s all, thanks for letting me rant haha~
 
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