On my recent research I found that publishers aren't too fond of the opening prologue or preface. Personally, I love them. So I would like to know what you think: are they needed for a novel, or are they a waste of time and too predictable?
On my recent research I found that publishers aren't too fond of the opening prologue or preface. Personally, I love them. So I would like to know what you think: are they needed for a novel, or are they a waste of time and too predictable?
"They said it was unacceptable to introduce someone who didn't come back for so long."
Did they give a reason why? That's like saying 'You can't use the Gandalf character - he disappears for half the book.'
I think they're wrong to dismiss it offhand. I know he's not your genre but Clive Cussler's 'Dirk Pitt' series usually start with a prologue based on some event in the distant past, the relevance of which is often only revealed in the last few chapters. And he sells gazillions of books.
Beta-readers ain't always right ;)
I tried to introduce a later character in my prologue and my beta readers ate me for lunch over it, Jonathan. They said it was unacceptable to introduce someone who didn't come back for so long. I wept because although it doesn't have loads of bearing on that book, it brings wonderful balance to the whole series to have his history along side the other two MCs. Every now and then I toy with putting it back, just because I love the scene so much. Maybe I should share it and see what you all think.
I love prologues - they're great tools.
In my first story I used the prologue to introduce an important character who didn't re-appear until the middle of the book. Because his action sequence took place in the same year as the beginning of my MC's story, it also served to emphasise the difference in their age and experience when they eventually met.
The second story prologue is set the day after the book's final chapter, so apart from the epilogue the whole thing's flashback in that you don't know who's lying dead on a beach until right at the end. Well I thought it was cool, anyway ;)
Third story? Hmm...not too sure if I'll use a prologue or not.
Fourth story's fairly typical in that the prologue sets up a sequence of prior events which have an important bearing on the plot.
I do think it's important to keep them fairly short and include a hook of some sort. And use an epilogue, for balance.