Are prologues pointless? I've written one that's about 1000 words and something about it bothers me, so I am wondering does anyone have any thoughts on prologues? or should one just dive straight to chapter 1.
Basically my prologue describes my main character as a young child showing up a couple of key points to do with the story later on..but is this a bad technique ? help help
A different approach to your question...
You have a piece of your story material. That's a great thing :-)
As you see it at the present time - and present point in the progression of your writing - it is a prologue.
It does matter whether the writing is good - but it doesn't matter either whether it remains as a prologue - or if it remains in the final draft.
The thing for now is that it is an element - just one element - in your creative process... As such it is significanr to you. It is also significant to your story at this stage.
It is possible that the significance will remain the same - or it might grow or fade away.
Similarly it is currently a prologue... But (unless you choose to restrict it) it doesn't always have to be. It might be that at some future point it moves into the main text as a current event - or it might move to a situation where it becomes a flashback - even (possibly) a flashback that looks forward :-) At different stages it might pass through any one or all of these options... Which isn't to say that, should it build up enough speed, it might vanish into a vortex of its own making :-)
The thing is - that wherever it ends up - you have that piece of writing.
You should save it digitally and as a hard copy.
There is a basic rule - save it and you may never want it again - don't save it and you almost certainly will.
That is one of the few rules that I accept.
Apart from that one - I would encourage you to not bother at all about whether a prologue is right or wrong - in general or in this specific case. You have the material - GREAT!!! :-) :-) That is the important thing.
For now I think you should plough on with the rest of your story... Ask questions (if they still apply) about your prologue later. You might find that, by the time you get round to editing etc., that any questions have already answered themselves.
Do let us know how you get on please :-)
Prologues are not pointless. First novels do not need prologues, whether they are part of a series or not. However, they are useful from the second, third or fourth novel in a series.
I would not waste ideas on a prologue. I would use them throughout the chapters in my manuscript.
A good prologue is never pointless. The question is whether this particular prologue is pointless.
If you removed it, what would happen?
Would the reader be confused? Would the tremendously exciting situation in chapter one be slightly less exciting because the prologue contained some vital information? Those are cases when you would keep it.
If the answer is "I'm using it to hook the reader because chapter one is setting the scene", your chapter one needs sorting.