tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post5408377818743130721..comments2023-09-05T12:51:25.656-05:00Comments on edittorrent: Prologues in general, let's debate!Edittorrenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14295505709568570553noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-87875410576748063972010-11-13T20:23:16.399-06:002010-11-13T20:23:16.399-06:00Thanks for a great article! I think the Prologue s...Thanks for a great article! I think the Prologue should be treated like the novel itself. Does it have a place in the story? Is it well-written? Does it enhance or detract from the overall story?<br /><br />There are too many hard and fast do's and don't's in writing that dahave become rules. Even though Prologues are looked down upon the past few years, I went through my library and looked at my favorite SF novels. Many of them were award winners and most of them had a well-written prologue.<br /><br />Things always change, but good writing will always remain.D. D. Tannenbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13249522885951714102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-26782273188570998662010-11-09T09:45:13.811-06:002010-11-09T09:45:13.811-06:00GK, some horror/thriller writers start out with a ...GK, some horror/thriller writers start out with a prologue that seems to have no relationship to the story that starts in Chapter one. Long about Chapter Ten, something happens that makes it clear that the prologue is related (like the murderer in the prologue appears as the heroine's new boyfriend). Of course, me being me, I've forgotten all about the murder and have to remember what happened in the prologue.<br /><br />Anyway, I never know how to react. Is it annoying that the book for 10 chapters and the prologue are disconnected? Is it more evidence that I have a terrible memory? Is it cool because of the shock of realization when the murderer walks in and kisses the heroine? I don't know. But that's another common model for the prologue-- the mystery that doesn't become relevant till the middle of the book. What do you think about that kind?<br /><br />AliciaEdittorrenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14295505709568570553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-13165268640892076632010-11-09T02:42:19.223-06:002010-11-09T02:42:19.223-06:00The only time I wrote a prologue I was absolutely ...The only time I wrote a prologue I was absolutely certain it had to be there. Three months later it had become just as obsolete as every other prologue. <br /><br />If there is a temporal disjoint between, I would much rather have smooth transitions. A prologue means thst I invest in characters and a storyline - only to find that they've been dead twenty years when the book starts, so I start out being less interested in the characters. <br /><br />I would make an exception for genre mystery where you often want that detachment - you're telling the reader, 'something weird is happening. Watch closely, this will be important' while at the same time signalling that these are not the protagonists of the story you will tell.green_knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16499896006012152260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-4379994261431043412010-11-08T13:50:50.964-06:002010-11-08T13:50:50.964-06:00CL, yes, we should all wish for readers like that!...CL, yes, we should all wish for readers like that!<br /> :)<br /><br />AliciaEdittorrenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14295505709568570553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-54300071524812713092010-11-08T12:19:34.364-06:002010-11-08T12:19:34.364-06:00My genre is alternate history, and I had a prologu...My genre is alternate history, and I had a prologue in my first novel. It was the event that changed history. In this case, Stonewall Jackson survives his encounter with the 18th North Carolina and is not wounded. <br /><br />I wanted to use a prologue so I could skip the Battle of Chancellorsville and advance the story.<br /><br />But then I read about bad prologues, so I just switched the prologue to Chapter 1. I don't think my novel would have been hurt if I kept the prologue. <br /><br />I must be an unsophisticated reader. I read prologues and never think whether it should be there or not. I'm quite content to read what the author gives me. LOL!C.L. Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02589946131460307715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-50212889833851997862010-11-08T11:53:33.785-06:002010-11-08T11:53:33.785-06:00I'm writing (revising) a YA steampunk book rig...I'm writing (revising) a YA steampunk book right now and my chapter one could easily be a prologue. But, it's an actual event in the MC's life, just when he's much younger, so I couldn't think of a good reason to call it "prologue" instead of "chapter one". Throughout the rest of the book the story is in limited third person from the MC's perspective, and this chapter isn't (he's too young). I considered just leaving it out, but I do think it adds to the flavor of the book and sets things up well - so, I suppose I'm arguing for the possibility of a chapter one that's of a different sort than the rest of the book. ;)Robin Lemkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12254896327174187893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-57194347038350231372010-11-08T11:37:17.301-06:002010-11-08T11:37:17.301-06:00Leona, I don't know, but I do know that "...Leona, I don't know, but I do know that "other books recently published in the genre" are probably the best guide. Genre really matters. An audience used to prologues probably won't object to another. :)<br />AliciaEdittorrenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14295505709568570553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-2641710256707510742010-11-08T10:51:32.625-06:002010-11-08T10:51:32.625-06:00I've written a thriller that probably should h...I've written a thriller that probably should have a prologue. However, with the current bias against them, I ended up writing the information in from three POVs in the second chapter as each character relived the moment.<br /><br />It is vital information that will span two books so I considered writing a prologue that would introduce both of them. I don't know. It's pretty powerful and we need all three POV's to get the scene and the information in it. <br /><br />I don't know if the scene is better because I kept having to relate it to the present and each persons take on it, or if I'd been better off with a prologue. I don't know. <br /><br />I do know that not writing the prologue forced me to view each part of the event from the past that was still affecting them and only include the necessary details. Seriously important past. Lead to loss of baby--not known by hero, part of personal conflict--for the heroine and leads her to ditching him at the altar in order to exact revenge, which of course sets up some beautiful current personal conflict, sets up the political intrigue, and shows the characters to be more than kick-ass military support. (My two female character's are described as female James Bonds :)<br /><br />I think it's important information. Should it be a prologue? I'm sure someone will eventually tell me because I believe it is a very marketable book.<br /><br />In the meantime, Harlequin has said, in chat room last week, that they do not have any prejudice against the prologue. I think it relates how you said here. If it's good, it's good. If they don't like your writing, then it doesn't matter if it's a prologue or first chapter!Leonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11786326364037397675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6824896765631412903.post-84663111933856839632010-11-08T08:57:59.420-06:002010-11-08T08:57:59.420-06:00Excellent article! Thank you...it is always a diff...Excellent article! Thank you...it is always a difficult decision to write a prologue or not..I agree many times can distract reader..<br />CarolineCarolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12014059022559609992noreply@blogger.com