Writing first chapters makes me think of wallpapering a room. If you don’t get that initial strip of gingham checks on right, every new addition will be askew. The finished project will be totally off kilter. I have a novel I’ve been revising for years. The first chapter never quite worked, but instead of fixing it I kept on writing. What was wrong about the first chapter bled into the second and things just got worse and worse. Big mistake.
The opening chapter of a novel, like the first paragraph of an essay, has specific tasks. It must hook the reader’s interest, set the tone of the work, introduce the conflict or plot springs, and introduce the main character or characters. To stay in a reader’s hands for more than a sentence or two, it must do all these thing darned well.
In today’s competitive entertainment environment, hooking the reader’s interest is by far the most important of these tasks. How is this to be done quickly? One answer—a prologue.
A prologue can provide backstory with a dramatic scene that locks in the reader without distorting the linear narrative. For example, a scene dramatizing a traumatic or violent event in the protagonist’s past which explains his or her present character. Or it could be a scene in some historic conflict like a war or crime that initiates the future plot events of your story. In my case, writing mystery, a prologue might be a murder or the introduction of a villain who won’t necessarily make another appearance until late in my narrative. After reading my prologue, my reader will know he’s there, dislike him intensely, and anticipate his re-emergence and ultimate defeat.
Readers understand how this narrative device works because it’s been around forever. Indeed, it’s used so frequently it can seem creaky, even a cliché. How many times have you been introduced to a character in a movie or TV show that you know is soon to die in some unpleasant way? We all want to produce writing that’s fresh and free of predictable clichés.
Still, depending on the type of novel you’re writing, a prologue can be a good solution to keep the reader engaged. Example: Sense8 is a popular Netflix show that bounces around between eight storylines that don’t seem connected. Without the prologue I suspect many viewers would think the first several episodes didn’t make sense. However, viewers know the connection will be explained eventually because the show started with a prologue that promised an explanation. I’m staying with Sense8 until the writers come through with an answer.
I use this example because Sense8 is trying for a cutting edge sensibility that avoids clichés. Yet, its use of the traditional prologue device is what gives it some coherence. So, consider the prologue when you’re looking for a hook. When your storytelling situation is right, it can be a dependable tool.
Barbara Nelson
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m writing a fantasy novel that – to my mind – absolutely needs a prologue. It’s exactly as you say: something traumatic happens to one of my protagonists as a child that shapes the rest of her life. But, people keep trying to talk me out of it because, “If it’s written well enough, it should be a first chapter.” Like a prologue is some less-than-well-written dribble. I, too, think it’s an excellent tool, though, and cliche’ or not, it suits my novel. I appreciate the validation very much!
Ruth C. Chambers
To prologue or not to prologue. . . I wrote a prologue to my latest novel. Several agents advised against it. As a result I rewrote the entire book without the prologue but was not happy with it. I leafed through countless novels and noticed that the prologue must be making a comeback or there wouldn’t be so many. I began again, this time with a shorter prologue. I liked the finished product and others must have also. Not only was the novel published but is now a finalist in its genre for the 2018 RPLA.
Lyn Hill
Because many readers skip front and back matter they also miss prologue so. It seems to me if what is important to the story, then it is important enough to be included in a chapter. I read two books a week. I enjoy a variety of genders. Too much back story is like too many characters and often bogs down a really good story.
Louise Titchener
It’s always tough to decide how best to begin a story. If back story is important, prologues are one solution. But they are not the only solution. Writers wrestle with this decision. In the end, I think it depends on the story. Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them, Louise
Sidney
But the prologue has to be well written. It can’t just be an info dump of backstory and it can’t just be some event (like a murder) that creates a false sense of the drama and suspense that the first chapter doesn’t live up to. (Is the reader even going to remember the character who appeared in the prologue but doesn’t appear until late in the book? Sorry, I don’t think so.)The prologue must be integral to the work, not merely tacked on just because the writer can’t manage to create a first chapter with the requisite hook. It’s interesting that the suggestion here is to write prologues for books, but a television show is used to illustrate why prologues work. Well, there are things that work visually in TV and film that don’t translate neatly to the written word. I think there are lots of ways that prologues can go wrong, and I see them often in aspiring authors work. Good blog post on this topic: https://authorkristenlamb.com/2010/09/7-deadly-sins-of-prologues-great-novel-beginnings-part-2/
Trish
I like prologues at times. Like the author mentioned, it gives the reader a back story before getting into the actual story. I gave a short prologue on my recent book and I’ve received positive feedback. Some stories require a bit of explanation before jumping right in, otherwise it leaves the reader guessing at what may have happened.
Suzanna
I like prologues, especially in mystery books. I like to give my reader a quick flash of the story to follow, give a quick view perhaps of the bad guy and then have the person pop up later and let the reader wonder what he’s up to. The prologue can instill a sense of dread about the actions to come…like waiting for that other shoe to drop.
Cher'ley
Thank you
I’ve been on the fence about using one. Cher’ley
Louise Fiorelli Titchener
Thanks to everybody’s thoughtful reply to my blog post. I think prologues will always be debated by writers but its good to consider the pros and cons. Louise