Writing Q&A Number 12 – Prologues

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From Kari:

How long should a good prologue be?

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I receive questions about prologues quite often. Writers have differing opinions on whether or not a novel should have a prologue, and my own opinion has changed over the years.

In most cases, I now advise writers to avoid prologues. The reason is simple. If a prologue is more than three or four paragraphs, many readers will skip it. If the material in the prologue is necessary for understanding the rest of the story, then it i...