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Introduction - Yes/No/Maybe
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I would avoid like the plague! Nobody puts these in any more, as they're the sort of thing better-known authors might have got someone they know to write back in the pompous 1950s - that fashion went out many years ago. Publishers advise writers to jump straight in and have something happen on the first page, and that's good advice. But where you might include something about the world your characters inhabit is on your website - though perhaps not in the way you have it above...
Writing styles have changed as well, and prologues and introductions don't fit with today's more direct presentation. The modern method is to avoid such a huge exposition and drip the information out snippet by snippet - a method called 'incluing'.
Incidentally, 'different to' is incorrect in the UK at least - it should be 'different from' and 'similar to' - this I know because my father spent what seemed like many hours drilling me with it, and if you can't remember which way round it is, try saying to yourself 'similar from' - you'll soon remember it's 'similar to'.
Hope this helps, as ever. <3
Thanks, Helen - being old-fashioned is definitely my thing :-)Good tip about thinking 'similar from' - I'll remember that.
I will remove the Introduction from the manuscript and re-use it somewhere - I'm too mean to throw things away, much to my wife's displeasure.
All the best
Nick
Hi Nick,I already gave you feedback on this, but generally speaking it's not prologues that are a problem. It's the content.
I might use a prologue to write a scene that happened before (especially well before) the main story begins, but not to include exposition about the characters. Character backgrounds can be worked into the main story as needed. Note, however, that the kind of scene I suggest works in a prologue could also be included as a flashback.
Dale wrote: "Hi Nick,I already gave you feedback on this, but generally speaking it's not prologues that are a problem. It's the content.
I might use a prologue to write a scene that happened before (especi..."
Hi Dale,
I reckon the answer is, "It depends ..." :-)
The sort of introduction I wrote is not in style and, quite possibly, never should have been. However, as you say, if there is an event which is important to the story line but doesn't fit well in Chapter 1 because it happened many years previously that needs to go somewhere at the beginning and the author can call it a prologue if it suits them.
That boils down to :- "if something needs to be known by the reader before chapter 1 to help the storytelling, then stick it at the beginning and call it what you like."
All the best - Nick
Prologues and epilogues are definitely maligned these days. It seems there's a huge backlash against them, so much so that I've stopped doing them in my own novels. That being said, though, they aren't without purpose, and I used them before for a reason. I say that if you can "plump up" the prologue, then go for it. If it's information that can be incorporated elsewhere in early chapters, skip it.
Sherri wrote: "Prologues and epilogues are definitely maligned these days. It seems there's a huge backlash against them, so much so that I've stopped doing them in my own novels. That being said, though, they ..."
Hi Sherri,
I wrote an introduction because to my mind it was a traditional thing to see in a book.
Following the advice I have had and checking out a number of other books, as my introduction does not add anything to the story, it will not make the final version of my e-book. I may be able to use it on a website in some way, we'll see.
Thanks a lot for the feedback.
Nick
Nick, I was just on my way to pick up my son from work yesterday and I realised there's another very important reason why you shouldn't include a prologue or introduction. Most authors would put them at the front of the book, which means they would be included in the 'Look Inside the Book' sample Amazon posts with the novel, which means that some of your sample will be missed out. In my case I had an important hook at the end of chapter 3 of my novel, and Amazon missed that out because I included a hook page. A lot of authors on Kindle put that kind of thing at the back of the e-book, I've since discovered. Hope this also helps. <3
Helen wrote: "Nick, I was just on my way to pick up my son from work yesterday and I realised there's another very important reason why you shouldn't include a prologue or introduction. Most authors would put th..."Hi Helen,
I'd already twigged that as I scan around on Amazon for e-books fairly often. The 'Look Inside the Book' sample is brilliant, but disappoints if there are 5 or 6 pages before you arrive at Chapter 1.
Hopefully other authors will be helped by this thread.
Cheers - Nick
I'm very glad to hear that! Cheers, Nick! :)
Prologues, Introductions, Pre-ambles, Prefaces and Forewords all have a place even in modern novels. I would not recommend including multiples of these, but I have seen it in some books. They are no more out of date than the other current pretensions of fads and trends. All three of my current novels and the fourth in a new series have a Prologue and Foreword. The latter in this case is purely a precaution against erroneous criticisms of the content. "Oh but I wasn't warned there would be violence and bad language." The Trigger Brigade.Admittedly, while they rightly have little place in general fiction, detective or romantic novels. However, they are still a regular staple of the Fantasy and Science fiction genres. The purpose should be defined and not used automatically or occupy dozens of pages. No real need for "Concerning Hobbits" 30 odd pages. Indeed as was earlier suggest the information could be insert, drip fed in elsewhere but it is not always appropriate or satisfactory. If required add as an appendix.
Most modern action films have what is euphemistically referred to as a "Soft Open", fundamentally a Prologue of the upcoming adventure, the bit before the Titles. Think Bond, Mission Impossible or anything in the Marvel or Star Wars universe. Also prevalent in numerous highly rated TV shows. Sometimes it is only a catch-up, precise of the preceding episodes, but often it is the start of something new.
Helen, if you wanted to have people read the whole of the 3rd chapter just ask Amazon to amend or extend the "Look inside". Normally the default is 10% but it can be increased or decreased. I believe the maximum is 25%. Also the start point can be adjusted so there is no excuse or reason to be left feeling unsatisfied.
Hi C.C.Thanks very much for that, some interesting information, especially about being able to ask Amazon to amend the start point of the "Look inside".
The thing with my introduction is it's boring, whereas the first chapter of my book is exciting. (hopefully) :-)
All the best,
Nick
C.C. wrote: "Prologues, Introductions, Pre-ambles, Prefaces and Forewords all have a place even in modern novels. I would not recommend including multiples of these, but I have seen it in some books. They are n..."So well stated, I won't add any further reasoning. I just used both a prologue and an epilogue in the first book in my new mystery series. The prologue is a jabby little hook of only a page and a half to get you into the book and the epilogue is my intent to not leave folks hanging AND to get them interested in further episodes with the same main characters.
I think it is bland, but it does set the scene. I would skip it if I came across it at the front of someone-else's book.
Most likely I'll leave it out, so the reader will jump straight in at Chapter 1.
Does anybody think prologues are useful in a fantasy novel ?
Cheers Nick
Short extract to give a flavour :-
My name is John Mason. I was born on the 15th of October 2000 in Reading, England. I have a Father, a Mother and an older sister, Amanda, who I call Mandy or Mands.
We lived in a 3 bedroom, detached house in Emmer Green, on the outskirts of town. My Father worked as an accountant in London. When I was very little I always imagined him sitting down counting out large piles of money in his office all day, which sounded jolly boring. Later I discovered that an accountant’s work was different to what I had imagined, but it still sounded boring.