Young Writers Society

I've got this new fantasy idea stirring around in my head, but the thing is. I'm not sure if I should write a prologue or not, I want to write a prologue that explains something quite major happening in the past but I don't know if readers just skip the prologue or what....

So should I write one or not? I'd give cookies to the best answer! *waves cookies*

What would be written in the prologue?
Would it basically be an info-dump, or would it be something that could be slowly explained throughout the story?

An info-dump may put the reader off, and a "wise soul" explaining it, or telling it as a story, or even small bits being littered through the story would probably be more interesting.

My advice is always not to prologue unless absolutely necessary.

I think the main point is that the prologue should provide something *different* to the story. If it's a bit of background history that is going to be revealed anyway, a lot of the time I would avoid writing one. Think: will your story make sense without a prologue?

If so, I wouldn't write a prologue.

That said, my hatred against prologues has probably biased me in this regard!

Very few prologues actually work. The only ones that come to mind are Beauty and the Beast (the stained glass) and A Song of Ice and Fire.

Let's dissect Beauty and the Beast:

1- It tells you something you cannot get anywhere else in the story.
This is mandatory #1 for prologues. You cannot be physically capable of fitting the information elsewhere. In Beauty and the Beast, you wouldn't find out any of the critical to the plot backstory (heck, it's the whole plot)

It would've been out of character to get a giant ramble on why they're the way they are. Plus, it would've been a huge aside in the story that interrupted flow. Therefore, they stuck it at the beginning.

2- It is a self contained story.
You can cut the stained glass into its own story in and of itself, with "who could ever learn to love a Beast?" being an ending. You want more, sure, but the story in and of itself is done. You have what happened to the prince and it's a bitter ending, but it's an ending.

3- It has immediate relevance.
The last line of the prologue is answered as soon as we see Belle. This is a Disney princess movie; we know how those turn out. Belle is going to learn to love a beast. There is, however, a certain amount of tension left to find out how she will, considering how far away she is. Then there's Gaston, a villain introduced basically to act as a roadblock.

This is absolutely critical because it connects the self-contained story of the prologue with the main story within chapter 1. Then the prologue has a point. Most prologues do not have true points to them.

4- It must be interesting.
You have to give people something interesting in both the prologue and chapter 1. Because prologues spoil part of the story later on, you have to give us another reason to keep reading. Beauty and the Beast did that, as mentioned before, with Gaston. You wondered how he'd stop them, or at least try to.

As a general rule, I suggest not to do prologues. But if you absolutely can't work the information into the story, make sure prologues hit that checklist.

Thanks guys, after some consideration. I've decided to not write one. Thanks again!