How To Write A Prologue: Definition And Writing Tips

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“What’s past is prologue.”

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Just like how an appetiser is designed to whet your appetite and get you excited for the meal to come, a prologue is something writers use to give their readers a flavour of what their writing style is, and a taste of what their story is about. Now that we’ve stretched that restaurant metaphor as far as possible, prologues are abundant across the world of fiction, and especially popular in horror, science fiction and fantasy. Chances are you’ve read more than a few in your time. Nevertheless, understanding the differences between prologues and prefaces, knowing why authors use prologues and understanding how to write a prologue can make mastering them easier said than done. Join us today at What We Reading as we outline what a prologue is and dish out some of our favourite examples and tips for writing one! 

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What Is A Prologue?

First off, what is a prologue? 

Like many literary terms, the word ‘prologue’ comes from the Greek word ‘prologos’, which translates to ‘before word’. In Greek plays, these were always the first parts of a narrative. Euripedes is the playwright most frequently credited with inventing prologues. 

Prologues are still parts of the narrative that come before the first chapter of a story. Prologues are used to establish the tone of a book, provide important background information and introduce something that is important to the main story. 

Differences Between Prologues, Prefaces, Forewords And Introductions

There are several different ways authors can introduce a story before chapter one. While prefaces, forewords and introductions all serve to provide added context to what’s to come, there are several important differences between them and prologues: 

• A preface is written from the perspective of the writer rather than a character or narrator. It details the origins, development, legacy and goals of the book and will often credit other writers who contributed to it. Whilst they can be used in fiction, they’re more common in non-fiction works.
• A foreword is written by a critic, expert or another public figure who is not the writer. Forewords are used in both fiction and non-fiction and are usually used to connect the content and themes to other people’s experiences.
• An introduction is written from the point of view of the author and offers extra information such as historical background that will help readers better understand the subject of the book.

A prologue can take the form of any of these terms, but will only ever be found in a fictional story. 

3 Examples Of Famous Prologues In Books

To show off how effective prologues can be in introducing a story, here are a few examples of novels, plays and books with prologues.

Romeo And Juliet – William Shakespeare

In one of the most classic prologues of all time, William Shakespeare opens his play Romeo and Juliet with a sonnet that introduces the setting and characters, as well as the murky situation the two young star-crossed lovers find themselves in: 

‘Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood make civil hands unclean.’ 

Immediately, readers know where they are, and what the situation is and also outline from the get-go that this is a story destined for tragedy. 

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Jurassic Park – Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton uses a prologue in his sci-fi horror classic Jurassic Park. In a short scene away from the main narrative to follow, a man is treated by a doctor in a small remote village in Costa Rica. The doctor observes that he appears to have been mauled by an animal. As he is being treated, the man wakes up and says one word: ‘Raptor’.

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Check Out The Best Books Like Jurassic Park  

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Moby-Dick – Herman Melville

Another one of the most famous prologues comes from Herman Melville in Moby-Dick. During the prologue, the main character Ishmael introduces himself to readers and goes through how lost he has become in life and why he has found himself as a sailor. 

5 Tips For Writing An Effective Prologue

Now that you have an idea of what a prologue is and why authors use it, let’s dive into some of the best tips for writing a good prologue.

1. Set The Tone

Arguably the most crucial role of a prologue is to establish the mood and tone of the story. If your book has plenty of action in it, make sure the prologue features action. If it is full of blood and gore, make sure the prologue has that. For big fantasy stories where magic plays a role, make sure the prologue features magic. Be careful not to overfill your prologue with these things. Remember, the goal is to ensure that a reader who picks up the book and reads the prologue recognises what type of book it is. 

2. Avoid Using Too Much Information

As we mentioned above, it’s important to make sure the prologue doesn’t go overboard in cramming in everything a reader needs to know. Jamming in too much information is one of the most common mistakes writers make when writing prologues. Instead, work on the classic strategy of ‘show, don’t tell’. One of the best tips we have for achieving this is by putting yourself in the point of view of a character and go off of what they would be seeing, commenting on, thinking about etc. 

3. Cut Through The ‘Purple’ Prose

‘Purple’ prose is a term used to describe sections of a narrative that become overly wordy. One of the main purposes of a prologue is to grab the reader’s attention. Unnecessarily wordy paragraphs are a great way to ensure a reader becomes bored or disinterested. Cut out the flowery prose and focus on getting the reader hooked as fast and efficiently as possible. 

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Check Out Our Guide To Writing Purple Prose On Our Sister Site, What We Writing

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4. Keep It Short

Not only should the descriptions in a prologue be as snappy as possible, but the length of the prologue in general should be concise and to the point. When writing a prologue, all you are doing is establishing a tone and setting up certain events. Whilst the lengths of different genres vary, our tip for the length of a prologue should be roughly half that of your regular chapters. 

5. It’s Not The First Chapter

Prologues aren’t chapters in a book. Your first chapter is where you introduce your main plot and the central narrative. In an ideal world, your prologue and first chapter should be as equally compelling as each other. The tone of your book might not seep through during the first chapter, which is why it is so important to establish it in the prologue. 

6. Establish Questions

Finally, one of the best tips for how to write a prologue is to leave readers with lingering questions. Conflict is what is used to drive the characters in your stories, and ultimately what keeps a reader hooked. The best questions to include in your prologue should relate to these conflicts. When used effectively, a reader will have them in the back of their mind as they go through the main story.