How To Write A Prologue: 5 Good Reasons To Include One

Write a prologue that works. Discover five good reasons to include a prologue in your novel, with examples from published books.

What Is A Prologue?

A prologue is an opening section of a novel that introduces background information, establishes the setting, or presents an earlier event that connects to the main story. It can also introduce a different point of view or provide information that becomes important later.

Writers love writing prologues, epilogues, and flashbacks. Readers, however, often want to get straight into the story.

At Writers Write, we generally advise against using a prologue unless you have a good reason for including one. Readers need a reason to care about your characters before you introduce too much backstory. If your prologue delays the story rather than advancing it, reconsider whether you need it.

That said, some authors use prologues effectively. Here are five times when a prologue can work.

5 Good Reasons To Include A Prologue

1. To Bridge A Time Gap

A prologue can show an event that takes place long before the main story begins. This works when the earlier event is important to understanding what happens later.

In The Edge of Normal by Carla Norton, the prologue takes place six years before the main story. Reeve was abducted when she was twelve and held captive for four years. The prologue tells the story of her escape.

Six years later, the main story begins when her therapist asks her to help a young girl who has had a similar experience.

The prologue gives readers important background information that connects directly to the central story.

2. When It Is The Ending Of Your Story

You can begin with a scene from the end of your story and use the rest of the novel to show how the characters reached that point. In effect, the novel becomes a flashback.

In Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, the opening draws on a scene from the end of the novel, with a slight change in wording.

This approach can work when the opening raises questions that the rest of the story answers. Give readers enough information to make them curious, but not so much that you spoil the journey.

3. When It Uses A Different Viewpoint

A prologue can introduce a character whose point of view does not appear again in the novel. This works when the character can show readers something the main characters cannot, creating suspense or providing information that becomes important later.

In Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey, the prologue follows Julie Mao. Her perspective introduces an important part of the novel’s central mystery, but the story does not return to her viewpoint.

Use this approach when the opening scene needs a perspective that the rest of the novel does not require.

4. When It Presents A Real Document

A prologue can take the form of a document, such as a letter, a will, a diary entry, an auction notice, or a business card. This can introduce information in a way that feels natural to the story rather than like an explanation from the author.

In The Luxe, a young adult novel by Anna Godbersen, the story opens with an obituary notice. Throughout the novel, Godbersen uses invitations, society columns, and diary entries to help tell the story.

In Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, the book starts with advertisements telling us how wonderful the suburb of Shaker Heights is.

Documents can establish a setting, reveal relationships, or hint at events to come. Make sure the document does more than provide an interesting visual break: it should contribute to the story.

5. When It Is Integral To The Story But Its Purpose Is Not Immediately Obvious

Sometimes a prologue introduces an event or character whose significance only becomes clear as the story unfolds. It can raise questions that encourage readers to keep turning the pages.

In The Wreckage by Michael Robotham, the prologue introduces a killer known as the Courier. He instructs someone to execute the person in the next room. There is no explanation, no obvious motive, and little context. The dialogue alone creates questions: Who is the Courier? Who is the intended victim? Why is this happening?

The scene makes you want to find out what is going on.

The Last Word

A prologue should advance your story without taking anything away from your opening scene. It must stand on its own, contribute to the story as a whole, and give readers information they cannot get later. Before you include one, ask yourself if it is necessary or if the information would work better in the opening chapter. If it delays the action or repeats information, leave it out. Make sure you absolutely need your prologue.

Photo by Sapan Patel on Unsplash

by Amanda Patterson
and

by Mia Botha

For more posts on beginnings:

1. How To Write Epic Beginnings
2. A Quick Start Guide To Writing An Inciting Incident
3. 3 Essential Exercises For Writing Beginnings
4. How To Write A Beginning And An Ending That Readers Will Never Forget
5. How To Start A Story & 13 Ways To Start A Story
6. 3 Things You Need To Do At The Beginning Of Your Novel

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