So there I was, typing out the prologue to my story Agryl, excited, psyched, pumped, to actually be writing again. I feel that it's going on so great, that nothing can stop me now. And at the end of the prologue I feel a sense of accomplishment, pride even. This is the seventh time I've started the prologue over. And here I am facing the same issue as always, the dread of chapter one. That's the one hurdle I haven't jumped in such a long time with this. Once upon a time I had a plot a couple years ago, people were comparing it to Eragon so I decided to scrap it. But I still continued to write, start over, write, start over, etc. I'm lost right now without having a plot to the story, and I'm thinking that's why I can't even get beyond chapter one at this point.
My advice? Scrap the prologue. They're unnecessary and often frowned-upon by publishers, editors - even fellow writers! And the prologue you have is acting like a safety blanket. Throw it away. It's the only thing protecting you from chapter one, and you need to start chapter one. If the prologue is absolutely necessary, just put it aside - really aside, like, "shoved somewhere in a drawer" aside. When you see that your novel pages are blank, you'll feel you really haven't accomplished anything, and that will drive you to write chapter one. Works for me, anyway.
Well the prologue for the most part really has nothing to do with the novel itself. The little bit of detail (which myself and a few others know about) is vital to this novel, and to the other ones that are planned out. But I hadn't thought of putting the prologue off to the side before. I'll try it out and see what happens. Thanks.
What. I just reviewed that prologue. It was good. Don't tell me you wrote that without any idea where you were going with it. LOL. Inevitable motivational replies aside, brainstorm. What things, fundamentally, do you want to be in the story? Don't care if people compare them to other works, that's always going to happen ... (etc.) ... end up unique. Take those characters, plots, scenes or whatever else you'd like to write and start working out ways to connect them. Consider how a character would react to a certain event, and work out from there. How do you want the story to end? Figure out what has to happen for your characters to get to that point. Pretend the Prologue IS Chapter One and plan from there. Once you've got the general plot and direction, start fleshing out the events. Consider minor characters, and how they might influence events. Change things around. Experiment, and see if it turns out any better. Outline backstories. If you have enough ideas, takes out the ones that don't fit. Is there enough conflict? TRIANGLE THAT LOVE. Too much conflict? Character development into friendship. Or kill off an antagonist. Tie plots together and make it epic. And if the plot just isn't going anywhere reveal a secret that CHANGES EVERYTHING and BS your way from there. This is why I plan everything before I write anything.
