1. Christian Torrisi

    Christian Torrisi New Member

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    Prologue as the ending?

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Christian Torrisi, Sep 11, 2016.

    Hi,

    This is my first time planning any sort of novel and book series (well, it's two novels so I don't know if you would call it a series) but I currently have the following mapped out:
    - Overall plot (both novels)
    - Major plot twists
    - Minor plot twists
    - Setting
    - Roughly 3-4 pages (total) describing the beginning, middle and ending of Novel 1
    - Character names/descriptions (filling in backstories)
    - General ideas to include


    Plot of Novel 1 (G=Group)
    -> Prologue (??)
    -> G1 (including MC) is looking to take down G2.
    -> G3 is helping G1 without them or the audience knowing while still appearing throughout the novel
    -> G1 takes down G2 at the end of the book
    -> G3 appears to G1 after the "final showdown"
    -> Epilogue (??)


    I had a brain overload and quickly wrote roughly half a page of dialogue for the ending chapter where the G3 (Main Member) reveals themselves to the MC. It has small details about the main characters history which will be explained later in detail but nothing too major. The two meet at a bar, flirt a little when the conversation ends as follows (rough script towards end of chapter):



    'Chapter 1000'
    (Starts with description of MC walking into bar)
    (Sees 'girl of his dreams' and flirts, MC is 25 years old, G3 is 21 in 5 days)
    .......
    (MC dialogue)
    "How about we make a deal then Rachel. I won't tell the security guard you're underage and in return I get to walk you home, sound fair?"
    (G3 giggles)
    "You wouldn't tell him, you said it yourself I'm too cute and plus if you do tell him I think we may have a problem my tiny little itch."
    (MC is shocked but gathers himself, only his mother has ever said that to him, mother died 10 years ago, brushes it off)
    "Oh come on I can't be so annoying that you want to scratch me?"
    (MC nervously chuckles, G3 responds)
    "That kind of line would have worked on PJ but not on me."
    (MC is really surprised now, PJ is a nickname for his ex-girlfriend, stares at G3 for a while and clears throat)
    "After everything that's happened I wasn't expecting G2 to still be operating so I only have one question for you." (MC pauses) "How do you know who I really am?"
    (G3 smirks)
    "G2 is long gone don't even worry about that. You've been waiting your whole life to make something of yourself Mitchell and you finally have. I've been waiting since the day you were born. Now, you're the only one who will ever know the truth."



    'Chapter 999' will end with the MC stating to the SC that he is going to a bar and "might find the woman of his dreams." I don't want to end the book that way.

    My questions are:

    1. Can I use 'Chapter 1000' as my prologue and then start the novel introducing my MC/SC/AC and build up that ending?
    2. Would it be acceptable to have 'Chapter 1001' as an epilogue which will reveal G3 telling the MC about G4 (who only appears in Novel 2)?

    Sorry if this is all very confusing but like I said, this is my first time preparing any sort of story/novel so no hate please and I am open to any constructive criticism. Thanks :)
     
  2. NigeTheHat

    NigeTheHat Contributor Contributor

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    You can do anything you want. It's your story. Go nuts.

    A better question might be: what effect are you trying to create? Do you want the reader to know all along that Group 3 is involved? If you do, what advantage is that giving you? How does it help you tell a better story?

    Framing your story with a future event is usually - I hesitate to say 'always' but I'm honestly struggling to think of one where this isn't the case - done to create a sense of foreboding in the reader, something dramatic or traumatic enough that the reader's going to care more about the story you're telling because they want to know how the characters get into that state, and maybe hoping against hope that they'll actually avoid it. Is that the kind of thing your prologue's going to do?
     
    I.A. By the Barn likes this.
  3. Christian Torrisi

    Christian Torrisi New Member

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    I'm trying to create an effect of wonder/curiosity. G3 is only 20 (almost 21) years old and the MC is 25 years old. However, G3 states that she has been waiting since the day that the MC was born to tell him the truth which seems impossible.

    G3 are essentially what you would call shape-shifters without giving too much away. They appear to the main character/s throughout the first novel 9 or 10 times and then help out in the second novel. Their backstory would also be explained in the second novel. The girl mentioned above is the 'ring-leader' and in the epilogue would reveal to the MC, and audience, how she knows him and how she's helped since she was born. She would then at the end of the epilogue give the MC a choice to know information about G4.

    I'd say I have roughly 80-90% of the information needed to complete the last 2-3 chapters. Would it be helpful if I just tried to write and complete those chapters and see where/how they could be used?
     
  4. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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    Well unless you write your story backwards, we like to call that an epilogue (which is at the end of a story).
     
  5. NigeTheHat

    NigeTheHat Contributor Contributor

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    I'm struggling to see that making an interesting prologue before we care about the characters. From the sounds of it, it'd work better as an epilogue.

    That said:

    Yes. Write what you've got, see how it turns out. You'll almost certainly be better off writing the story before deciding if you want a prologue or epilogue in any case.
     

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