1. Dermot Titus

    Dermot Titus Banned

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2017
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    8

    Multiple Prologues?

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Dermot Titus, Sep 1, 2017.

    I'm thinking of writing a story which has lots of events leading up to the main story. So far I've boiled the events down to 2 time periods. The first is 50 years before the story, the other is 18 months before.

    The focus each time is a different villain, neither of which knows about the other until about a third of the way through the story.

    Would readers find 2 prologues acceptable, confusing or just plain idiotic?
     
  2. Simpson17866

    Simpson17866 Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2013
    Messages:
    3,406
    Likes Received:
    2,931
    How much do we need to know about each villain at the beginning of the story, and how much can we afford not to learn until later on? I have a lot of backstory in my WIP, but I'm working on ways for it to come up indirectly through the main narrative rather than directly through flashbacks (a rather appropriate turn of phrase for anybody familiar with the backstory I'm talking about)

    Now, if you absolutely need the two prologues, if they absolutely have to be from different POV than the main narrative, and if they're both short enough, but if they don't have to be at the very beginning, then I would recommend using them as intermissions:
    • The beginning chapters about the protagonist
    • One chapter about one antagonist
    • The middle chapters about the protagonist
    • One chapter about the other antagonist
    • The ending chapters about the protagonist
     
    xanadu, Dermot Titus and Stormburn like this.
  3. Sclavus

    Sclavus Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2017
    Messages:
    744
    Likes Received:
    702
    Location:
    Colorado
    Most prologues I read are unnecessary. Sometimes they're just the first chapter disguised as a prologue. I've never seen two prologues in a book, and that seems silly to me. I like what @Simpson17866 said, that you should work the information into the main narrative. It sounds like you might be starting the story in the wrong place if you're having to give that much backstory from two time periods prior to the main narrative, but that's just an educated guess.
     
    deadrats and Dermot Titus like this.
  4. Walking Dog

    Walking Dog Active Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2017
    Messages:
    151
    Likes Received:
    105
    Location:
    Texas
    Lots of events leading up to the main story would motivate me to make a book series. Does it not seem plausible to turn the two prologues into book one, and the main story into book two?
     
    Dermot Titus likes this.
  5. Dermot Titus

    Dermot Titus Banned

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2017
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    8
    Maybe I could work the 50 years ago bit into some CCTV footage. That way it doesn't have to be a flashback, which I've heard some people don't like and it doesn't need to occupy a prologue or early chapter.

    The 18 months ago section may be trickier to pull off, since it concerns the lead villain's assistants being left behind when he drives his yacht out of harbour. The boat is destroyed when the main hero's predecessor (who has stowed away) confronts the villain. The hero dies, but the yacht is damaged and unable to return to port under its own power, leading to the villain's capture by the military.

    The focus is then on the assistants and how they infiltrate the military to free their boss, but maybe that could be a book all of its own. Now that I think about it, there's more to tell than can be squeezed into a prologue, like Walking Dog said.

    Thanks everyone.
     
    Simpson17866 and Sclavus like this.
  6. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2013
    Messages:
    17,674
    Likes Received:
    19,889
    Location:
    Scotland
    As many people on the forum know, I'm a fan of a good, necessary prologue. But if I were you, I'd get your two prologues written, finish writing the story, and THEN decide how you want to present the whole thing to the public. Trying to set all these decisions in stone before actually writing the story yet is not always as helpful as it sounds. Just get it written, any way you can, then see what you've got.

    My suspicion is that you're trying to give the reader lots of backstory. A prologue, in my opinion anyway, should give ONLY the backstory that a reader needs to know BEFORE the story begins. In other words, the story proper won't make any sense unless the reader knows what has gone before. This might not be quite as massive a body of knowledge as you seem to think it is at the moment.

    However, do make your prologues as vivid as you can. Write each of them as if it was its own short story. Don't just give us a dull history lesson.
     
    LostThePlot, Mckk, Sclavus and 2 others like this.
  7. Thom

    Thom Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    63
    Have to say I have a similar set-up. There is a Prologue that is set a thousand years before the main story starts, and is actually the intro of the MC. Chapter One is then her being brought forward to the time in which the rest of the story is set, but obliquely and is actually more of a light prologue. It is also from the viewpoint of several supporting characters and is still set a decade before the main story starts.

    I did it that way, because it just seems to be the most straight forward way of setting up the character's backstory and the history of the world she's coming (or returning) to. I also wanted the reader to have some connection with her family, and the struggles they've endured, before is she taken away from them.
     
  8. Dermot Titus

    Dermot Titus Banned

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2017
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    8
    I think as long as it doesn't ruin the mystery surrounding the character, putting all these details at the start can be a straightforward method of storytelling.

    For my story, I'll hold off on the 50-years-ago bit and reveal it to the reader in pieces as the main character learns it.
    The other part where the villain's assistants get left behind will be the only form of prologue, with the battle between the hero's predecessor and the villain becoming a prequel story of its own.
     
  9. LostThePlot

    LostThePlot Naysmith Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2015
    Messages:
    2,398
    Likes Received:
    2,026
    Yeah, I totally agree with this.

    It's very easy to feel like the reader needs to know all this awesome amazing stuff about your world and your story and every single line is utterly critical to it. But that's almost certainly not the truth. You don't need that weight of exposition just to kick off the first real plot beat in the story. No matter how awesome your world is, it's the now that matters and you only need give them the backstory that sets up right here and right now, the rest can wait for the rest of the story to find out.
     
    jannert likes this.
  10. Trish

    Trish Damned if I do and damned if I don't Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2011
    Messages:
    3,421
    Likes Received:
    2,083
    Location:
    New York
    Personally I don't have a problem with prologues. If you want to use one, go ahead - if you don't, don't. I'm not of the mind that they can ONLY be used if you're meeting XYZ and B doesn't apply unless C is a factor.

    That being said, multiple prologues in the same story would make me wonder what the hell you're doing. And not in a good "Oh, I can't wait to see where this is going" kinda way. More like a "Yeah, no" kinda way.
     
    LostThePlot likes this.

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice