In a novel-length story, how long do you think is too long before the main protagonist is introduced?
For example, if an entire first chapter hadn't introduced the hero, would you find that troubling as a reader?
Cheers for the help! Hope all of you have had a great holiday season and that publishers are accepting your manuscripts.
But I've read a few novels that start with a short chapter from the villan's or a secondary character's POV to get things rolling. I don't think you should worry about problems there.
Just avoid a chapter one infodump where you explain the 30,000 year History of the Stellar Conglomofederation and you should be fine.
I have a workaround... rather a different version that skips all of that and does introduce protag and the soon-to-be-killed right off the bat... but it just feels wrong -- almost forced. Yet I don't want to risk alienating any readers by not introducing the protag nearly immediately. Thus, my dilemma.
Maybe I'm starting in the wrong place...
I thought about that, Eric. Something I ordinarily wouldn't have a problem with. Except the space of time between possible prologue and protag intro is less than a day. In fact, they happen on the very same night. I tend to think of prologues as being a little more distant than that.
I suppose I'm trying to avoid a flashback thing so early in the story. If I take out the events that happen prior, it might make for a more mysterious intro? Maybe? I'm reaching...
And Beth, I'm actually agreeing with you. I would have trouble dealing with it. In fact, I recently read a book where the main character wasn't introduced for a good while and I was getting a bit anxious to know when he would be. But that was the third book in the series... Even the first book was a little slow to introduce the main...
[This message has been edited by HSO (edited January 14, 2005).]
The last book I read, Polaris, had a nice prolog which set the book up nicely. As long as it is story form, and has relevance to the story it should be fine.
However, if you want to create suspense, I say go for the prologue. It'll create a sense of anticipation, no matter how small the amount of time between events.
As for your initial question, I would have patience with the story if the protag were introduced indirectly in the first chapter (i.e. name mentioned somewhere, somehow, even if it's just a thought in the POV char's head). Otherwise, I would stop reading.
Just my thoughts as a reader.
But I appreciate the advice and points made so far. Thanks all. Please feel free to keep the comments coming.
On the other hand, I do think a prologue would work better in creating suspense.
quote:
PROLOGUE - Optional; single scene or two/three scene fragments. Intended only to immediately set the tone (Threat/violence/drama/romance) and hook the reader right up front. Can directly relate to the main story or to the "Back Story;" can be something that occurs moments before the first chapter opens or at some time in the past. Should not exceed four or five manuscript pages in length.*** ALMOST NEVER FROM THE MAIN CHARACTER'S VIEWPOINT!
Edit: Omitted my point in posting it. So, I would agree with Eric, Beth, and Keeley. I would try to work it into a prologue, if possible.
[This message has been edited by Warbric (edited January 14, 2005).]
A very short (and I think that's important if you decide to go with this) chapter introduces a boy, (a tertiary or even quaternary character who will NOT have any lasting place in the story) who is hiding in the woods and witnesses the murder of his father. It is from his POV. It introduces the main antagonist with only a few brief lines and very little description, as well as setting the stage for the story's intrigue.
The NEXT chapter will introduce the main protagonist.
I decided NOT to write it as a prologue because a) I needed my prologue to serve a different purpose (to establish some background on two characters who will be the central characters in the bigger picture of what is turning into a three-volume story) and b) the action in this first chapter relates directly to the story and could not be left out without relegating the information contained within it to backstory or to have it told by another character, rather than the much more effective 'witness' of the events scenario.
In my opinion, a prologue should never be information necessary to the story. You should be able to remove the prologue and (if there is one) epilogue and still have a solid story without them.
Anyway, HSO (and by the way, it's good to see you back! Where ya been, anyhow?) if you'd like to take a look at it to see for yourself if you think it might help you out, I'll be glad to send it over.
[This message has been edited by djvdakota (edited January 14, 2005).]
But there is a way to delay the introduction of your protagonist, so long as you know what you're doing. And that's by having all the other characters talk about the main character. (That's not all they're doing, of course; they're also setting the stage for the main conflict of the novel.) Perhaps the most famous example of this in literature is Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Anna doesn't enter the story until page 80 or so. But Tolstoy knows what he's doing and he's able to keep you interested until she arrives. And besides, it's an 800-page novel written in an omniscient viewpoint.
The other famous novel that does this is Moby Dick, which is a first person narrative and therefore follows slightly different rules.
People often bring Harry Potter into this discussion. I'm not sure it's the best example. It seems to me that Rowling is employing a biographical technique--the same technique that John Irving uses in The World According to Garp--which allows her to "set the stage" of Harry's life. But even with those two novels, the main characters are present and the focal point, if not by the end of Chapter One, at the beginning of Chapter Two.
[This message has been edited by Jeff Vehige (edited January 14, 2005).]
quote:I agree with this completely. The reason is that lots of people skip prologues, and if it's necessary, they get confused and stop reading. This puts me firmly in the camp of people opposed to prologues (sorry Eric. Fee Foe Fum!), but it isn't because I don't like them or think they're inappropriate (as a reader), it's just because (as a writer) I'm afraid they'll be skipped.
In my opinion, a prologue should never be information necessary to the story.
My question, HSO, is how does the reader know that they haven't met the protagonist yet? I mean, even if the POV character gets killed or something, the reader only has to say, "Well, I guess that wasn't the main character," and then they turn the page and start reading about the main character. They've only got about five seconds where they realize that they haven't gotten to the MC yet. It hardly seems that they should get impatient about that.
However, I seem to recall Dave Wolverton saying that having too many viewpoint characters had been a mistake in that novel, so it may not be a good example to follow.
a wasted prologue that has absolutely no use, or is an exact copy of events later in the story that are written there as well, is no good, i HATE finding those.
but a good prologue which introduces things, or shows a greater picture of a much larger story (i try to do this myself whenever i write omniscient) is something i find that i enjoy.
I think I know how to solve this dilemma now. I realize that all of the events leading up to the character's death doesn't need to told to the reader as they happen. They can be told through the limited dialogue that occurs later with protag when they meet. But I will still write it out and decide later if it's to be cut or prologued or whatever. At least it will be there as background for my personal benefit.
Dakota, I've lurked on occasion... just haven't posted due to not having a lot of time. I'd be happy to see what you've got. Please send.
Thanks for all the replies.
I know you said this wasn't a mystery, but that is a genre that uses the technique, and it can work.
Another novel that I loved that keeps you wondering a little about the main character is Jack London's White Fang. White Fang isn't even born yet when the story begins, and the story goes on for several chapters before he is even introduced. Of course, once he is introduced, his POV takes over for the rest of the novel.
As to prologues, I never used to read them because I didn't know what they were. I just figured they were part of the front matter (like introductions and prefaces). At some point in junior high or high school, I learned differently, and now I always try to read them. (However, I almost didn't read The Lord of the Rings because it took me a couple of weeks to plow through the prologue. I then set the The Fellowship of the Ring aside for two weeks because I didn't feel like forcing myself to read. once I started chapter 1, I was finished within 5 days.)
BTW, glad to see you around again.