Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Prologues & Epilogues

This is topic Prologues & Epilogues in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :

I have written a novel that just flowed when I did the first draft, but the whole story revolves around an event that happened before the story starts with the protagonist. My chapters are relatively short (They average about 15 pages or so), and the part that describes this vital part of the whole story is the first three chapters as I have it written at this time. Because of its length, would it be a good idea to set this section up as a prologue?

Now, at the tail end of this same novel, I have a very small piece that adds a lot to the story (and ties up a few loose ends) but is also somewhat separate from the main part of the story. Should this be set aside from the last chapter and be an epilogue?

And before someone suggests that I weave these two part into the main body of my story, may I say that I really don't want to do this... and if I do, I would definitely lose an important part of getting my story across.

One last thing: If I submit my first 13 lines of my novel and the first three chapters do end up as a prologue, should I be submitting the first 13 lines from the prologue or from where the story begins with the protagonist?

Posted by Jeff M (Member # 7828) on :

If the POV/setting/tone/etc. are different from the rest of the story, calling it a Prologue rather than Chapter 1 may make it easier for the reader to keep track of what's going on.

But a 45 page Prologue feels way too long. I would keep a Prologue to no more than 1 typical chapter in length, and shorter if possible. Although the events may be critical to the story, your reader will be anxious for the "real" story to start.

Personally, I'm not crazy about Epilogues. There's nothing more satisfying than a good, solid conclusion to a story. When I see "The End", I want to close the book and sit back for a minute to bask in the glow of a well told tale. Anything that comes after "The End" might take away from that feeling.

Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :

Hi Jeff;

I just went back and checked the page count for the first three chapters. It's 29 pages. In some books this would be a good length for one chapter. Does this sound about the right length for a prologue to you?

I should add that this section does read like a short story with lots of action and a good storyline that moves right along. It's sort of like the writer setting up the murder in a good murder mystery and then going back to the POV who will eventually solve the murder... except this is a science fiction story instead of what I would call a mystery.

Posted by Corky (Member # 2714) on :

Could you work the prologue and epilogue as frames to the real story?

I ask because then you wouldn't necessarily have to call them "prologue" and "epilogue" (or however you want to spell them), and thus avoid terms that have become, for some readers, warning signs that this is something they may want to skip.

I'd recommend calling them something like "Forty years before" and "Ten years after" (or whatever is correct), but maybe I'm just being picky.

Posted by Crystal Stevens (Member # 8006) on :

That's a great suggestion, Corky, and I like it. I had someone say that maybe I should make the first part "Book 1" and the rest "Book 2", but it sure would seem strange that the first "Book" would be only 29 pages out of a 480 page novel. LOL!

Anymore suggestions out there? I'm all ears.

Posted by Grant John (Member # 5993) on :

I just finished reading a book which had 3 sections. The final section had only one chapter in it so you could probably have the first section have only one chapter (or 2 if you re-split the 29 pages).

Posted by Corky (Member # 2714) on :

Sections are a good idea.