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?

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.

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.

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...

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.

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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!

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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.

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.

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.

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In my opinion, a prologue should never be information necessary to the story.

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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.

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.)