Write Like A Pro

Prologues

Prologues:

Prologues are the introduction to your novel and enable the reader to find out background information about the story, for the  readers to gain a general clue about the story, to engage the reader and to get the reader to find out the style of your writing and may decide whether the reader will continue reading.

However, prologues are not always appropriate for every novel. It all depends on the first paragraph of your first chapter. Write your first chapter does it sound like you are going on through the story too quickly? Than you probably need a prologue. Prologues are only essential if they contribute to your plot, so not to cause a double opening of your story. Prologues have to reveal new information that the reader must have in order to follow the plot. 

How to begin your prologue: 

Choose which characters or quotes will feature in your prologue. You may want to choose a quote that will be mentioned again later on in the novel. If you are writing about a character, don't give too much information away. Write it as a hint or clue about the character to engage the reader. Prologues tend not to use the main character or the main character's sidekick or best friend. Write about a character that is only briefly mentioned in your novel. You could also write about the dramatic event that is featured in the story. Again don't give away the whole novel.

Consider language: 

Language is the key to engaging your reader. You can sort out what language to use by reading stories like the one you are writing. For example if you are writing about a natural disaster, than you might want to read about natural disasters in history to help you. Write in the appropriate style that suits your novel, purpose and audience. Also select quotes you would like to use. For instance if a quote is a key part of your novel. For example being if you are writing a story about the Merchant of Venice, than a key quote from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice will be a good piece to use as a prologue. 

Consider length: 

Prologues vary in size from about half a page to ten pages. If you are writing about a whole scene, then the prologue might be longer than if you were writing about an event that occurred.

Prologue quick tips:

*Don't put in too much useless information because it may cause the reader to lose interest or it will give too much away about the plot. 

*Make sure the point of view isn't different to the one in the novel.

*If you are struggling to write a prologue, ignore it for awhile and write the rest of your plot then you can go back to writing your prologue when you have gained access to more knowledge of your plot. 

*Prologues should not bore people with information this means prologues should stick to the point and should not be too long and should be relevant to the main story. 

*Some prologues feature letters or subplots that feature later in the story. If you do use text that features later in the story, in your prologue, make sure you don't give too much away. Only use a snippet. 

*A prologue should read like a short story in every aspect, except for its ending. 

*The prologue must stand out from the body of the novel.

*If you write about a time or event make sure it is also mentioned in your first chapter briefly, to link your prologue and chapters together. 

Prologues sole purpose should not be: To deposit as much information as possible, to engage the reader, to lengthen your story and to set the mood. 

There are four major types of prologue they are: Future protagonist, past protagonist, different POV and background.