tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post3198005024153760283..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: #WeWriteBooks, Post 15: ProloguesStephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-61133751248401023462016-05-13T10:09:37.165-05:002016-05-13T10:09:37.165-05:00Thanks for understanding! The encouragement is def...Thanks for understanding! The encouragement is definitely appreciated :)Rosie McCannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10756806467175885197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-49925795801661809852016-05-11T18:40:44.874-05:002016-05-11T18:40:44.874-05:00Well, perhaps you need to rewrite it some and add ...Well, perhaps you need to rewrite it some and add a little more suspense. I'd say leave it for now and finish your first draft. Once your first draft is complete, look through it for some subplot that you could foreshadow in the prologue or something. You might not find anything, but it's worth thinking over. Bottom line, though: trust your gut! It's your story and if you feel like it shouldn't be in there, take it out. You know your story better than anyone else. :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-77082018551101770772016-05-11T18:38:36.013-05:002016-05-11T18:38:36.013-05:00That sounds really neat, Judy. I'm glad you...That sounds really neat, Judy. I'm glad you're enjoying the posts! :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-32558024833965316582016-05-11T18:37:42.359-05:002016-05-11T18:37:42.359-05:00Hmm... again, can't say for sure having not re...Hmm... again, can't say for sure having not read this, but with a story like this, I think it might be stronger to let the secret build. You can drop hints through the story as to why she hates him. But if you put it in the prologue, you lose all that mystery, which sounds like it might add tension to the story.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-9738968548829559812016-05-11T18:35:41.864-05:002016-05-11T18:35:41.864-05:00Prologues can be one page long to as long as a cha...Prologues can be one page long to as long as a chapter. Four pages is just fine.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-85209793461534694652016-05-11T18:34:37.902-05:002016-05-11T18:34:37.902-05:00Oh, good job, Savannah! Way to finish the first dr...Oh, good job, Savannah! Way to finish the first draft!Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-6341740354277476912016-05-11T17:37:00.703-05:002016-05-11T17:37:00.703-05:00I not sure whether or not to include my prologue. ...I not sure whether or not to include my prologue. I want to keep it because it starts with the antagonist, Ceriss. She doesn't show up until waaaaay late into the story and is barely mentioned. The prologue is set a little less than seventeen years before the story actually begins and has some information about Rosamond's curse (which is never really talked about but alluded to a couple times). <br />Something still stops me from putting in the prologue. It has a little suspense but not as hooky as the real beginning, and I think it won't seem very important to the readers.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07652485434796760077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-47746314862757503442016-05-11T17:23:03.841-05:002016-05-11T17:23:03.841-05:00On my current WIP there isn't exactly a prolog...On my current WIP there isn't exactly a prologue but the chapter one is told from a third person narrative (at least I think that is the name of the narrative... it's the one that uses 'he' and 'she') and then the next chapter and most of the rest of the book is first person. The third person narrative comes back every once in awhile to tell the story and I haven't figured out who that narrator is quite yet but I'm planning to have them be a major part later in the story. I don't know if it is crucial to have this other narrator narrate chapter one but I like how it introduces the characters and I think it hooks the reader in pretty well.<br /><br />I love this series so thank you for writing it! :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05204177603888877364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-68948400267885047242016-05-11T17:01:20.657-05:002016-05-11T17:01:20.657-05:00Thanks for another cool post Jill :) I recently wr... Thanks for another cool post Jill :) I recently wrote a "prologue" because my beta readers both wanted to know why my MC hated my antagonist, and I didn't know. I'm just not sure if I should really use it as a prologue, or make the readers wait, and find everything out later through backstory. <br /> My prologue takes place roughly seven years before my story starts, when my MC goes out berry picking with her little sister. She notices a large bruise on her sisters arm, and the sister eventually tells her that it was the antagonist. Shortly after, the sister trips and falls in the river (neither of them can swim).<br /> Later in the story, we would find out that my MC is still mad at the antagonist(he still isn't a nice person) and that she blames herself for her sisters death. I still can't decide if I want to use prologue though. Any advice?Abinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-6469704544239642292016-05-11T15:47:21.668-05:002016-05-11T15:47:21.668-05:00Okay. Thank you. I will just leave it out for now....Okay. Thank you. I will just leave it out for now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-48021608493332097642016-05-11T15:06:51.507-05:002016-05-11T15:06:51.507-05:00Also, how long should a prologue be? Mine's 4 ...Also, how long should a prologue be? Mine's 4 pages. Giselanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-71935017896743605812016-05-11T15:05:17.809-05:002016-05-11T15:05:17.809-05:00Just start to relax. Forget about the writing conf...Just start to relax. Forget about the writing conference, and just focus on the story. If you think about the story, you can (try, at least) forget you're writing under pressure. It may not be the best advice, but remember if you freak out, you'll make your situation worse than you began.Giselanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-5520551425114250992016-05-11T14:59:56.516-05:002016-05-11T14:59:56.516-05:00I have a prologue. It's critical because Anne,...I have a prologue. It's critical because Anne, a daughter of the king's high commander, will find who she's marrying. I sort of end the prologue with suspense. In the end, the king announces her (evil) husband. <br />I'm not sure how many words I have because I am writing it down in a notebook. I can't believe people skip the prologues. They can be critical!! Giselanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-88673839044107268002016-05-11T14:41:47.676-05:002016-05-11T14:41:47.676-05:00My novella doesn't have a prolouge, but I'...My novella doesn't have a prolouge, but I'm fairly sure I'm going to add one in. <br /><br />The first draft of my story is all written out (at almost 20k words) and now I'm working on edits. Because it REALLY needs them :D. Savannah Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16668452024211579085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-87946177269147257822016-05-11T12:56:10.452-05:002016-05-11T12:56:10.452-05:00Ok. Thanks!Ok. Thanks!Corgi Writernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-72633912112745376332016-05-11T11:30:49.523-05:002016-05-11T11:30:49.523-05:00I have one book with a prologue because it was the...I have one book with a prologue because it was the only I could establish up front WHY the character was going through what she was. The rest of my books don't have one because I have not found it to be needed.<br /><br />I have read both good and bad prologues. There have been two books where the prologues were my favorite part of the story and then others where the prologue was just unnecessary and one where it really should have been just chapter 1 because it was in the heroes POV and literally happened the night before chapter 1.Bookishqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04815467506294547118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-8702456922957304652016-05-11T11:10:47.018-05:002016-05-11T11:10:47.018-05:00Oh, Rosie! Sorry you don't have time to write,...Oh, Rosie! Sorry you don't have time to write, but that totally makes sense! Enjoy your senior year and focus on finishing well. You can always start a new book this summer when you have more time.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-55441884879212188442016-05-11T11:08:38.383-05:002016-05-11T11:08:38.383-05:00It sounds like you have a strong reason to set it ...It sounds like you have a strong reason to set it apart, Melinda. Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-4294657906458596312016-05-11T11:07:38.795-05:002016-05-11T11:07:38.795-05:00That sounds likes great reason for a prologue, Lil...That sounds likes great reason for a prologue, Lily. And good job on your WIP! Keep at it! :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-24890860205865491372016-05-11T11:06:07.143-05:002016-05-11T11:06:07.143-05:00Yes, Taylor. You've just got to chip away at i...Yes, Taylor. You've just got to chip away at it. Estimate your projected finished word coun, then divide it by five days a week (or however many days you plan to write each week), then you'll have s daily word count that you need to reach. And you must work each day until you reach that goal. Writing to deadlines is tough, but it's great practice. You can do it!!Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-81676057908449493862016-05-11T11:02:57.495-05:002016-05-11T11:02:57.495-05:00Prefaces are for nonfiction. They are written by t...Prefaces are for nonfiction. They are written by the author to tell the reader things. Here is a good definition: http://www.publishtogetclients.com/foreword-preface-introduction-or-prologue-which-one/<br /><br />If I remember right, Twilight had a preface, but that was incorrect. It should have been called a prologue. So, yes. You should call yours a prologue as well.<br /><br />Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-2240443930656502812016-05-11T10:53:31.057-05:002016-05-11T10:53:31.057-05:00Again, I can't really say without having read ...Again, I can't really say without having read it. But I will say: trust your gut. Stories that can get away without using a prologue are better off, imho. So if you felt like it should be cut, leave it cut for now. You can always put it back in during the editing phase if you think it will make the story stronger.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-1798271064429825092016-05-11T10:50:05.095-05:002016-05-11T10:50:05.095-05:00It's always hard to give advice without having...It's always hard to give advice without having read your scene, but seven days isn't far off from the start of the story. If it's in the protagonist's POV, I'm not sure it should be a prologue since it will just read like more from the main character. A prologue should be set apart for a specific reason. If you dont have a good reason to set it apart, either make it chapter one or work the info into other chapters.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-28525295250192947742016-05-11T10:38:17.858-05:002016-05-11T10:38:17.858-05:00Just keep throwing conflict at your character and ...Just keep throwing conflict at your character and try to keep things engaging. James Scott Bell has a book on middles. He suggests you try and bring your hero to a look in the mirror moment. It seems that a lot of popular stories do this.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-46801485530942196502016-05-11T10:34:49.642-05:002016-05-11T10:34:49.642-05:00Sounds good, Charlotte! Sounds good, Charlotte! Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.com