Comments on: Once Before a Time, Part 2 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/02/26/once-before-a-time-part-2/ about the craft and business of genre fiction Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Elena Greene http://writerunboxed.com/2007/02/26/once-before-a-time-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-5202 Elena Greene Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:49:42 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/02/26/once-before-a-time-part-2/#comment-5202 Poorly written prologues or prologues that appear to be there for some obscure artistic purpose rather than to serve the story seem to have ruined the concept for some readers. If it's a widespread problem maybe Therese's good advice is moot because such readers will still skip even a prologue that is compelling, meaningful, etc... I don't know how to solve that issue of perception. I never skip prologues myself. I've never read a good book that had a bad or useless one. I have used a prologue just once, for a scene that occurred several years before the main course of the story. I'd read that that's one case for a prologue. If I'd known at the time that some readers skip prologues I would have made it chapter 1. I try not to get hung up on labels. Poorly written prologues or prologues that appear to be there for some obscure artistic purpose rather than to serve the story seem to have ruined the concept for some readers. If it’s a widespread problem maybe Therese’s good advice is moot because such readers will still skip even a prologue that is compelling, meaningful, etc…

I don’t know how to solve that issue of perception. I never skip prologues myself. I’ve never read a good book that had a bad or useless one.

I have used a prologue just once, for a scene that occurred several years before the main course of the story. I’d read that that’s one case for a prologue. If I’d known at the time that some readers skip prologues I would have made it chapter 1. I try not to get hung up on labels.

]]> By: thea http://writerunboxed.com/2007/02/26/once-before-a-time-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4920 thea Mon, 26 Feb 2007 16:05:40 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/02/26/once-before-a-time-part-2/#comment-4920 ter, you've given great insight into using a prologue. i'd think twice before using it as a device for setting up my story. it's usually good for a hand-of-fate story. but i confess, i usually do love them, and sometimes i go back after finishing the book to see what the author wrote to foreshadow the rest of the book. ter, you’ve given great insight into using a prologue. i’d think twice before using it as a device for setting up my story. it’s usually good for a hand-of-fate story. but i confess, i usually do love them, and sometimes i go back after finishing the book to see what the author wrote to foreshadow the rest of the book.

]]> By: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2007/02/26/once-before-a-time-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4909 Kathleen Bolton Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:10:35 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/02/26/once-before-a-time-part-2/#comment-4909 These are great tips, Therese. I always worry about where to start the story, and I suspect many authors are baffled by it too, so they begin with a prologue. But like a said before, I ALWAYS read the prologue of any book. It tells my brain, 'park this information for use later.' Sometimes there's so much backstory, the information needs to be parked. :-) These are great tips, Therese. I always worry about where to start the story, and I suspect many authors are baffled by it too, so they begin with a prologue. But like a said before, I ALWAYS read the prologue of any book. It tells my brain, ‘park this information for use later.’ Sometimes there’s so much backstory, the information needs to be parked. :-)

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