Writing a Prologue

[Nyx]

I have a bit of a problem, I have a prologue but it's contains two different POV characters, with two different events (one for each). One happens about 3 weeks after the other. How would I pull that off in a prologue?

Also this probably is a sin but if it helps, it's being written in first person POV.

Any help would really be appreciated. :3

 

[Devor]

I have a bit of a problem, I have a prologue but it's contains two different POV characters, with two different events (one for each). One happens about 3 weeks after the other. How would I pull that off in a prologue?

Also this probably is a sin but if it helps, it's being written in first person POV.

Any help would really be appreciated. :3

You could try two separate prologues, or else a simple scene break between the two. It depends, I think, on how closely they connect to each other. Are they, for instance, two different heists by the same group of thieves? Just use a scene break. Are they as different as a Prime Minister meeting the new Minister of Magic, vs. Snape meeting with other Death Eaters? Two prologues, although if it's the first book in the series you probably want to find a way to designate both of them as prologues.

 

[Nyx]

Hey and thanks for taking time to reply Devor. I really should have been more specific.

It is two of my main characters at different points. The first is the prince when he watches as his father lets his mother die instead of getting a healer, so he can marry another younger woman. This causes a few things to happen later including the king trying to kill his own son so he doesn't expose what the king has done.

The second part will be my main main character finding and bonding with a dragon who is newly hatched and abandoned, that he needs to hide and protect. I feel I need this because in my world there are only 2 -4 dragons rumoured to be left in this world so if I just have him introduced with a dragon it's gonna look very weird.

I was thinking of doing something like
Prologue
I
*first pov here*

II

But seeing as there are loads of fantasy writers here, I thought I would get some advice. Yes it is a series, the 12 books in the series have came to me over the last 3 years. So much for only one book eh? lol

Sorry if that was a bit long :3

 

[Kelise]

I've been told by authors to never include two different POVs in the same chapter, so I would separate them as much as possible. Especially if they're three weeks apart.

A scene break alone isn't enough distinction that there's a POV change, especially if it's going to be written in first person.

 

[Nyx]

So could I have two chapters or two parts to a prologue? Or is that still a no-no?

 

[newtofantasy]

Nyx, I'd nix the two part Prologue unless it's too parts of the same incident. The second part--especially in first person--should be very easy to work in as a short memory when the mc and the dragon are first presented. Something like he was so glad he'd saved one of the only 5 remaining dragons in the land; or he was surprised at how rapidly the dragon had grown; or how tightly they had bonded.

Only quick top of the head suggestions, but you get the idea.

Good wishes for you.

 

[Nyx]

newtofantasy that's quite a good idea. I had a look over my outline, and, if I tweak some stuff for the first chapter they appear in I could slip something in without it turning into an infodump.
:3

 

[newtofantasy]

I wouldn't think a few quick lines would constitute an infodump. Just be sure you don't turn it into a "As you know, Bob. . ."

 

[Nyx]

Nah that's my worst fear in the world. I was thinking of maybe having the prince and the person who helped him escape hide out in the cave the dragon (who is still a baby) is hidden in. As it is still a baby it think's it's playtime, as it's near the time the guy usually comes to take it out to exercise and have fun. Of course it scares the jeebus out of them. I'm thinking of having the guy appear and having a similar conversation to this.
"don't worry he won't hurt you" - owner
"how do you know?" - prince
"He's mine, well I found him abandoned" - owner

Obviously it will be a lot better than that, but is that a good way?

 

[newtofantasy]

I'd say yes, but I'm new to fantasy. As a writer of a straight novel, I would do it like that. Also in fantasy, I might say you know he's an endangered dragon. --*ah, yes, the peasants favorite dragon gumbo has certainly had its effect on the species!*

Unless of course you're a Midwestern Am, or a UK citizen or whatever--I guess you could say Dragon Stew. It's a way to answer my question: why is the dragon endangered?

 

[Nyx]

I am from the UK, but, gumbo sounds better than stew may I include that? That is just too funny.
Dragons are endangered mainly because kings fear them and the power a person could have if they tamed and befriended one. They are essentially all scared of being overthrown, so they spread rumours that all dragons must die because they are the servants of the darkness. Once killed they are used for all things such as jewellery, food, medicine, or just to show off as a prize.

 

[newtofantasy]

Gumbo is not original with me, for sure, so you may use it as freely as you please!!

 

[Nyx]

Oh I mean Gumbo sounds better than stew.
I was asking if I could use the dialogue you used as an example for me. It's very funny.

 

[newtofantasy]

Nyx--of course you may use it! I've got a million more like it. Thanks to you and Lisa, I'm beginning to think I might find an audience out there after all.

If I can be of further help, just ask. Not to say I'll be able to, but I'll give it a try.

 

[Nyx]

Thanks for the help :3 Really appreciate it. Mainly to make this thread a bit useful I have another question for everyone about prologues.

What do you hate to see in prologues?

 

[mirrorrorrim]

Thanks for the help :3 Really appreciate it. Mainly to make this thread a bit useful I have another question for everyone about prologues.

What do you hate to see in prologues?

This might be a little weird, but I really hate it when the prologue is about the villain doing something really evil that the main character won't find out about for half the book (if they ever do find out about it). It seems that about half of the prologues I read in fantasy are some variation of this.

It's not that I think the concept itself is bad—prologues are usually used to quickly build interest in a story before the author goes through all the exposition, and having a scary villain is, in concept, a great way to do this. The problem is, they usually come off as really cliche. Most writers just don't have the skill to make a villain unique or scary in three pages. Trying to do both is all but doomed to fail. This is particularly true because the villain usually always does one of two things: either she kills a heroic person you know nothing about (who valiantly resists to the end), or does some random act of senseless violence, such as disposing of her own servants with some grotesque form of torture because they failed her.

That's just me, though. I guess a lot of people must feel differently, or it wouldn't be done so much.

And please don't take offense. I think your prologue sounds great. I'm just talking about prologues in general.

 

[Nyx]

This might be a little weird, but I really hate it when the prologue is about the villain doing something really evil that the main character won't find out about for half the book (if they ever do find out about it). It seems that about half of the prologues I read in fantasy are some variation of this.

I am so with you there! Although I did like The Eye Of The World's prologue, I actually cared about the guy in it! I was all D: when that happened to him at the end. I so called what was up with Rand within 13 pages though.

And please don't take offense. I think your prologue sounds great. I'm just talking about prologues in general.

Not offended :3 I like discussing other writers likes and dislikes. Especially in Fantasy. I am a newb in all sense of the word so I see discussions like this, and even people saying they dislike my stuff because I learn from it. :3 I am a very weird creature, you could rip my stuff to shreds and I would thank you. Why? Because someone took time to try to help me improve.

 

[Phoenix]

Ever read Game of Thrones? Its prologue had tiny relevance at the beginning of the book. Its not until almost (I think it is) the last chapter that its relevant. I was expecting it all the way through. It bugged me.

Anyways I think the Prince should have the prologue. You can work the MC into the first chapter. Sounds kinda of like Eargon to tell you the truth. Were you influenced by it?

 

[Nyx]

I'm reading the 3rd book atm of a song of ice and fire. that prologue made me rage quit the series for a few months. I', more a Wheel of Time girl tbh.

omg no. D: my poor dragon I have failed you D:
No I never read any of the eragon series books past the first 2 chapters of each book, I could never get into them. Socorro is a baby in the book so causes some mischief but hes very lovable. TBH I'm not doing Rin or Socorro any justice right now with being vague lol.

 

[Phoenix]

Its cool. Please don't make your dragon fly into the sun, and become huge when he comes back. That's called skipping plot development.