tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post6959766003404575073..comments2023-09-25T02:24:22.087-07:00Comments on Anne R. Allen's Blog: DON'T SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FONT: KILL THAT PROLOGUE!Anne R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-73153980616018422342010-02-03T21:29:43.717-08:002010-02-03T21:29:43.717-08:00But why are there SO MANY prologues in published f...But why are there SO MANY prologues in published fiction? I hate them, and I can't think of a single example of a good one!Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665731475028899362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-45483759850049191232010-01-31T14:50:57.473-08:002010-01-31T14:50:57.473-08:00Great post, Anne. The more I write, the more I rea...Great post, Anne. The more I write, the more I realize that a good portion of the first (or second, or third) draft is just me figuring out my story.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-78565134584218568032010-01-28T20:49:55.545-08:002010-01-28T20:49:55.545-08:00Donna, welcome back and a big thanks for being my ...Donna, welcome back and a big thanks for being my 100th follower!Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-36973243720772615802010-01-28T20:34:07.527-08:002010-01-28T20:34:07.527-08:00OMG Anne; I'm your 100 follower. That's w...OMG Anne; I'm your 100 follower. That's way more than cool to me because you were my ver first commenter way back when.<br /><br />And I can't believe it took me this long to wander over here again.<br /><br />I saw your guest blog at Nathan's, and it was quite humorous. I didn't comment - I get home from work and start browsing blogs so late everyone seems to have moved on to more recent posts and I always feel a day behind. But I loved how you described the "Am I crazies", and the part about skittles - that was pure genius. Even though I can't call myself a writer because I've never read Vonnegut (lol).<br /><br />Distracted . .<br /><br />This was a most helpful post. Actually, I've been scrolling through the last several days worth, and really enjoying the content. Thanks for the info.<br /><br />..........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-52383703362072387852010-01-28T15:13:37.557-08:002010-01-28T15:13:37.557-08:00I am in the minority of those who love prologues. ...I am in the minority of those who love prologues. I read 'em and I write 'em. Don't always use them in my books, but when I do analyze them and find them necessary to the book, I just call it Chapter One. Problem solved! (But it HAS to be necessary to the story, not just backstory...)Susan Tuttle, author Tangled Webshttp://www.susant-creations.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-49728919724870253582010-01-28T13:36:19.387-08:002010-01-28T13:36:19.387-08:00Thanks Anne :) I think your right! although my WIP...Thanks Anne :) I think your right! although my WIP is so rough draft i'm not even sure i should use the term 'chapters' lolEmily Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01707967073095394090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-49878199435899027382010-01-28T11:15:28.504-08:002010-01-28T11:15:28.504-08:00Lots of food for thought. I also always read the p...Lots of food for thought. I also always read the prologue, but then I also read the foreword, acknowledgments, everything. Can't seem to help myself. I will definitely have to reexamine the prologue for my current work to see if it can be incorporated elsewhere. <br /><br />I did tiptoe over from Nathan Bransford's blog... I loved your guest blog, and came to see what other interesting tidbits I might find. Glad I did! :)Alison Pearce Stevenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00955543150406880055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-12553727376339576782010-01-27T16:04:08.059-08:002010-01-27T16:04:08.059-08:00I read this a few days ago and really enjoyed it. ...I read this a few days ago and really enjoyed it. I read some of the points to my husband who suggested I put a prologue in my novel. He just smiled and shrugged. :)Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-83932278284728851112010-01-26T18:49:45.026-08:002010-01-26T18:49:45.026-08:00@Falen I think there are lots of other ways to wri...@Falen I think there are lots of other ways to write a frame story without doing a prologue.<br /><br />Also, I think it's not so much that prologues are bad, just that we have a fixed idea of what they are: thickly written, slightly mystical/cryptic, almost always too cheesy for its own good. Personally I always read prologues, but I'm usually not happy with them.Susana Maihttp://writingyourfeelings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-84410896964452852622010-01-26T14:06:14.147-08:002010-01-26T14:06:14.147-08:00I have never liked reading prologues, so I don'...I have never liked reading prologues, so I don't write them. As a reader, I want to get right down into the story, and simply can't be bothered with the prologue if there is one.<br /><br />In fact, usually I'll skip it and only come back later to read it if I start to get confused. Usually I don't, which means the prologue is non-essential.<br /><br />Why would I want to write something readers would generally skip over?<br /><br />Thanks for this!Suzannahhttp://www.writeitsideways.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-2019696856204029652010-01-26T09:18:45.034-08:002010-01-26T09:18:45.034-08:00Teebore, your comment came in just as I was writin...Teebore, your comment came in just as I was writing the one above. Your realization is just what I was talking about to Emily: A prologue that is essential to the plot can usually be made into a first chapter, so it's way easier to call it that and make the agents and editors happy.<br /><br />But it sounds as if there are a lot more prologue readers out there than editors realize.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-57817897973771118002010-01-26T09:09:30.465-08:002010-01-26T09:09:30.465-08:00Emily, it sounds as if you can easily call your op...Emily, it sounds as if you can easily call your opener "chapter one," which is what agents suggest if your "prologue" is essential to the story. <br /><br />Nothing wrong with a short opening chapter. Short chapters are reader friendly, which is why James Patterson, Inc. and his stable of co-writers always write 3-page chapters. The man may not be a great writer, but he knows what a reader wants.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-4981066517174285862010-01-26T08:54:18.176-08:002010-01-26T08:54:18.176-08:00I'm also an "always" prologue reader...I'm also an "always" prologue reader. The author wrote it for a reason, I figure. Forewords, acknowledgments, sometimes I skip. But a prologue has always seemed like part of the story to me. <br /><br />My first novel had a prologue. Except not really, because eventually, after some editing, I realized it was just my first chapter with the word 'prologue' instead of 'chapter one'.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-43234618446379844182010-01-26T03:04:47.887-08:002010-01-26T03:04:47.887-08:00I always read Prologues! And I'm gulity of wri...I always read Prologues! And I'm gulity of writing them too. Sometimes.Clare C. Greenstreethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07276596173503207746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-69572647904839113272010-01-26T01:58:00.791-08:002010-01-26T01:58:00.791-08:00Excellent post! I have a prologue but now i'm ...Excellent post! I have a prologue but now i'm sort of wondering if i just have a short chapter 1? In my 'prologue' there isn't an infodump and basically what happens is essential to the plot (and happens chronological/linear too) <br /><br />What are the characteristics of a prologue?Emily Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01707967073095394090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-2628792664705117012010-01-26T01:17:33.611-08:002010-01-26T01:17:33.611-08:00Whenever I come here I am reminded of how much I h...Whenever I come here I am reminded of how much I have to learn. Sometimes I think my life and views are all prologue and summation.Elizabethhttp://quotesnack.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-12190419626295861932010-01-25T19:14:12.708-08:002010-01-25T19:14:12.708-08:00Guilty here. I started with a prologue. But I read...Guilty here. I started with a prologue. But I read prologues! I didn't realize other people skipped them.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09742510911858733787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-90467747810080006352010-01-25T16:41:55.322-08:002010-01-25T16:41:55.322-08:00Kill the prologue? Amputate the scene setter: the ...Kill the prologue? Amputate the scene setter: the parasitic twin leeching on the larger, more complete, sibling?<br />The anti agents do present a united front. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15459671422564355990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-70893615995812710622010-01-25T16:28:18.700-08:002010-01-25T16:28:18.700-08:00well i always read prologues. They don't typic...well i always read prologues. They don't typically bother me.<br /><br />Also i almost always write one as well. But then, i cut them out. You're completely correct - prologues are like training wheels, useful when you're getting to know a new story, but at some point they need to come off.<br /><br />Unless you're writing a frame story. Then you need that prologue and epilogue.<br /><br />#4 was also my favorite - what's taters, precious?Sarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-50908503177283213702010-01-25T16:27:39.326-08:002010-01-25T16:27:39.326-08:00Great collection of agent thoughts on prologues An...Great collection of agent thoughts on prologues Anne. I never thought of actually USING prologues to tune myself up. I don't use them in my story as a rule but as a tune-up device...kind of neat. Thanks for a great post.Sierra Godfreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552916038080341870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-2482314744256853542010-01-25T15:35:10.966-08:002010-01-25T15:35:10.966-08:00Thankfully I took my prologue out before I started...Thankfully I took my prologue out before I started querying this round. Maybe I'll get an agent read this time instead of a form rejection.<br /><br />Great post as usual.Anne Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05816355522284492131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-26685788543591076122010-01-25T13:52:26.744-08:002010-01-25T13:52:26.744-08:00Funny and interesting :-). I'm apparently in t...Funny and interesting :-). I'm apparently in the minority that likes to read the prologue. However, it has to be short and sweet. Those two-pagers shout "book avoidance" louder than a lame cover pic.m. christine weberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01682302405461350614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-4355166962167841492010-01-25T13:44:04.796-08:002010-01-25T13:44:04.796-08:00I skipped the prologue in my first - I just used t...I skipped the prologue in my first - I just used three chapters of backstory! ;) Doh!Sarah J. MacManushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03430266551248332700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-4732433793763262582010-01-25T11:56:37.908-08:002010-01-25T11:56:37.908-08:00Love the post title, and love #4. You rocks, my pr...Love the post title, and love #4. You rocks, my precious!Suzette Saxtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06401538008029407734noreply@blogger.com