Structure/Outline Question - Writers Forum

Kimahri · 09-06-2005, 06:00 PM

My question is: would it seem out of place if the first few chapters in a novel dealt with a character who is not the main character and was killed off in those chapters and then the main charcter is actually introduced maybe around the third or fourth chapter of the book? I am currently working on my first novel and I decided that the beginning called for a few chapters about a character who was not the main character but the things they did and went through and even their death would be explained later in the story and even make the story fuller in a sense. To me it makes the story more interesting for the reader but I am not sure if that sort of thing has ever been done before or if it would be a problem when it came to sending it into a publisher. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Kimahri

Stewart · 09-06-2005, 06:05 PM

Personally, I think it would be annoying. A prologue, yes, but a few chapters, no. Of course, I don't know anything about your story so will cease to comment.

StrangeQuark · 09-06-2005, 06:16 PM

Connor has a good point:

Chapters would be annoying. A scene or prologue would be much better. How much do we need to know about this minor character anyway? If it'll underscore the tragedy of their death, then find a way to condense their backstory with summary.

-SQ

Kimahri · 09-06-2005, 06:31 PM

Thanks guys for the comments. I agree with you. I think I will make it a prologue. It may be long but I definately do not want to make the reader confused and have them think the character was the main character. Thanks again and I appreciate it.

Kimahri

suzakugaiden · 09-06-2005, 07:39 PM

Didn't Finnegan's wake do something like this? Only not quite because Joyce is !@#$%ing insane?

Anyway, nothing wrong here at all. Just make sure it's actually meaningful and not just silly foreshadowing.

Stewart · 09-07-2005, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzakugaiden

Didn't Finnegan's wake do something like this?

Considering that Finnegans Wake is cyclical, you can pretty much take everything after the start of the book to be the prologue, while, at the same time, considering the page you're reading to be the story.