Thread: Problematic Prologue?

I am in two minds on whether to have my prologue consist of a character who has no further business in the story. I have intentions to include him in a dissimilar story, but the main reason I was initially using him as an opener was to somewhat explicate a main character on how he operates, other than that he has no major significance.

Would this notion disinterest the reader, do you think?

Originally Posted by badboi scene

I am in two minds on whether to have my prologue consist of a character who has no further business in the story. I have intentions to include him in a dissimilar story, but the main reason I was initially using him as an opener was to somewhat explicate a main character on how he operates, other than that he has no major significance.

Would this notion disinterest the reader, do you think?

I don't know if it would disinterest them as much as it would harm your story's flow. The prologue is a chance for the reader to get a running start with the story. If you do that with a character who never shows up again, you're being counterproductive.

Yeahhh - I think I'd pass on this for a prologue. Sounds like it could easily turn into an infodump of sorts, which is precisely what you don't want. May work better to let the reader get to know the MC more gradually in the main story.

Finish the book, if you haven't, then come back to the prologue and see which fits better. You can even include different prologues in beta copies and see the feedback/critique of readers then decide.

Prologues are tricky little devils. It's so easy to let the urge to info dump get away from you.

In my current WIP, I started with a prologue, later cut it, then just rewrote it and put it back.

I'd say when you're doing your revision, ask yourself if it contributes anything and if it moves your story forward. If the answer to either of those questions is no, you might be better off getting rid of it.

I don't think it's a bad idea, but I would be careful. For example, I started my prologue with an antagonist that doesn't again appear until Chapter Five of my story, and even then, it's only brief and he's out and about again until the end. Granted, he has more of a pull in the story than the dissimilar character you've said, but his use is very minimal early on. If you're going to use him and the have him take a huge seat back in the story, make sure you focus heavily on the writing. If the focus isn't the character, then you want to really drive home on the plot, the setting, and the make up of the story. If at all it seems like it's slowing down on action, drama, and build up for the plot, then scratch it and move on. Prologues are more for those set ups and foreshadowing. If you can do the same with chapter one and just move on, then jump ahead and start with the chapter. However, if you decide to make this character a very minor role (where he just appears as an informant for the protagonist/antagonist/major/minor characters, then it could be useful. Sort of like, whenever he's in scene, the reader is getting information type thing. Who knows, though? Just an opinion.

Thank you guys and girls. This character is mentioned once more, but only minor at the start of somebody else’s conversation. For the time being, I shall continue to work on this particular prologue and as a few of you suggested, see how it portrays and how much it promotes to the story. If it contributes little then I shall scratch it, have it mentioned as past tense in another chapter, and bring forth one of my later chapters involving a gangland murder. Once again, I thank you all for your beneficial guidance.