Advice is welcomed

[Literate]

I'm writing another fic and I'm stuck. And for the first time ever, I don't know where to start. I know all the plot lines, made all the little stories, but I still didn't come up with a begining, yet. It's kind of hard since the story I'm going to write was already written in a different way. So I would say that this story is a revision.

The problem is that I can't incorperate the Prologue from Ice Heron to the Prologue of Assassins. Even if Assassins is basically the same thing, only rewritten, Ice Heron was a single person start out.

Ok. That did not make sense. What I'm trying to say is 'How do I make a good prologue that pertains to the contents of the story?'

Ice Heron used to have one main character. Then I written in three other characters. Now that I'm rewriting it, what kind of Prologue would be best?

A prologue that is right before the first chapter or a history prologue or just something else? This is a very hard decision. Can you offer any advice?

Of course you may not know what is about but you could just prod me in a helpful direction?

 

[Mimori Kiryu]

A prologue can be anything you want it to be. It can have no connection to the main plot of your story at all or it can be to the mark with your plot. When I write prologues I try to give out a little of the back story that wouldn't be given out otherwise until the end. It kind of hooks your readers and gets them really interested.

See, now you need to clear things for yourself. You've added characters and that can make a difference. Depending on your situation and your plot, a connect prologue may be the way to go, though a history prologue is almost your hook to keep readers reading your story to find out when the prologue fits into the story.

Hope I helped. ^_^

 

[Literate]

Well, I don't think a history prologue would be of any use... Back stories... I have a ton. All the characters have backstories... They're all different too...

I'm still really stuck. Thanks for your help. I'll go think it all out...

 

[Mimori Kiryu]

Maybe you could show how their backstories got them to end up together in this plot that you have.

 

[Literate]

I dunno. They all come in at different times... I guess I have this problem because the original never had a plot. I just tossed it in. *realizes* Oh, that's why I had the problem... I seriously don't know how to start. This is the hardest prologue I had to make..

 

[Astinus]

Well, take the advice from DragonLance. The prologue for Chronicles is set at a different time with two minor (one becomes main later), but it still sets up the story with small history of the world.

What I did was I started with my character in the prologue, using it to show her past. I didn't like that at all, so I changed it to show her father's past. Lo and behold, I came up with the current prologue, which sets up the entire story.

A prologue doesn't have to be at the exact same time as your story. Just make sure that you have something that can be tied back to. Or for even more fun, you could start in media res. Just drop the readers into the action for the prologue, then go back and show how the characters got there.

 

[Seiryu]

Prologue troubles, huh?

Well, I can't really offer advice pertaining to that other than stuff based off what I plan on doing.

For my coming fanfic Fallen Angels, the prologue is about the pivotal event in the main character's life that leads to how he is at the actual start of the work--his "fall from glory," if you will.

So perhaps the prologue could be a little bit of history about the main character, perhaps how he or she came to become what he/she's like in the rest of the story.

However, if all else fails, remember that a prologue isn't absolutely necessary for a good story. As I recall, none of the Harry Potter novels have used a real prologue, and I'm sure there are many other similar book series or stand-alone novels.

Heck, at this moment, none of my other planned chaptered works contain a prologue and just jump right into the first chapter, one because doing so would reveal a few things about the series' main antagonist--things that I really don't want revealed until the third "book"--and the rest because...well, I just don't feel that there's a really good way for there to even be a prologue!

If it doesn't fit, then don't worry; prologues are usually there just to supply a bit of background information about a main character, the world in which the bulk of the story takes place, and other stuff that can easily be explained as the story progresses. Therefore, while prologues are definitely nice to have, they aren't absolutely necessary.

 

[Literate]

Maybe I don't need a prologue but it wouldn't sound right if I just started right off the bat at chapter one. I'll figure it out. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Bay]

Yeah, I had a prologue for my story. The prologue basically just give a little background of what the story will be like. Anyways, usually like everyone said, prologues are used to give a little historical background of the story, introducing the characters, etc. So if you do not have a prologue then that is okay. If you are thinking about a prologue then it is best to try to give it a nice setting. That is all I have to say for now. Sorry if this is not new to you.

 

[Literate]

Well, last night, I thought everything out. But due to my STML, it was hard linking everything together. I've got a Prologue down but I feel it gives away too much clues. How much hints and what kind of hints do you think I should put in it? To draw in readers?

 

[Slim_878]

Sorry to just barge in and ask this, but how can some of you blank your words with black bars?

 

[Literate]

Well, they're called spoiler tags. It says on the Advance toolbar, SPOIL in caps. And um, should you be posting in my thread?