More About Prologues

Monday's discussion of prologues was definitely a lively one, as was Tuesday's discussion about getting out of the box over at Jenny Milchman's blog. Thanks to all who chimed in.

Don't forget - leave a comment on Tuesday's post by Mel Teschco and be entered in a drawing for a copy of her book. You have until Friday. Scroll down. Now! 

Allison Brennan's comment about her "rules" for prologues piqued my interest, and I went back and looked at the one I wrote for DEADLY SECRETS.

I'm copying her response here (with the understanding that she says she's broken all of them for the sake of the individual book):

1) Prologues should be short. I prefer 3-6 pages, but I have written a 15 page prologue.

2) Prologues should happen more than a week before the story begins, and preferably long before with one of the major characters that shows or explains their motivation or conflict, but I've had one that happened immediately before (24 hours) and I'm sure there's one or two from a secondary character's POV.

3) Prologues should hint to something important in the story, preferably a clue or give the reader insight into the character that they couldn't otherwise have in the first 100 pages, that is important for them understanding or enjoying the book.

So, here's my question for you. Does my prologue for DEADLY SECRETS work for you? I'd say it met with Allison's guidelines (Chapter 1 begins 5 years later).

Click to read it, and I'd love to get your take.

Before the Beginning

What I'm reading: The Drop, by Michael Connelly

Note: Today is the LAST day to enter Giveaway #3. Check the Deals & Steals tab. Remember, you have to let me know you've entered.

First, a brief pause for this commercial message. DEADLY SECRETS, my first non-romantic suspense novel, is now available for sale. Although it's technically an "indie" publication, there's nothing "indie" about it. I'll talk more about that another time. Today, it's prologues.

When I was starting to learn the craft of writing (not really all that long ago), I noted that many speakers, be they authors, agents, or editors, spoke about prologues. As with everything else, opinions varied. Some agents said, "When I ask for your first five (or ten) pages, don't send me your prologue; I want to see Chapter 1, which is where your book really starts." Others wanted to see the prologue.

There was the question of what determines a prologue in the first place. If it's showing action that begins shortly before your Chapter 1, then it should BE Chapter 1.

Then there's the question, "Is it needed at all?" Could that information be woven in as back story. Are the prologue characters going to appear in the book?

And lastly, came the guideline I tended to follow. Prologues in romance used to be the norm (along with epilogues, but that's another topic). However, they were falling out of favor, and the recommendation was to avoid them.

The Countdown Continues ... a new free read

What I'm Reading: Rusty Nail by J.A. Konrath

What I'm writing: Chapter 8

Starting Over's prologue was one that almost didn't happen. It was cut and replaced so many times, I'm amazed I could find the file. Writing a book in a series poses challenges. You want readers to enjoy the book without scratching their heads and wondering what they've missed. (Of course, when I realize a book I'm reading isn't the first in a series, I'll usually stop and go read the others first. )

I'm also not a big fan of prologues. They're usually nothing but back story or full of characters who aren't even in the book itself.

The book itself has to stand on its own merit. Starting Over was the second book I wrote, and for a while, it looked like it wasn't going to have Finding Sarah behind it. I debated whether to keep the prologue, call it Chapter 1, or ditch it altogether and try to weave in the back story.

However, once Finding Sarah was accepted, my editor urged me to include the prologue, as it would tie the book to Sarah's.

I've posted it on my website as a sneak preview. (Check the Free Reads section in the LINKS column.)

Next time: I had the pleasure of attending a workshop with Debra Dixon this weekend. I'll post some of the highlights later. Please check back.