Prologues

A long time ago, authors invented something called a prologue. (Writers also spell this word prolog and we cannot agree which spelling is preferred. In my limited reading sphere, I read both spellings and randomly chose prologue for my article.) This literary technique involves a writer copying text from a later chapter and placing it before the first chapter.

The idea is to provide an exciting preview that teases (foreshadows) the reader about an upcoming scene. It also showcases the writing style and tone of what is ahead. Plus, writers can instantly build suspense and give readers something to look forward to. In a complex book, like a mystery, the prologue can be intentionally written to mislead or entice the reader. In summary, a prologue is an advertising tool. So… it’s a good thing. Right?

I never liked prologues because I want to begin reading with chapter one. Plus, there are many problems from a writing perspective. First, they confuse the reader by suddenly introducing names, events, actions, and concepts without explanation. Second, prologues do not contain any backstory, which can only be misleading. Third, they spoil the plot, which is the entire point of a book. And finally, they destroy the basic story structure of beginning, middle, and end.

Modern technology has presented another problem. Most books for sale online allow readers to view the first chapter and the book blurb. This ability should give the reader a clear sense of what the book is about, eliminating the need for a prologue.

Alright, my rant is over, and I concede that most fictional novels have prologues and readers like them. How do authors select which part of their book to become a prologue? That is a tough choice. The section must maintain a balance of action, plot, and dialogue without revealing essential plot points. Plus, the section must be written generically so the reader can immediately understand what is going on. This means that once the prologue segment is selected, the author needs to soften that section to make it understandable to someone who has not read the many prior chapters. This can lead to edits that do not align with the rest of the book’s writing style.

I did some research, and it seems the best way to write a prologue is to plan ahead for a section that will serve as the prologue. This essentially means that the writer must craft the entire story around that section.

I think that is a lot of hard work to make an advertisement for a book that has already been purchased. Plus, this kind of writing feels like choosing between two desperate options: hope the prologue entices the reader, or fail to entice and get bad reviews. I prefer to give my readers a solid backstory that begins in chapter one.

There is another aspect of prologues; they exclusively appear in fictional books. For example, you would never find a prologue in an autobiography. Yet, some technical documents begin with a summary or the conclusion. I used to work for a company that insisted every document had an acronym-heavy BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) as its first line. Why yes, this was confusing, and I no longer work for them. Coincidence?

I think the reason that prologues continue to be popular is that they work. While I have never found them useful, I certainly see the appeal of a well-written one. Perhaps I could write a prologue guide with a prologue at the beginning, including a prologue of the prologue.

You’re the best -Bill

March 28, 2026

Hey, book lovers, I published five. Please check them out:

Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.

Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

Cable Ties. A slow-burning political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.

Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.

Pushed to the Edge of Existence. Just when Kim, Gabe, and Emma’s lives start returning to normal, a mysterious government organization orders them to use their telepathic abilities, and then they travel to an alien planet.

These books are available in softcover and in eBook format.