Prologue

A prologue is a distinct opening section set apart from the first chapter, used to deliver information or establish a mood that the main narrative cannot efficiently convey on its own. Prologues typically fall into a few common types: a scene set years before the main story, a glimpse of the antagonist's perspective, an event whose significance only becomes clear later, or an in-medias-res flash-forward that hooks the reader before the story rewinds. When well executed, a prologue creates intrigue and context that deepen the reader's engagement from the very first page.

Many celebrated works use prologues to powerful effect. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin opens with three Night's Watch rangers encountering the Others beyond the Wall, a scene that establishes the supernatural threat long before the main political narrative begins. Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind uses a frame-story prologue set in a quiet inn, creating a stark contrast with the epic tale that follows. Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park opens with a prologue showing a mysterious dinosaur attack in Costa Rica, generating immediate tension before the scientific exposition of the first act.

The most important rule for prologues is that they must earn their place. Agents and editors frequently advise against prologues that are thinly disguised info-dumps or that could simply be folded into Chapter One. A prologue should contain a different point of view, a different time period, or a different tone from the opening chapter, otherwise it is just a misnamed first chapter. If beta readers skip your prologue without losing comprehension of the story, that is a strong signal it should be cut. Keep prologues short, dramatic, and essential to the reading experience.