Prologues/ Epilogues
May. 31st, 2011 09:50 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Hi,
just a quick question, when you read a book do you read the prologues/epilogues?
I know a few people who don't (but they also read the last chapter first) and i have both in my story, but i feel as though the prologue might give one of the twists away.
I'm probably thinking about it too much (i do that a lot)but your opinions will be a great help.
Thanks
just a quick question, when you read a book do you read the prologues/epilogues?
I know a few people who don't (but they also read the last chapter first) and i have both in my story, but i feel as though the prologue might give one of the twists away.
I'm probably thinking about it too much (i do that a lot)but your opinions will be a great help.
Thanks
no subject
Date: 2011-05-31 03:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-31 06:06 pm (UTC)A lot of thrillers I read use a prologue as an opening gambit. And I rather like that use. Epic fantasies seem to use them to detail back story from a thousand years ago. And that use sort of frustrates me.
Epilogues I don't see much of in my reading. When I do, they're either in romance novels and utterly useless or in part of a series where the author is setting a hook for the next novel. I read them. But I always wish author had just closed the meat of their novel and wrapped up their loose ends tightly enough not to need an epilogue.
no subject
Date: 2011-05-31 11:19 pm (UTC)If your prologue is back story, the info can usually be worked into the story. If your prologue is an exciting bit to tide the reader through some slow parts, then you might want to keep it. Take a look at your prologue and see if it can't be worked into chapter one, or just be chapter one itself. If it can't do either, then you may want to keep it as your prologue.
Epilogues I generally feel could be worked into the last chapter. A story should be able to wrap up all the story threads on it's own. Unless they're done really well, epilogues tend to fall a bit flat, which takes away from the satisfaction of the ending.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 08:01 pm (UTC)Basically, I'd use them if they fit the story. If the prologue gives something away that you don't want to give away, don't use it. If it helps to set things up for later in the book, well, use it. You know? It always depends on what you want to do. If you don't want people guessing the twist and the prologue will help them do it, cut it out; if it sets it up or just hands them another clue, leave it in.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 01:27 pm (UTC)Thanks for your opinions, i've decided to make the epilogue the last chapter and the prologue really doesn't work as the first chapter but i can always change it when i finish it completely.
Thanks again
no subject
Date: 2011-07-05 02:39 am (UTC)