Here is the second lesson from the lightness project mini-module!
It follows directly from the idea of the "simple job" or "project." The suggestion is that you offer the reader a teaser or preview of where the story is going in a prologue.
A good prologue is about the future, not the past
Use your prologue as a taste of what's coming.
A good prologue is:
- short
- energetic and striking
- about the story to come
- not what has come before
The challenge
Here is a challenge: imagine a cool scene from the middle or end of your story. Even better -- a scene that you haven't written yet but want to reach. Turn it in a one-page prologue for your story!
Best prologue discussion ever! Thank you for this.
Could you do this in a short story? Does it need a novel length story to work?
Sure! Might need to be even shorter – a few lines?
I’m curious – would you then still keep the “cool moment” scene in the novel in the place you originally had it? So repeat it? Or would you remove it and just hint at it in the narrative?
I would repeat it, I think! That’s what Boulley does in Firekeeper’s Daughter.
This is extremely helpful. I’ve been struggling with where to start my novel, as it begins in the rather boring “normal world.” I tried a few prologues, but they didn’t feel right. This gave me the guidelines to write on the works!
Great!
How would a prologue work in a detective story? [My detective is dressing to go on a motorcycle rally (her normal Saturday activity) and then gets a phone call or hears a news story about a murder that changes her plans.]
I don’t know that a good prologue would work any differently in a detective story as long as you don’t give away whodunnit and as long as the prologue is from the middle of the story.
I don’t know how many of Daniel’s courses you’ve taken, but he sometimes illustrates concepts by way of examples from detective stories. I get the impression that, unlike me, his knowledge of the detective genre is very solid.
What should the form of the prologue be? How should it be structured? Does it in fact need to be structured in the way that a full scene should be structured, or can it just be a snippet of a scene with, for instance, no real ending? Is it better, for example, to use action or reflection? Or is this just totally open ended, depending on the book? Any guidelines on this?
I have a snippet of a scene from the middle of my novel in mind, a scene that’s already drafted, but I wonder if this material would confuse readers due to its use of the institutional terminology inherent to the middle, but not to the opening movement, of this book.
I have always avoided thinking about a prologue which may have had to do with my limited understanding of what it was. I saw it as a self-contained piece or world that somehow illuminated the story. Now this idea of a flash forward toward a significant scene or snippet in the book makes a lot of sense. If I understand this correctly, a prologue wouldn’t likely centre around the A-plot, or if A were alluded to, it wasn’t the main focus for the character in this particular segment. There are a few snippets that could audition for a prologue, and I am going to play with that idea to see which one was best.
Sounds like you took PPN. And so I imagine it’s appropriate to use PPN’s terminology in this reply. I think Daniel is saying that you want to use something from the C-Plot, something from the real story. But I don’t think the presence of material from the A-Plot would hurt as long as a cool moment from the C-Plot is taking the spotlight. Not everyone watching these videos has taken PPN, and that’s probably why he’s not using a lot of the course’s terminology in these lessons. So Middle means C-Plot if you’ve taken PPN. I’m now tinkering with a snippet of a scene that’s fully in C-Plot territory. I’m not sure that a prologue is right for my story, but my line of thinking is that being open to precisely these kinds of suggestions could be very useful in revision.
I love the prompt. I have a couple of ghosts whose POV might work. It would never have occurred to me. Thanks!
This is really helpful, thank you! I’m writing fantasy and I wonder, would it still work if it was a short clip of an event that is happening off page during the protagonist’s ‘simple job’ or just before so that it isn’t from the protagonist’s point of view but gives the reader a glimpse of an antagonist. Or would you recommend keeping the prologue from the protagonist’s POV and introducing the antagonist later, more in the middle of the book?
I like the flash forward idea, but after further consideration, have one question.
In the body of the novel, when you reach to scene used for the prologue, what do you write? Do you use the same text as the prologue? Or perhaps write a new version of the scene? In either case I imagine you could fill in some details cut from the prologue to keep it tight.
– Steve
I think the prologue is a great place to present the backstory and set the strategy for the story ahead—you said to make it about the future. The prologue should NOT outline the plot but rather tease what the plot is. Often the backstory integrated with narrative slows the pace, which is not good for a suspense, thriller delivery
Great Daniel, love this approach, thank you. It works perfectly for my novel.
Prologue Ideas;
Grandfather’s murder set to appear as a suicide:
1). Professor Klein’s attention was absorbed into his experiment and the slight hum caused by his machinery to not notice that someone had entered the building where he has his lab. The man outfitted in black from his fitted mask and leather gloves, to his Army issued combat boots. He used a flexible wire camera to peer under the door into the lab and note the professor location in the room.
The man moved as a ninja, and quietly opened the opened the lab door and approached the back of the engrossed professor before he covered his mouth and quickly injected him with a neuromuscular blocking drug that quickly caused the Professor to lose any active voluntary movement as well as paralyzed his vocal cords to keep him from screaming.
The assailant wasn’t too worried about being heard as the main house was over 100 yards away. He then carried the professor down the aisle of the converted stable into the section where the professor’s classic 1957 Chevy Bel Air was kept. The professor was placed into the driver’s seat. The vent window was cracked and a hose from the exhaust pipe was brought through the tiny side window. The assailant went to the passenger side and reached over the immobilized professor and stuffed an old towel into the window to block it off and hold the hose in place. He started the car and shut the door saying to the professor in a monotonic voice, “You should have taken the money and not interfered with the Organization’s business.”
He returned to the office with the car idling and filling the car with toxic carbon dioxide. He returned to the lab and went to the desktop computer and wrote a short 2 sentence goodbye note and hit print, but left the note on the screen. He surveilled the room to ensure he left no clues to his identity and searched the desk, but only found the professor current workbook on his desk with his current experiments detailed, tucked it in a black bag he had slung over his shoulder and attached by velcro to his side, turned off the lights, leaving the computer up and closed the door. But before escaping out the unlocked back door, he ensured the Professor was still trapped, then disappeared into the darkness.
Other ideas:
2. A note from a representative of the “Organization” that sought the Professor to curtail all research into gravity and zero point energy…making him aware of a powerful group that wanted him to stop.
3. The first opening of an alternate dimension and a allusion to alien contact
4. An early interaction with a young Tory with her grandfather demonstrating their bond.
I welcome any input. I know that scene is a rough draft and it can be tightened up, but that is an idea to allow in some interest into Plot C.
Thanks, Tony
Ok David, I heard you. My initial prologue idea was about the past, to put the final plot (C) into context, but you emphasize a flash forward. So here is where I see the story eventually going. It is a rough concept, but this is the type of stuff I am contemplating. I welcome comments.
Prologue——-FIRST CONTACT
Tory purposefully walked into their grandfather clandestine, underground lab and positioned herself in the cushioned captain’s seat outfitted with a specifically modified helmet to monitor her brain wave frequency including stereo headphones for the binaural beats required for brain entrainment, cuffs and electrodes to monitor vital signs.She looked like a woman in a 1960’s beauty parlor sitting under a overhead hairdryer.
From an adjoining room, Natalia’s calm voice came over the intercom and said, “All readings are within normal parameters. I will watch for any life-threatening signs, then I will start the binaural beats for a deeper meditative state. Then you are on your own to explore new dimensions and step into the future of mankind.”
Tory had figured a way to combine her theory of using meditation to transport her to other worlds across light years and possibly into other dimensions in the vast interstellar ocean in which we swim. It was about finding a specific frequency to locate another dimension that her grandfather had established. Sweat began to dampen her shirt as she realized the significance of this experiment, but she was determined to carry out this project to show that her grandfather’s life wasn’t a failure and that he was performing groundbreaking science.
Tory quieted her mind by focusing on her breathing as the binaural beats played in her headset synchronizing her brain hemispheres which allowed her to quickly enter a trance-like meditative state and explore the unknown. Her heartbeat slowed, her breathing became shallow, and her mind was awake and experienced a strange vibration as her body slept. She felt herself turn on her side and saw herself standing beside her resting body. This was not an uncommon practice for her, but this time, it seemed different. In the corner of the room was a spinning, circular, purple clouded votex like gateway. The inner portion had small points of light whirling around.
Tory felt unable to move her body through the circular gateway. She felt a slight pull towards the gateway which didn’t frighten her, but she felt confused as to what was happening. Then a bright figure with indistinguishable features stood before her and said telepathically, “Don’t be afraid. We have been expecting you, Victoria. Come I will show you a possible future of humanity.” Tory calmly and without hesitation reached out to the glowing being as a child would reach for a parent’s hand as if crossing the street.
Tory looked up at this strange figure, the glowing seemed to become like an aura, as the features became clear. The entity’s face had the kindest eyes, and smile that made her feel a warmth throughout her body. The entity had no obvious gender as she saw a handsome female or a beautiful male. Tory only knew that the feeling given off by the entity was of love and compassion. Tory felt unsure of something the being had said earlier, and so she asked, “You said, one of mankind’s possible futures? Isn’t the future set and determined already? If time doesn’t exist in a linear way, didn’t the future already happen and we are just following our previously performed actions?”
The entity smiled and said, “This a complex concept but think of it this way; Time is more like a bowl of soup. There are a variety of ingredients, but regardless of the specific vegetables, the final product is still vegetable soup. Time is like a cosmic soup. It may have different ways to get to the end product, but it will always be a warm broth and hearty ingredients, but it depends on the server’s free will to add their chosen parts.”
Tory responded, “Just like in quantum physics, all things are possible until the observer makes their choice.”
“Yes, every human has a free will and they each get to choose the kind of world they want. Sometimes, they are not as well informed that we are all connected, and that unity and cooperation makes it better for everyone, even themselves,”the entity responded.
Tory eyes were staring off in the distance before she spoke again, “The world has always experienced turmoil and conflict, will it ever get better?”
The entity spoke in a steady and forthright way, “ There are many things that are not obvious from the 3-dimensional world in which you live, but here we see without the same distractions. It may not seem like it but the world is moving into a higher vibration, where more people will want to work together.” The entity spoke in metaphors since the concepts and ideas he was speaking of were of an multidimensional nature and wouldn’t make complete sense to Tory. “Victoria, a single chime doesn’t make any sound if it remains isolated but place a group together and listen to how together they make beautiful music. The actions of one person affects the next person, as does non-action affects others to remain dissociated. Do you remember your words of why you wanted to study Cognitive Psychology?”
Tory looked up at his brilliantly dazzling eyes, and she nodded her head. “Of course, I do. I wanted to help make the world a better place. But my actions haven’t made any real difference, as I can see, or they didn’t change the world.” As she spoke these words, she hesitated, “But I am just beginning to do my work, so are you saying I make a difference?”
The entity’s light brightened, and Tory felt the love emanating through her whole body. ”Your work and energy touched hundreds of people who in turn touched hundreds of others, the vibration went around the world many times. You are an important part of what this world needed to bring it to a higher sense of awareness and guide it out of ignorance and the old energy of dominance and control. The world has turned a corner, but when you return, remember, there will be those who will remain in fear and ignorance. They will not want to give up control of nor want to change. It is not your job to change them. You focus on living in love and positive energy and all will be right.”
Tory was quiet for a moment sitting in thought, then she said, “What do I call you?”
“Victoria, my name from a multidimensional existence and is made up of colors and sounds above your human threshold of seeing and hearing, so you cannot say my name packet by which I am called. But you did see a recognizable color in the portal, did you not?”
“Yes, it was Purple,” Tory responded.
“You may call me Purple. It is time for you to return now, but I will see you again. You have an important mission laid out for you.“ Purple spoke slowly and will great emphasis, ”Victoria, when a basket is full, nothing new can be added. Think of this as you continue your work, trust your intuition and empty old ideas and limitations. The world is not as it appe
ars. Old ideas and power structures will crumble, but maintain your course to learn new things and there will be others sent to you in different forms, do not reject them for they are not what you have known or believe to have existed, base your judgements from your heart. For humans inhabit only a tiny fraction of the known cosmos. Move forward with compassionate actions and listen to your inner voice, we love you and we will always be with you.”
At that Tory eyes opened in the cushioned chair and called out to Natalia so she could tell her all she heard and seen.
I once read a book that followed this advice. And I see pros and cons to it.
First it was really engaging, sucking you in. So for the purpose of buying the book, it worked.
All through the text I was eager to get to the passage and lacked a bit the patience to enjoy the way there. When I did finally reach it, it was a repetition, but deepend the prologue, which was intriguing to read. Then the ending of said passage was very disappointing and I started to hate that prologue.
The scene from where it was taken although fitted well into the overall narrative. Because I had false expectations from the start, the overall experience was rather disappointing.
Surely it can be done better, I guess – apparently in this case it didn’t work well, but the idea was the same.
I don’t think I would do it in my story.
Thank you for the explanation, Daniel. I had toyed with the idea of a prologue for my novel, and having listened to this module, and read the book, The Plea by Steve Cavanagh where he took his prologue from chapter 89, the third chapter before the end of the book, I am quite taken with this idea. I can see how it could work with my novel to hook the reader in this way.
I love the phrase “ambassador from the middle”! The show Supernatural (and other shows, I’m sure) does this a lot. And now, thanks to your explanation, I understand why it’s done and why it works.