March 29, 2024
THE PROLOGUE THAT INVOLVES A SNOW GLOBE, MUSIC BOX & WEREWOLF

THE PROLOGUE THAT INVOLVES A SNOW GLOBE, MUSIC BOX & WEREWOLF

(this post was originally published on june 22, 2021 as THIS MAGICAL WORLD OF WONDER IS THE PROLOGUE THAT ALMOST WASN’T )

 So, like you, I ‘ve heard that prologues are not thought upon lightly. Because they usually are skipped, sometimes boring or are simply not necessary. 

Last year I recorded a prologue podcast episode about the origins of prologues.  I liked researching for that episode.  I will be recording another podcast about prologues sometime in the future.  

But right now, I want to talk about the prologue in my novel that almost wasn’t. What do you mean?

Well, my current prologue. 

I had this same prologue in my first draft.  I chose to take it out for my 2nd draft because when I was back in college some years ago, an English professor read the draft and well he ripped it out  because he said he simply did not read prologues. 

I was kind of devastated because I worked really hard on it, and it has everything to do with the rest of the story. 

My prologue is called The Magical World of Wonder and is centered on my main character’s best friend Gabby and her family. It’s very magical indeed. Not only does the prologue involve a snow globe, a music box and a werewolf but it plays with and triggers pretty heavy and intense secrets that are buried within the town and also along with Gabby’s family secrets.  But It’s one of those prologues where there is a character that doesn’t appear anymore throughout the novel again.  (Spoiler alert).

It’s hard to explain but it’s like a rewind fast forward scene. That can’t really be placed anywhere in the novel itself because the main character doesn’t see it or experience it.  But it will bring the story kind of full circle by the end of the novel.  And the character Gabby in the prologue is constantly mentioned throughout the novel by the main character and other characters. And what happens to Gabby in the prologue will come back to have heavy consequences on some of the characters within the main story. Especially Gabby’s family who are going to end up paying a heavy price for their deep and dark secrets.

So, I decided to put the prologue back in my novel.  Even if readers skip over it, the readers will probably find themselves going back to it in the middle of the novel. 

EXTRA NOTE: I will be posting the full prologue chapter on the blog soon but until then check out the visual prologue novel excerpt MAGICAL WORLD OF WONDER DELETED SCENE PROLOGUE – A DTBH WIP NOVEL(TEASER).

If you liked this blog post and you want to see more content involving my work in progress During the Blue Hour Follow & share . But first LET’S START A DIALOGUE

Do you think having a prologue is a good idea in the novel?  Should the reader go back to read the prologue or is it a waste of time?

 I  want to know so let me know in the comments  below.

 You can also interact with the podcast on Gab @duringthebluehour

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