What is a Prologue? | Definition and Writing Tips

Do you know? When you start reading a book, you come across different sections, such as the publisher, the preface, and the table of contents. After that, you encounter the introductory section of the book, which gives the background information about the story. If you’re a ravenous reader, you might know about this section. This is called the prologue. The history of the prologue is as old as the dawn of literature. 

The quality of the prologue significantly impacts the reader’s interest in reading the rest of the story. Writing a captivating and engaging prologue requires particular techniques. If you also want to know those, sit tight. This blog discusses what a prologue is, its types, its purposes, and the essential steps to write a top-notch prologue. 

What is a Prologue?

The term prologue comes from the Greek word prologos, which means “before the word. A prologue is defined as the introductory part of a literary work that is separate from the main narrative. It is specially designed to provide a context for the story, set a tone, or hook the reader. 

Prologues are commonly found in books, plays, movies, and other fictional works. They may range from a few paragraphs to a few pages. The Ancient Greeks often used prologues in their dramatic works, which were treated as the first act of a play. 

What are the Types of Prologue?

The four main types of prologue are given as follows: 

• Future Protagonist

A future protagonist prologue provides the future glimpse of the main character or the main story to build suspense for the reader. It is later repeated in the main story. 

For example, when we start The DaVinci Code, it opens with a cryptic murder, which suddenly evokes curiosity. 

• Past Protagonist

A past protagonist prologue provides the main character’s background or the conflict that will occur throughout the main story. It impacts all the key events in the story. 

For example, whenever a Star Wars movie starts, the text crawl provides the whole idea of the conflict being discussed in the film. 

• Different Point-Of-View

This prologue is written from the perspective of a supporting character or someone other than the main character. It provides an overview of the story from a different lens. 

For example, when The Dark Knight starts, the robbery sequence is shown from the Joker’s perspective, which sets a substantial stage for conflict. 

• Background 

This prologue provides the context or the idea of conflict, which will be consistently discussed in the main story. It shows all the rules that will be applied throughout. 

For example, when The Fellowship of the Ring starts, the history of the one ring is explained, which later connects with the current story. 

Difference Between Prologue, Epilogue, Preface, Foreword, and Introduction

• Prologue: This section contains the introductory part of the main narrative, which helps to set the tone and hook the reader. 

• Epilogue: This concluding section wraps up the story by revealing the fate of the characters. 

• Preface: It contains the purpose, inspiration, and the process of writing a nonfiction book.

• Foreword: It is an introduction to a nonfiction book written by someone other than the author. 
• Introduction: It includes a nonfiction book’s scope, themes, and structure. 

What are the Purposes of a Prologue?

Here are the reasons why prologues are added at the start of literary works: 

• It helps to set the tone or mode of the story

The most significant purpose of a prologue is to set the tone of the main story. It provides the reader with the background of “what has been” and tells how the story is “going to be”. It helps them imagine whether the story is going to be funny, philosophical, eerie, or whimsical. 

• It hooks the reader with some mystery or suspense

When a future protagonist prologue is used, it depicts a pivotal event that leaves the reader scratching their head. It significantly shocks them and compels them to continue with their reading to see what will happen next. The opening scene of The Da Vinci Code perfectly sets this scenario. 

• It provides a critical backstory or context of the story

When a past protagonist prologue is used, it gives the idea of what will be in the main story. If a particular conflict or pivotal event is discussed, the main story will likely revolve around discussing its various solutions. For example, when Beauty and the Beast starts, it explains the Prince’s curse. 

• It helps to introduce a central character in the story

Prologues are also significantly helpful in introducing the central character of the story. Writers explain all the essential details, from the qualifications to the protagonist’s profession, so that readers don’t get confused while reading the main story. It also helps to drop a clue about the character’s personality. 

• It provides some key information from different POV

Sometimes, authors also use the supporting character’s point of view to give a particular hint about the whole setting of the main story. It informs the reader about the genre. For example, when a White Walker is shown from a character’s POV at the start of Game of Thrones, it signifies the threat of supernatural entities. 

How to Write a Prologue?

Here are the essential steps that you can follow to write a prologue: 

Step 1: Add a hook to engage the reader immediately

The first step in writing a prologue is to add a significant hook to grab the reader’s attention. The hook should be so compelling that the reader is compelled to think “how did we arrive here?”. It should contain all those elements that will increase the reader’s curiosity to continue reading. 

Step 2: Provide essential information about the scenario

The next step is to provide all the essential details on the main story. Everything that is going to be discussed, furthermore in the story, such as all important landmarks, jargon, and the prominent characters, should be added. Ensure you don’t miss anything, as it will not properly communicate the whole narrative. 

Step 3: Maintain the connection with the whole story

The next step is to maintain the connection of everything that is discussed. As you know, the prologue is directly or indirectly linked with the main storyline, so it should be connected in some way so that readers can scan the whole story. Absence of connection will lead to further plot holes. 

Step 4: Keep the length short to intrigue the reader

As you know, the prologue is just an idea or contact of the main story, so it should consist of a few paragraphs or a few pages. It should not be a huge infodump that can bore the reader even before starting the main narrative. Even if you’re giving an idea, try to leave things incomplete for suspense. 

Step 5: Maintain consistency of the tone, style, and theme

The last step of writing a prologue is to mind the consistency of tone, theme, and style. Whatever theme you leverage in writing the prologue must be prevalent in the main story. For example, if you have written a horror prologue, it cannot be followed by a comedy or humorous main story. 

Struggling to Write Your Prologue?

If you’re still struggling to write your prologue, you can avail of assistance from professional academic writers. They will efficiently write your required prologue in no time. 

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