No way. There, I said it. I don’t like prologues. I could quickly wrap up this week’s post for Marketing for Romance Writer’s 52-week Blog Challenge for Prologue or No? right here. But no, I tend to be a little more long-winded when I get my fingers on the keyboard. In person, well, I can stare down the best of them (except for Scruff, he can win almost any staring contest). Now let me tell you why I don’t care for prologues.
We Just Met
I tend to write, and enjoy reading, character driven stories. Sure, I love some action to get the story going but I can be drawn in just as easily with a well-crafted first line. I want to get to know the characters today before I hear about 
what happened before.
Because usually I don’t really care—because I don’t know why it’s important, and I don’t care for the character yet.
It’s as if you just meet a person and they start telling you about something that happened years ago, or everything that you weren’t sure you wanted to know about them, before you even know their name or have decided if you liked them that much to listen.
My Memory Stinks
Sure, I’ll read the prologue, but then I find myself repeatedly looking back because I’m trying to remember how many years ago that was, or what was the city, or what the heck happened again when it gets to the part in the story where this is important. I’ve talked about my poor memory of my own past many times before, so if I can’t remember that, I’m surely not going to have space in my mind to remember someone else’s.
It’s Cheating
It’s not really, but it does seem like cheating to me. Weaving in the backstory can be hard. Really hard! Trying to insert the information without telling someone everything upfront is a challenge.
So putting in a bunch of information in the front is kind of like cheating to me. #prologue #MFRW #amwriting Click To TweetBelieve me, when I was writing my upcoming release, NOT A CHANCE—the 2nd book in The Enchantlings story, I had to rewrite the beginning multiple times so it wasn’t an information dump for that might bore readers who already read book #1 (DESTINY CALLING) and confusing for readers who started with book #2.
P.S. scroll to the end for the link to the party page for NOT A CHANCE to enter for a chance to win kindles, gift cards, ebooks and other cool stuff for all the contests I’m participating in.
The Author Jury is—Out
Well, you got my two cents. Or probably a quarter’s worth. I hadn’t realized how much I didn’t care for prologues until I started to think about this week’s topic.
But the other author’s in the blog hop haven’t weighed in. I’m sure there are some that have valid reasons why they absolutely love a prologue, but I guess we’ll have to hop around to find out why.
What Are Your Thoughts on Prologues?
 
Scruff just wanted to make sure that you didn’t miss stopping over at the party page for NOT A CHANCE so you have your chance to sign up for all the giveaways before it’s too late! Click right here to visit.Follow the #MFRW Hop Below!
Then follow the #MFRW Hop below!
Few authors write good prologues; most use them as mind-numbing information dumps of background. Therefore, I dislike them for much the same reasons as you.
I feel differently about prologues. I don’t mind reading a prologue if it serves a real purpose, but I have also read some that were a waste of time. And I’ve used a prologue a couple times in my own books. For example, RISKY REDEMPTION, that just won the Daphne, has a short prologue. It’s not an info dump because it doesn’t even use names or places. It’s not backstory because it actually happens 15 weeks AFTER the point in time the story starts in Chapter 1. But it is an intense scene that leaves an impression that something awful happens, but the reader doesn’t know for sure, so it instantly creates suspense. I consider that a real purpose.
Thank you Marissa! It’s great to hear different opinions, and obviously prologues do have a place, or they wouldn’t still be in so many books. Your point is a good one, and valid, even without the Daphne (although that’s super awesome!) I think having a purpose is one of the key elements, as some prologues don’t seem to achieve what yours obviously does. 🙂
good point that the prologue is the past and the analogy about learning someone’s past before you even meet them. It’s like someone launching into their full medical history before you’ve even been introduced. The one exception, and it is one I’ve taken advantage of, is when a fantasy has a prophecy that sets the stage for the book.