Comments on: Foreword or Prologue? Ask Anne The Pro Writer

By: annew

annew — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:13:47 +0000

You’re much better at sorting these out than I am, Jorge.

By: jorgekafkazar

jorgekafkazar — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:51:20 +0000

To amplify on what’s been said earlier: Famous people are often asked to provide an introduction, not so often a foreword. The foreword can be used to provide information that the author thinks will help the reader understand the book better: why the book was written, why it’s important, what the historical roots of the work are, and so on. Forewords are rare in fiction, except in anthologies, where the extra information helps to unify the disparate works or at least compare and contrast them.

One thing I may not have addressed: a prolog (or prologue) should give the reader at least a little clue as to what the book is about. A mysterious, disconnected prologue may drive readers away, unless they can put it in some context.
jorgekafkazar recently posted..Watcher in the Night deciphered

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:21:54 +0000

Interesting, I’m a prologue and foreword reader. But your move sounds like a good one.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:37:35 +0000

To add to what jorgekafkazar said, during editing I read part of the beginning of my book to a friend over the phone. I had a prologue, but I found myself skipping it and starting where I had labeled “Chapter 1.” Why? Because that’s not where it needed to start. I asked myself if there was anything wrong with having a prologue. After all, I’d read many books with them. But here, it wasn’t needed (action/crime/suspense) and I had unconsciously began reading where the book actually started.

I moved the prologue, which introduced another antagonist, to a later chapter and I’m much happier with its placement now. Now the book begins with a quiet lull and at the bottom of the first page, BAM! The conflict occurs. It’s much more effective.

By: jorgekafkazar

jorgekafkazar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:49:52 +0000

The foreword is a “before word.” Nobody reads them. I saw a foreword once where the famous writer thereof admitted he didn’t think anyone was reading it. The purpose of the foreword is to get the famous person’s name on the cover: “Foreword by Damson Greengage Satsuma.”

The prologue (or prolog) is a “before speech.” In fiction, a lot of new writers write three page prologues. These can often be fixed by just putting “Chapter I” at the top. Or by throwing it away. As you say, Anne, the prologue is just supposed to set the scene and the atmosphere–it’s a teaser. If the customer in the bookstore (virtual or hardcopy) doesn’t get sucked in by the prologue, you’ve lost the sale. The tone, voice, point-of-view, and language of the prologue can be completely different from the balance of the book. Anything over a half page is questionable.

In addition to scene and atmosphere, some prologues introduce an important character and make at least a sketchy attempt to make the reader identify with him/her. And her cat, if you want to pull out all the stops [börf]. Whether I have a prologue or not, my favorite approach is to follow the advice of L. Sprague deCamp: “Shoot the sheriff in the first paragraph.”
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By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:42:07 +0000

No, but it’s one of those common mistakes.

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:04:53 +0000

can’t it be either?

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:59:49 +0000

It’s foreword

(and thanks for this great site, btw!)