Introductions are the best way to attract the reader. The purposes of the introductions, usually called prologues, are:
- Give readers a general idea of the story
- Interest the reader
And…
Help you find your writing style
It is not always easy to write an appropriate prologue for your story. Here you will find how to proceed.
Steps
Method 1 of 1: Write your prologue
Step 1. First of all you need to know when to write the prologue
Not all prologues need to be written when history begins. If you still don't know what it will be like, forget it until you have the inspiration for the plot. Once you've found inspiration, or even when you've finished writing it, you can always go back and write the prologue.
Step 2. You need to know what kind of story you are writing the prologue for
Not all stories need a prologue. It all depends on the first paragraph of your first chapter. Write the first paragraph. Does it seem like the story is moving too fast? In this case, your story probably doesn't need the prologue.
Step 3. Choose which characters to represent in the prologue
Perhaps writing about characters who will appear briefly in the story is the best way. Often the prologue does not mention the main characters or minions they may have. It can portray the antagonist, minor delinquents, the guardian, the hero's allies, or any other character. Sometimes, the prologues don't feature any characters! They can illustrate a dramatic event that is fundamental to the story, such as a disaster that could have given birth to the great adventure of the heroes of the story.
Step 4. Keep the language in mind
Language is one of the keys to grabbing the reader's attention. If you are writing about a historical event, read in a history book how a catastrophic disaster is told. Following the example, write the prologue as if you were writing a history book. If you're creating the main scene, say, the antagonist (in this case a wealthy banker) swaggering around his castle, telling his cronies how he's going to take over the world, just behave naturally. Write as if you were writing any other part of the story.
Step 5. Take into account the length
The length of your prologue can vary. It can be ten pages long if you like, or just a page or two. If you are writing a screenplay, it will probably be longer than if you are describing an event.
Step 6. Use an appropriate tone
The tone is the way the narrator tells the story. Look at the example below (note: this is not a part of a story, but just an example of the tone:
- "The wealthy banker Anchise Pacinotti strolled around his study. As he walked, he explained his elaborate plan to conquer the world to his two henchmen, Bruno and Taddeo." Now, would you say it sounds like a humorous or funny story? More likely it will look humorous given the names of the villains and the immediate image of the pompous banker in a bowler hat. Furthermore, no one could reasonably think that he can conquer the world. Humorous stories usually give rascals a starring role with this very intention. If you wanted the banker's story to be darker, you should have written something like this:
- "Arturo Scalise was strolling around his laboratory, muttering a curse at the same time. He was having difficulty in carrying out his plan of revenge against the world that had rejected him. His two assistant scientists, Dr. Fabio Alessi and Dr. Francesco Zappa looked at him in fear. The last scientist had told the boss that the plan was impossible to carry out, he had died under suspicious circumstances. "You see how it sounds more like a spy story. Naming death in a story usually contrasts with the cheerful attitude of a humorous story. But of course, it all depends on your choice. Good luck writing your prologue and story.
Advice
- Do not enter unnecessary information. This is the setting of your story and is therefore extremely important.
- Be careful not to reveal all the plot and story details in the prologue.
- Be very careful when you have decided what to write in the prologue …
- If you're writing a humorous or everyday story about young people, make sure it doesn't sound too serious.
- Make sure the point of view is not different from that of the story, unless the prologue is in the third person.
