I read that prologues are out of vogue these days, so I try to avoid them.

But, I have a children's story where a two-page scene takes place four years earlier. I originally placed it in the first chapter, but I feel it bogs down the pace there. I've made it into a prologue and to me it seems like an improvement. But, am I risking instant agent rejection by doing this?

What points should I consider before deciding to keep it or ditch it?

Thanks for your advice and opinions.

I just had advice from an agent who said, 'If you have a prologue, make sure it is short, sweet , exciting and to the point. Agents won't reject you because you have one - they will if it is not gripping and adds to the plot. Use your own judgement
Stop the sketch - it's too silly

Something here makes me uncomfortable.

If we are twisting ourselves in knots to make ourselves 'acceptable to agents', how far are we willing to go?

This smacks of music by committee, eg; Pop Idol, and all those other shows I can't name because I won't watch them. Strip creativity and talent down to what appeals to the masses, and you end up with art-by-committee.

I don't want to write clones of Tescos bestsellers. I don't want to apply the current formula for success to my stuff. I don't want to stick tassels on my nipples (apologies to all those of sensitive dispositions) to get noticed. I want to tell my stories, and I want to learn about the best way of communicating the essence of what I want to say.

This doesn't mean there's nothing left to learn. I am standing in the foothills of penmanship, and getting hauled up in stages by the excellent people here who give intelligent critical feedback.

Yet I feel a chilly horror at tinkering with my stuff in order to agent-please, according to the latest trend. When an agent/publisher takes you on, then you can consider whether to jump through hoops.

I have read your prologue Miss M, and it whacked me between the eyes! I thought it excellent.

Prologues/Preludes in or out? Frankly, my dears, whatever you want them to be.

Pterodactylus Nipplus

I've had mixed reactions on the 15 reviews I've received to my prologue in Two for the Crow. One of the professional reviewers on this site once said to make the prologue as vague and mysterious as possible.
Some of the others on the site thought my prologue didn't go with the rest of the writing, or that prologues were simply out of style. I just got reviewed by a Random House reviewer, and she made special mention that she liked my prologue.
So, I'm sure if a publisher asked me to consider deleting the prologue in either of my novels, I'd take a look at that.
My other novel Handstands in the Shallow End also has a prologue, so I'm interested in seeing how that's reviewed.

Stop the sketch - it's too silly

First of all, Jill nailed it and it speaks my own concerns.We are not trendsetters anymore, we are followers.

What is the problem with Prologues?

The real problem is not in a prologue per se at all. It is in our urge to explain things. We feel that the reader only can follow our story if he has background information. A reader can only understand the character if he knows about the events in his past.
Most of the prologues are an attempt to stuff background information elegantly into the first two or three pages.

Elegantly...that's the key, and many stories could do perfectly without it. Filter in background as natural as possible. Characters act based on their past experience, but if you get to know a new person in real life, you're not getting a page pressed in your hand with all the background information either.

Some authors work with notes at the end or the beginning, as I plan a glossaryfor my historical fiction, leaving the reader the choice. But then I do have a kind of proloque, called chapter 1.

As a reader, I tend NOT to read the prologue. I want to read the story. Right away, from word one. I will read the foreword and the forework once I'm done. I want to get to know my characters by their actions and emotions and not by telling. Funny. eh? I bet there are many readers like me!

Keep writing.

Am half-way through reading 'Hooked' and it's full of good advice. It's by Les Edgerton. Have also just finished 'On Writing' by Steven King which is also an excellent read.
Jacqui

I don't think there's an industry bias against prologues, so long as they do what they're meant to--which is to introduce some element of the story which is going to be very important later, and which informs the rest of the text. They must hook the reader, and make them ask questions that force them to read on. Otherwise they're redundant.

The trouble is that they're commonly used as an info-dump in order to tell the reader stuff that the writer couldn't manage to work into the text elsewhere, which is not good.
Apologies for any typos I might let slip by: I've developed a problem with my vision and I've not got used to it yet.

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