The amazing conclusions of literary professionals never cease to amaze me. What so many seem to deem unacceptable, undesirable, and somehow equivocate into “bad writing” raises not only my attention but often my ire.
Prologues have managed to gain the negative attention stigma by supposedly savvy editors with disdainful exclamations or sarcastic questions such as “Does anyone really read prologues?” Well, yes, many people read them when they appear in the first few pages of a novel. And don’t find one single objection to them.
If I had to invent a complaint about a prologue, my only one would be to please not make it too long. That’s it. And even that one only applies if it’s filled with too much history prior to the story.
What could possibly be “wrong” with a prologue? Some insist the story must begin with Chapter One and to just put the prologue information there, but I can tell you when that’s done without noting the degree of separation from Chapter Two, it can be very confusing.
As readers, do you seriously have objections to prologues?
Lord, I’m so grateful your grace is sufficient for me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.