Prologues are one of those things that writers either swear by or refuse to touch. And honestly? Both camps have a point.

Let’s sort out what a prologue actually is, when it earns its place, and when it’s quietly undermining your novel before chapter one even begins.

What Is a Prologue?

A prologue is a section that appears before the main story begins. It exists outside the central narrative timeline or perspective, it’s not chapter one with a different name. It might take place years before the main story, or after it, or from a point of view that never appears again.

The key word is before. A prologue sets something up. That “something” should be meaningful, not just atmosphere or backstory your protagonist can reveal more naturally through the story itself.

When a Prologue Works

When it’s a scene, not a summary. The best prologues show something happening, a moment of violence, a secret exchanged, a decision made, that casts a long shadow over everything that follows. They don’t explain; they imply.

When there’s a real time or perspective gap. If your story begins long after an important event, or if the event was witnessed by a character who doesn’t appear in the main narrative, a prologue can bridge that gap elegantly.

When it creates a specific kind of tension. Some prologues work as a cold open, dropping the reader into a moment of danger or consequence before pulling back to “three months earlier.” Done well, this creates immediate stakes. Done clumsily, it’s a spoiler.

When to Skip It

When it’s really just exposition. If your prologue exists to explain your world, your magic system, your history, or your protagonist’s backstory, cut it. Trust your reader. That context can live in the story itself.

When it slows you down. Agents and editors often skim prologues. Readers sometimes skip them. If your story’s actual opening is stronger than your prologue, start there.

When your protagonist isn’t in it. This one’s debatable, but if the reader meets a character in the prologue who then disappears for a hundred pages, you risk creating a sense of disconnection at exactly the moment you should be building investment.

A Quick Test

Ask yourself: if I deleted this prologue, would the reader miss anything they couldn’t get elsewhere? If the answer is no, delete it. If the answer is yes, keep it, and make sure it’s scene-driven, specific, and impossible to put down.

Writing Desk tip: The Story Plotter can help you work through this before you commit either way. Map the prologue as a scene, note what information it delivers, and check whether that information appears elsewhere in your outline. You might find it’s more redundant than it feels.

A great prologue hooks readers before they’ve even met your protagonist. A bad one is the reason they put the book down before chapter one.

Related reading: