215. How to Write a Prologue Readers Won’t Skip (& When to Start at Chapter One Instead)

Should you include a prologue or skip it? Here's how to make the right choice for your novel.

Prologues are one of the most debated topics in fiction. Some literary agents warn against them, some readers skip them altogether, and yet many of the most beloved bestselling novels begin with one. The real question is this: Does your story need a prologue, or will Chapter One carry the weight on its own?

In this episode, I'm breaking down when a prologue truly adds value, when it works against you, and how to write a prologue that pulls readers in instead of pushing them away. If you've been second-guessing whether your book needs a prologue, this conversation will provide a clear way forward and the confidence to know you're making the right decision for your story.

Here’s what you’ll hear inside the episode:

[02:05] Why most prologues fall flat and the single question that tells you if yours is worth keeping.

[03:30] The five types of prologues that actually work (with bestselling examples you’ve probably read and loved) and how to know which one, if any, your book actually needs.

[08:40] Why Brandon Sanderson’s prologue in The Way of Kings is a masterclass in hooking readers and setting the stage for an epic story

[11:45] The three key ingredients every strong prologue requires if you want readers to become immersed from the first page and keep turning the pages.

[14:50] Actionable tips to help you create intrigue, build tension, and leave readers desperate to turn the page into Chapter One.

By the end of this episode, you won't be stuck second-guessing your beginning anymore. You'll know whether your novel needs a prologue or if Chapter One is the stronger start (and you’ll understand why). That way, instead of circling back to rework your first pages again and again, you can move forward with confidence, knowing your story is starting exactly where it’s meant to.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Take the Author Success Blueprint Quiz to get personalized next steps for your writing, editing, and publishing journey
• Grab my free Novel Writing Roadmap, a simple, step-by-step plan to help you trust your story, remove the guesswork, and actually finish your first draft.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Why Prologues Divide Readers
• 0:58 Defining a Prologue’s Purpose
• 2:10 Should You Keep or Cut One
• 3:30 Type 1: Central Conflict
• 5:03 Type 2: Alternate Perspective
• 6:25 Type 3: Flash Forward
• 8:22 Type 4: Origin Story
• 10:05 Type 5: Tone Setter
• 11:37 Three Elements Every Prologue Needs
• 15:25 Make It Essential, Not Optional
• 17:10 Recap and Next Steps

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Think of it as handing readers a lens through which they'll view the entire story, one that makes the world feel immediate and tangible. Now, if you want to write this kind of prologue, avoid mistaking tone setting for an info dump. Show your world's nature through specific, vivid scenes and interactions. Every word choice, image, and piece of dialogue should reinforce the tone and the stakes. Readers should finish this prologue not just understanding your world, but feeling it in their bones too. Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast. My name is Savannah Gilbo, and I'm here to help you write a story that works. I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming. So each week I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable, and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you. So pick up a pen and let's get started. In today's episode, we're going to talk about prologues, specifically how to write one that works and whether you even need one in the first place. Now, this is a little bit of a controversial topic. You've probably heard the warnings, some literary agents advise cutting them, many readers flip right past them, and writing communities are full of advice that says, skip the prologue and just start with chapter one instead. And yet, some of the most beloved novels out there start with a prologue, which leaves writers stuck in the middle. Should you listen to the advice and cut the prologue, or follow the lead of best-selling authors and include a prologue? Well, that's exactly what we're going to unpack today. By the end of this episode, you'll know when a prologue adds value, when it weakens your opening, and how to write a prologue that hooks readers instead of pushing them away. But before we dive into the when and the how, let's get clear on what a prologue actually is. A prologue is a brief introductory section that comes before chapter one. It can set the stage for your story by introducing a crucial event, a piece of backstory, or a perspective that shapes what's to come. And all of that sounds pretty good, right? So why do prologues get such a bad reputation? Well, most of the time it's because they're used as a crutch. Writers lean on them to dump world history, explain backstory that could be shown later, or include scenes that don't feel connected to the main story. And here's what I tell the students in my notes to novel program because this question always comes up. A prologue needs to earn its place in your manuscript just like any other scene or chapter. So the key question to ask yourself is, would my story be significantly weaker without this prologue? And if you're hesitating or trying to talk yourself into keeping it, the answer is probably no. But if removing your prologue would leave readers confused, strip away crucial context, or lessen the story's impact, then you might have a prologue worth keeping. Because the best prologues don't just add information. They create an experience that shapes how readers feel about your story. They're not chapter zero or bonus content that you just tack on the front. When done well, prologues are the key that unlocks everything that follows. Another way of thinking about this is that your prologue makes a promise to readers. It says, pay attention, this matters. And readers will carry that promise with them through the entire book, waiting to see how it's going to pay off. And when it does, it's unforgettable, right? But when it doesn't, readers will disengage, and that's a risk you don't want to take. So let's look at five types of prologues that actually work and that readers actually love. Understanding these different types will help you write a prologue that serves your story. And as we go through the five different types, just keep in mind that many great prologues can be categorized in different ways. These aren't rigid boxes, but rather ways to think about what your prologue is accomplishing. Okay, so the first type of prologue is the central conflict prologue. And this type of prologue gives readers a glimpse of the main threat or conflict that will drive your entire story, even if your characters aren't aware of it yet. As an example, think about the first book in the Game of Thrones series. That prologue introduces the White Walkers who are a supernatural danger that the main characters won't believe in for a long, long time. But readers know from page one that this threat is real and it's inevitable. Because of that, every political squabble and personal drama takes on new meaning because we're carrying the weight of what's coming. And what makes this prologue in particular so effective is that it doesn't explain the White Walkers or their history. Instead, it shows them in action. So we experience the horror right alongside the doomed Night's Watch Rangers, making the threat feel really immediate and really visceral. And this type of prologue works well because it creates dramatic irony and tension. Readers know something big is coming, which adds weight even to the quietest character moments. That knowledge will exist beneath every scene, creating that delicious sense of anticipation that keeps readers turning the page. Now, if you want to write this kind of prologue, focus on showing the conflict in action rather than explaining it. Let readers feel the threat through vivid scenes and emotional resonance. And keep some mystery because your goal is to intrigue, not fully inform. When done well, this type of prologue sets the stage for a story that feels layered, urgent, and impossible to put down. Alright, so that is the first type of prologue, the central conflict prologue. The second type of prologue is the alternate perspective prologue. And this type of prologue shifts the story to a different character's point of view, often someone who won't appear as a point of view character again in the story, although not always. Take a story like The Book Thief, for example. Death narrates the prologue and the entire book. This immediately sets a unique tone and it signals to the reader that this isn't a typical World War II story. Through Death's perspective, we get observations and foreshadowing that wouldn't work from the young protagonist's point of view. One of my favorite lines from this prologue is, here is a small fact, you are going to die. And lines like this establish both the tone and expectations perfectly. This otherworldly narrator sees the bigger picture in ways that the human characters cannot. Now, this type of prologue works because it provides crucial context or atmosphere that your main character's perspective can't deliver. It can also create mystery or dread when readers know something that the protagonist does not. And by expanding the scope of your story to include this point of view in the prologue, it enriches everything else that follows. So if you want to write this kind of prologue, choose your alternate perspective carefully. It should offer something that only this viewpoint can provide, whether that's unique insight, tone, foreshadowing, or something else. And as always, avoid using this kind of prologue as a way to sneak in backstory. Instead, focus on adding depth and intrigue that enhances the main narrative. Alright, so that is the second kind of prologue, the alternate perspective prologue. The third kind of prologue is the flash forward prologue, and this type of prologue jumps ahead to a pivotal moment later in the story and then pulls readers back to show how we got there. A great example of this is in the book The Guest List, and this story opens with the aftermath of a murder at a wedding. We don't know who died or who the killer is, but the scene gives us just enough: the eerie setting, the horror of the discovery, and the fact that somebody is dead. The rest of the book builds towards this moment with every wedding guest becoming a potential victim or a potential suspect. This kind of prologue works because it creates immediate intrigue and raises questions that propel readers through the story. Readers know exactly where things are headed, but not the how or the why. It's kind of like showing them the edge of a cliff and promising to explain how the character ended up hanging from it. The journey becomes just as compelling as the destination. Now, if you want to write this kind of prologue, focus on creating questions, not answering them. Show enough to hook readers, but leave key details unresolved. Use atmosphere and emotion to draw readers in and then give them the facts they need later. Most importantly, choose a moment that's genuinely worth the buildup. The payoff should feel inevitable and satisfying, making the journey to that moment unforgettable. Alright, so that is the third type of prologue, the flash forward prologue. The fourth type of prologue is the orgid story prologue. And this type of prologue reveals a pivotal event from the past that sets everything in motion. But be careful with this one because it's not an excuse to dump backstory. One of my favorite examples of this is In The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. And this book opens with the assassination of a king, which is an event that happens years before the main story, but completely reshapes the world our characters inhabit. And in this prologue, the author doesn't just tell us that a king has died. He shows us the betrayal, the magic, and the shocking violence in real time. So we don't just learn what happened, we feel it. We see the emotional fallout, the devastation, and the ripple effect that will shape everything to come. Now, when done well, this type of prologue immerses readers in a traumatic, scene-based moment that sparks the story's larger conflict. It's not about explaining how things came to be, but instead it's about letting readers witness the spark that lit the fire. This will create a deeper emotional connection to the consequences that follow, making the story feel immediate and inevitable. So if you want to write an origin story prologue, focus on a single pivotal moment rather than trying to cover years of history. Make it specific, dramatic, and emotionally charged. Show how this moment changed everything through character reactions and immediate consequences, not through narrative explanation. The goal is to make readers feel the weight of this event so deeply that they will carry it with them into the main story. Alright, so that is prologue type number four, the origin story prologue. Last up is prologue type number five, the tone setter prologue. And this type of prologue's primary purpose is to immerse readers in the atmosphere of the story and establish what kind of world they're stepping into. One of my favorite examples of this is in The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, and this book opens with a scene that shows just how dangerous and brutal the fairy world can be. By witnessing this violence firsthand, readers immediately understand the stakes and the kind of world the protagonist must navigate. A place where mortals are toys and cruelty is entertainment. The author doesn't waste time explaining fairy culture or rules, and instead she shows us through action, making the world feel vivid, visceral, and alive. This type of prologue works because it sets clear expectations and pulls readers into the story's unique atmosphere from the very first page. And this is especially crucial in fantasy or in stories with specific rules, dangers, or stakes that readers need to grasp quickly. Think of it as handing readers a lens through which they'll view the entire story, one that makes the world feel immediate and tangible. Now, if you want to write this kind of prologue, avoid mistaking tone setting for an info dump. Show your world's nature through specific, vivid scenes and interactions. Every word choice, image, and piece of dialogue should reinforce the tone and the stakes. Readers should finish this prologue not just understanding your world, but feeling it in their bones too. Alright, so that is prologue type number five, the tone setter prologue. And now that you understand these five types of effective prologues, let's examine the essential elements that all great prologues share, no matter the type. So no matter which type of prologue you choose to write, it needs to have these three elements to hook readers from the start. Number one is immediate conflict or attention. And what I mean by this is your prologue can't afford to be a slow burn. Something needs to be at stake from the very first line. This doesn't mean you need explosions or murders, although those work as well. It just means that something needs to be at stake from the very beginning of that prologue, and we need to understand what's important to your character and what they stand to lose or gain. Now, the tension could be emotional, psychological, or atmospheric, but the reader must feel that something important is happening. If we think back to the Game of Thrones prologue, from the moment the Rangers head beyond the wall, every line drips with dread. We sense that something is wrong long before the White Walkers appear. So the tension builds relentlessly until it erupts into supernatural horror. But again, the conflict doesn't have to be external like that example. In the Book Thief, the tension comes from death's casual mention of the protagonist's future death. So it's the emotional weight of knowing too much and seeing the ending before the beginning. So either way, your first line should make readers lean in. Your first paragraph should make them hold their breath, and then by the end of the first page, prologue or not, they should be hooked and unable to look away. So to recap, that first key ingredient is immediate conflict or tension. The second key ingredient you need is a clear connection to the main story. And this is where so many prologues will miss the mark. Your prologue needs to tie into your main narrative in a way that feels essential, even if the connection isn't immediately obvious. Readers should finish the prologue with questions that only the rest of the book can answer. And even if they can't articulate it, they should sense that what they just read really matters. Now, this connection to your main story can take many forms. It can be thematic, so establishing ideas or motifs that will echo throughout your story. It can be practical, so showing an event that directly impacts everything that follows. It can be emotional, so creating a feeling or tone that colors how readers will interpret the story, and or it can be symbolic, so presenting images or moments that will gain deeper meaning later. As an example, in something like the guest list, we know that someone dies at the wedding. This knowledge casts a shadow over every interaction between the guests, and that makes even the small moments feel charged with tension. In the way of kings, the assassination of a king reshapes an entire world. Its consequences ripple through every political scene that follows, and that grounds the story in stakes that feel monumental. So if you want your prologue to resonate, focus on how it enriches the reader's experience of the main story. Whether it's through foreshadowing, emotional weight, or thematic depth, the prologue should feel like an integral thread in the larger tapestry of your narrative. Readers should feel compelled to keep turning pages, eager to see how it all connects. Okay, so that is the second key element. You want your prologue to have a clear connection to the main story. The third key element is that you want some kind of compelling hook at the end of your prologue. Your prologue's ending is your last chance to grab readers by the collar and make them desperate to keep reading. So it should leave them with a sense of urgency, questions they need answers, emotions they can't shake, or a promise they can't resist. Now, this hook could take many forms. It could be something that flips the reader's understanding of the scene or the stakes, it could be a mystery or unresolved tension that lingers, it could be a visual or emotional moment that stays with the reader, it could be a hint of danger, conflict, or transformation, or it could be as simple as a line of text that shifts the reader's perspective or raises the stakes. For example, the cruel prince ends its prologue with young Jude watching her parents brutally murdered by fairies, only to be taken by their killer to live in the very world that destroyed her family. This final image of a mortal child carried off to live among monsters leaves readers with burning questions. How will she survive? Will she seek revenge? And the tension and stakes are so visceral that readers just have to keep reading. And the key is to make your prologue's ending feel like a door opening rather than closing. So it should create momentum, pulling readers into your first chapter with excitement and curiosity rather than obligation. Think about it like planting a seed that will grow as the story unfolds, ensuring readers are hooked from the very first page. Now, with all of that being said, writing a great prologue isn't about rigidly following rules. It's about understanding what your story truly needs. Some stories demand prologues while others shine brighter without them. But here's the truth I want you to take away from this episode. The prologues that readers skip are the ones that feel optional, disconnected, or indulgent. But the prologues that readers love, those are the ones that feel essential. They're prologues that create an experience that no other part of the book could replicate. So trust your instincts but also trust your readers. They are smart and they don't need every detail spelled out from the start. Sometimes the most powerful choice is to dive straight into chapter one and let your story unfold naturally. But sometimes a brilliantly crafted prologue is exactly what your story needs to elevate it from good to unforgettable. Now before I let you go, I want to recap the key points from this episode. Key point number one is that a prologue should feel essential, so if it doesn't add something unique, something that could be conveyed elsewhere in the story, then it probably is better to skip it. The best prologues create intrigue, set the tone, or provide critical context that enhances the reader's experience. Key point number two is that readers don't need all the answers up front. Readers are smart, they don't need every detail handed to them in the first few pages. Sometimes starting with chapter one and letting the story unfold naturally is the most engaging choice. So trust your readers to follow along and piece things together. Key point number three is it's your story, your rules. At the end of the day, you are the author, and whether you choose to include a prologue or not, make that decision with confidence. What matters most is that your story is written with purpose and clarity and that it reflects your creative vision. Alright, so that's it for this episode of the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast. Head over to Savannagilbo.com forward slash podcast for the complete show notes, including the resources I mentioned today, as well as bonus materials to help you implement what you've learned. And if you're ready to get more personalized guidance for your specific writing stage, whether you're just starting out, stuck somewhere in the middle of a draft, drowning in revisions, or getting ready to publish, take my free 30-second quiz at savannagilbo.com forward slash quiz. You'll get a customized podcast playlist that'll meet you right where you're at and help you get to your next big milestone. Last but not least, make sure to follow this podcast in your podcast player of choice because I'll be back next week with another episode full of actionable tips, tools, and strategies to help you become a better writer. Until then, happy writing.