Good advice, Kdot. The prologue presents the crisis that everything up to that point points to, and from which the rest of the book proceeds. It's meant to evoke a "What the hell is happening?" And to newbies, "Who are these people?" I think it does that. I might expand it a bit but it's the essence of what I wanted to say before the story actually commenced.
But then, it might be interesting to see what happens if it is dumped into an interdimensional hyper-matrix.
Dirk, the details about who's who, how they got there, why they're foes follows. It's the novel itself. The point of this kind of prologue is to evoke those kinds of questions and motivate the reader to read on to find out. So maybe the question is--how many readers have felt the need to move on to find out what the hell is happening, and how many were are just confused and don't care about finding out?
To Prologue or not to Prologue. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous readers, Or to say screw 'em and plunge into the story.
My story, "Exile in Elsewhen" has a prologue. I wrote it because I realized that the central conflict isn't explicitly mentioned until page 90 (Chapter Eight). However, everything leads up to it and has drama itself. Dakota's situation on Mars is conflictual, although it isn't until, what, Chapter Three, that she starts on her real journey. The action leads up to that. Diane's quest to understand what is happening to the world is full of conflict and results in her being present for the major conflict happening. And Rhiannon is brought into it all at this point as well.
The chapters from One on are full of conflict, drama, and humor. So the question becomes--does the Prologue really add to things? This is fantasy, and readers do expect a long buildup. (Case in point: Gormenghast).
Advice, anyone?
Rachel
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous readers, Or to say screw 'em and plunge into the story.
My story, "Exile in Elsewhen" has a prologue. I wrote it because I realized that the central conflict isn't explicitly mentioned until page 90 (Chapter Eight). However, everything leads up to it and has drama itself. Dakota's situation on Mars is conflictual, although it isn't until, what, Chapter Three, that she starts on her real journey. The action leads up to that. Diane's quest to understand what is happening to the world is full of conflict and results in her being present for the major conflict happening. And Rhiannon is brought into it all at this point as well.
The chapters from One on are full of conflict, drama, and humor. So the question becomes--does the Prologue really add to things? This is fantasy, and readers do expect a long buildup. (Case in point: Gormenghast).
Advice, anyone?
Rachel
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous readers, Or to say screw 'em and plunge into the story.
My story, "Exile in Elsewhen" has a prologue. I wrote it because I realized that the central conflict isn't explicitly mentioned until page 90 (Chapter Eight). However, everything leads up to it and has drama itself. Dakota's situation on Mars is conflictual, although it isn't until, what, Chapter Three, that she starts on her real journey. The action leads up to that. Diane's quest to understand what is happening to the world is full of conflict and results in her being present for the major conflict happening. And Rhiannon is brought into it all at this point as well.
The chapters from One on are full of conflict, drama, and humor. So the question becomes--does the Prologue really add to things? This is fantasy, and readers do expect a long buildup. (Case in point: Gormenghast).
Advice, anyone?
Rachel
In the words of the song, "I wish the real world will stop hassling me." Yep. We've all been there. I try, though to be like Stephen King, who has an office, is there eight hours a day. If nothing comes to him, he's still there eight hours a day. Of course, I wish I had Stephen King's money too. Maybe if I did actually spend eight hours a day...Naw, that can't be it.
Good luck with all your troubles and hurry back.
Thanks, Gacela, for the well-thought-out reply. I admit sometimes my humor might miss the mark or interfere with the more serious moments, but it motivates me to write, is largely what I want to express, and I do write for those who can appreciate what I want to say. (A small but mighty crowd judging from my Amazon sales. I haven't advertised in going on two months and just got another royalty notice.)
The particular scene you are referring to has a werewolf marking her territory. She is part of the alliance to reshape the kingdom. That is how a wolf would do it. OK, fine, let's be PC--wolfen, as 'were' implies a man-wolf, and they are a separate race altogether. (See I'm doing it even in my responses.) In the latest book, Rhiannon expresses some body-shame, Heather tries to reassure her that she's beautiful, says to Lido, "You agree, right?" He says, "No, she has no pouch or vent (for laying eggs)." She then goes "Mirror, mirror in my hand, who's the fairest in the land?" And the mirror displays Heather's and not Rhiannon's face." Irony.
Humor. Makes a point. It's fun. Until some agent or editor says, "take this out or we won't publish it," I will continue. Does that mean I'm willing to sacrifice my aesthetic principles for money? No, but I'm ready to reinterpret them, just like Hillary Clinton (and yes, I'm doing it again. I just can't help myself).
And thanks for the comparison with Andy Kaufman. A brilliant man. High standards and principles. Sad that he's gone.
I just copy and paste them to a Word document and print it out that way.
Gacela: you asked me to take you step-by-step into what kind of novel I am writing in the Rhiannon series, as you are at a loss as to how to critique them. Think "Young Frankenstein." YF was both a parodic send-up of the horror genre and a decent horror movie in its own right. It followed the tropes of the horror genre but made them funny at the same time.
The Exile series is like that. There are true fantasy tropes in it. Paranormal romance, descent and then reclaiming one's throne (princes do that all the time, why not a princess), and a quest for exoneration (Exile in Time.) Exile's End is a little different, more like Dorothy Sayers last Peter Wimsey book, where 90 % is their honeymoon (in the book's case, the wedding) and 10% is the mystery that he's supposed to be solving. It's probably the weakest of the series.
The present one has two plots converging and both protagonists have to work out their destinies. Another trope (To paraphrase, "They Might Be Giants," 'there are no masses in New Fairy.')
So it can be approached tropically, but there is a lot of humor there. I've been criticized by one potential publisher as writing humor that lands well but interferes with the serious side. (No examples, of course, were given and that was the occasion of going into self-publishing.) This would be a concern.
One of the features is--What the heck is really going on? How will the characters resolve it, once they figure it out (if they figure it out).
I pride myself on the setting, doing what Fritz Leiber did, make the setting into a character in its own right. The same publisher thought I had created an incredibly detailed fantasy world. So if some detail needs to be added, that would be helpful. That's especially true for the series elements.
I frequently forget that the reader might be coming in for the first time with this novel. There have to be brief backstory elements, which help orient the reader but don't spoil the other novels, just give tantalizing tidbits. (Like in Jessica Jones and Luke Cage or Agents of Shield. References to the big bang-up Marvel movie where the Avengers take on alien invaders in New York City. "You're one of THEM,' is a trope.)
I hold myself to an Aristotelian aesthetics. The characters must be consistent (unless they are inconsistent by nature, and then consistently inconsistent) However silly the characters are or the situations become, there must be heroism, the noble side of the m/c's are ascendent, if they screw up, or end up badly, it must be because of a tragic flaw.
Or you can just enjoy the novel and randomly put five "Good jobs!"
Kiss, Rachel.
Kot said, "My boss would likely have agreed though he might have asked what it had to do with the sales report I was supposedly working on."
Just tell him that sales have soared since using naked women to advertise the product. Perfect tie-in.
I changed Alcippe's picture anyway. I've found a couple that comes with permissions that seemed appropriate.
The Law of Attraction. I found a number of excellent photographs, some free, some cheap, one I'm deciding whether to purchase. It's free until my book becomes successful, then he wants $100 for it. Several of Dakota that are appropriate, a couple perfect for Rhiannon (actually several, but two, in particular, stand out--that's her!). Barbara is good, and there's even one that works for Heather. The only one now is Diane. The nearest one gives her a distinct nose when she has totally bland features. (Her looks were inspired by a makeup model I saw on TV. Utterly non-existent features. Her face a canvas for the makeup.) Please, when giving me reviews, mention how great the pictures are. CJ, that might solve your problem of getting five comments in. Just praise the picture four times in a row. (That really looks like Rhiannon; yes, the sword is perfect; her hair could be longer, but looks good, that's just how I imagine her. There, even gave you the comments.) And I'm sure there will be one awkward sentence or a missing punctuation mark to make up the rest.
A warm welcome to all the Newbies. You'll find a lot of support and critical help here. And follow the advice and join the premium group. Yeah, it costs some money, but it's worth every penny.
Awesome news, John. I'm so happy for and proud of you. Go fetch a platinum for us.
Praying and sending positive energy her way. And I'm glad she's better.
Vern, lol The cover I have is fine, but I thought I'd change it. Not getting any error messages like, "Your file is humongous, big, and way out there in terms of size and resolution. I'm not that kind of app." I can understand that. lol
Tried to upload a new book cover for "Exile in Elsewhen," and couldn't do it.
Tennyson.
"Through me, you pass into the city of woe; Through me, you pass into eternal pain; Through me among the people lost for aye. Justice the founder of my fabric moved."
Farkas Fowler, welcome to the site!
The way this kind of thing is usually done is to make it fresh by the different POV. One thing you can do is instead of telling, is introduce a 'showing' via the detective's head. Think of it this way. I am currently watching Lucas Cage on Netflix. At one point, he's buried in rubble and is thinking about how he got there. We flashback to his time in prison. The story then unfolds.
So you can have your detective thinking, "This would only make sense if someone could turn water into wine." Stella visualized how this could have happened...next scene, the showing of how the crime unfolded (from the detective's POV. Might not be how it really happened.) Make sense?
1, "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee
2. "How can I believe in God when just last week I got my tongue caught in the roller of an electric typewriter?"
Thanks, Marilyn for posting this. Some of us seasoned (eh, hem) writers could use a refresher and for the noobies, it would be invaluable.
I'm reading a Reginald Hill. The one right after "Death Comes for the Fat Man." Every character's POV is included in a single chapter. He has Ellie do or think something, then Wield, then Pascoe. He also has long narratives from Andy's POV but then only has another POV when he switches scenes. It all works.
Actually, the whole objection to head hopping was based on a misunderstanding. H.L. Mencken said that in writing a story, you shouldn't have Hedda Hopper in it, and over the years, it got corrupted.
I can think of best selling authors that violate several of these rules (even the ones against typos). I agree with the anonymous, quoted person who said the story is the most important thing, although this isn't an argument against polish. As to titles having nothing to do with the story? The rule for titles is--will they sell the book, not whether they have anything to do with the story. Some of the best science fiction stories in the era of SF magazines had not only titles but cover art that had nothing to do with the story but got the reader to buy the magazine.
As to head hopping? I know I've been rejected with that as one of the reasons. But sometimes, the story flows better and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the omniscient POV. Sorry, there just isn't.
