How to Write a Prologue (and When to Skip It)
2026-09-06 · 5 min read
Few craft questions divide writers and editors like the prologue. Some readers skip them on principle; some agents groan at them; and yet plenty of beloved novels open with one. The truth is that a prologue is a tool — excellent for a few specific jobs and disastrous when used as a dumping ground for backstory or worldbuilding. Knowing the difference is what separates a prologue that hooks from one that gets your manuscript rejected.
This guide covers what a prologue is for, how to write one that earns its place, and when you should cut it.
What a prologue is for
A prologue is a scene that sits before chapter one and is set apart from the main narrative in time, place, or perspective. Used well, it does a job the first chapter cannot:
- A scene from a different time — a pivotal event years before the story, or a flash-forward to a moment of tension the book will build toward.
- A different point of view — often the antagonist, or a victim, showing the reader something the protagonist does not yet know (creating dramatic irony).
- A framing device — establishing a narrator or context that brackets the whole story.
- A genre promise — a brief, gripping scene that signals tone and stakes when chapter one starts slower (common in thrillers and horror).
The unifying principle: a prologue should do something a first chapter genuinely cannot, and it should be compelling on its own terms.
The prologue that gets you rejected
Most weak prologues share one flaw: they exist to deliver information rather than to tell a story. The classic offenders:
- Backstory dumps. Pages of history before the actual story starts. As with all backstory, this belongs dripped into the narrative, not front-loaded.
- Worldbuilding lectures. A "history of the realm" prologue in fantasy that reads like an encyclopedia entry. Reveal the world through story, not a preamble.
- A prologue that is really chapter one. If your prologue is continuous with the main narrative in time and POV, it is just a mislabeled first chapter — call it that.
- The throat-clearing prologue. A vague, atmospheric scene that delays the real opening. This is the same trap as a weak opening, one layer earlier.
If your prologue's job is to explain rather than to grip, that is the signal to cut it.
How to write a prologue that works
When a prologue earns its place, treat it with the same craft as any scene:
- Make it a real scene with tension. It should have a goal, a conflict, and a turn — not be a static info delivery. A prologue is your audition; it must be as gripping as anything in the book.
- Keep it short. Prologues work best brief. A long prologue delays the protagonist the reader is waiting to meet.
- Connect it clearly to the story. The reader should eventually understand why the prologue mattered. A prologue whose relevance never pays off feels like a cheat.
- Don't rely on it for essentials. Because some readers skip prologues, never put information the reader must have to follow chapter one inside it. Anything load-bearing should also surface in the main narrative.
The flash-forward prologue
One of the most effective prologue types opens with a tense, dramatic moment from later in the story, then jumps back to "how we got here." Done well, it hooks the reader with a promise of where the story is heading and colors everything that follows with anticipation. Done badly, it spoils tension or feels like a gimmick. The key is choosing a moment that raises questions without answering them, and that genuinely pays off when the narrative catches up to it.
When to skip the prologue
Default to no prologue unless you can articulate the specific job it does that chapter one cannot. Ask:
- Could this content be chapter one instead? (Then make it chapter one.)
- Could this information be woven into the narrative later? (Then weave it.)
- Is this just setup before the "real" beginning? (Then cut it and start at the real beginning.)
- Would the book lose anything essential if I deleted the prologue? (If not, delete it.)
Many manuscripts are improved simply by cutting the prologue and trusting the first chapter to do its job. If you find yourself defending the prologue with "but the reader needs to know," that is usually exposition that belongs elsewhere.
A quick test
Write your prologue, then read the book starting from chapter one, skipping it. If chapter one works as an opening and the story still makes sense, your prologue is optional — and optional prologues are usually best cut or folded in. If chapter one genuinely depends on a setup that cannot live anywhere else and the prologue is a gripping scene in its own right, you have earned it.
WriteLoom's Plan studio lets you map where your story truly begins and test whether a prologue is doing real work or just delaying the start — and the Developmental Editor can flag a prologue that functions as an info-dump rather than a scene.
The bottom line
A prologue is a precision tool, not a default opening. Use one when it does a job chapter one cannot — a different time, a different POV, a framing device, or a gripping genre promise — and write it as a real, tense, short scene that connects clearly to the story. Otherwise, trust your first chapter and cut the prologue. The best prologues feel essential; the worst are the reason a reader never reaches chapter one.
Frequently asked questions
Should my novel have a prologue?
Only if the prologue does a job your first chapter cannot — such as showing a pivotal event from a different time, a different point of view, or a gripping flash-forward. If the content could be chapter one or woven in later, skip the prologue and start with chapter one.
What makes a bad prologue?
The most common flaw is using a prologue to deliver information rather than tell a story: backstory dumps, worldbuilding lectures, or vague atmospheric scenes that delay the real opening. A prologue should be a compelling, tense scene that earns its place.
How long should a prologue be?
Generally short. A brief, gripping prologue hooks the reader without delaying the protagonist they are waiting to meet. Long prologues — especially those heavy with backstory or worldbuilding — tend to push readers away before the story begins.
Do readers skip prologues?
Some do, which is why you should never put information the reader absolutely needs to follow chapter one solely in the prologue. Anything load-bearing should also appear in the main narrative so skippers are not lost.