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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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Think of it as handing readers a lens through

(00:02):
which they'll view the entirestory, one that makes the world
feel immediate and tangible.
Now, if you want to write thiskind of prologue, avoid
mistaking tone setting for aninfo dump.
Show your world's nature throughspecific, vivid scenes and
interactions.
Every word choice, image, andpiece of dialogue should
reinforce the tone and thestakes.
Readers should finish thisprologue not just understanding

(00:24):
your world, but feeling it intheir bones too.
Welcome to the Fiction WritingMade Easy Podcast.
My name is Savannah Gilbo, andI'm here to help you write a
story that works.
I want to prove to you thatwriting a novel doesn't have to
be overwhelming.
So each week I'll bring you abrand new episode with simple,
actionable, and step-by-stepstrategies that you can

(00:47):
implement in your writing rightaway.
So whether you're brand new towriting or more of a seasoned
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about prologues,
specifically how to write onethat works and whether you even
need one in the first place.
Now, this is a little bit of acontroversial topic.

(01:09):
You've probably heard thewarnings, some literary agents
advise cutting them, manyreaders flip right past them,
and writing communities are fullof advice that says, skip the
prologue and just start withchapter one instead.
And yet, some of the mostbeloved novels out there start
with a prologue, which leaveswriters stuck in the middle.
Should you listen to the adviceand cut the prologue, or follow

(01:32):
the lead of best-selling authorsand include a prologue?
Well, that's exactly what we'regoing to unpack today.
By the end of this episode,you'll know when a prologue adds
value, when it weakens youropening, and how to write a
prologue that hooks readersinstead of pushing them away.
But before we dive into the whenand the how, let's get clear on
what a prologue actually is.

(01:52):
A prologue is a briefintroductory section that comes
before chapter one.
It can set the stage for yourstory by introducing a crucial
event, a piece of backstory, ora perspective that shapes what's
to come.
And all of that sounds prettygood, right?
So why do prologues get such abad reputation?
Well, most of the time it'sbecause they're used as a

(02:12):
crutch.
Writers lean on them to dumpworld history, explain backstory
that could be shown later, orinclude scenes that don't feel
connected to the main story.
And here's what I tell thestudents in my notes to novel
program because this questionalways comes up.
A prologue needs to earn itsplace in your manuscript just
like any other scene or chapter.

(02:33):
So the key question to askyourself is, would my story be
significantly weaker withoutthis prologue?
And if you're hesitating ortrying to talk yourself into
keeping it, the answer isprobably no.
But if removing your prologuewould leave readers confused,
strip away crucial context, orlessen the story's impact, then
you might have a prologue worthkeeping.

(02:54):
Because the best prologues don'tjust add information.
They create an experience thatshapes how readers feel about
your story.
They're not chapter zero orbonus content that you just tack
on the front.
When done well, prologues arethe key that unlocks everything
that follows.
Another way of thinking aboutthis is that your prologue makes
a promise to readers.

(03:14):
It says, pay attention, thismatters.
And readers will carry thatpromise with them through the
entire book, waiting to see howit's going to pay off.
And when it does, it'sunforgettable, right?
But when it doesn't, readerswill disengage, and that's a
risk you don't want to take.
So let's look at five types ofprologues that actually work and
that readers actually love.

(03:35):
Understanding these differenttypes will help you write a
prologue that serves your story.
And as we go through the fivedifferent types, just keep in
mind that many great prologuescan be categorized in different
ways.
These aren't rigid boxes, butrather ways to think about what
your prologue is accomplishing.
Okay, so the first type ofprologue is the central conflict
prologue.

(03:56):
And this type of prologue givesreaders a glimpse of the main
threat or conflict that willdrive your entire story, even if
your characters aren't aware ofit yet.
As an example, think about thefirst book in the Game of
Thrones series.
That prologue introduces theWhite Walkers who are a
supernatural danger that themain characters won't believe in
for a long, long time.

(04:16):
But readers know from page onethat this threat is real and
it's inevitable.
Because of that, every politicalsquabble and personal drama
takes on new meaning becausewe're carrying the weight of
what's coming.
And what makes this prologue inparticular so effective is that
it doesn't explain the WhiteWalkers or their history.
Instead, it shows them inaction.

(04:38):
So we experience the horrorright alongside the doomed
Night's Watch Rangers, makingthe threat feel really immediate
and really visceral.
And this type of prologue workswell because it creates dramatic
irony and tension.
Readers know something big iscoming, which adds weight even
to the quietest charactermoments.
That knowledge will existbeneath every scene, creating

(04:59):
that delicious sense ofanticipation that keeps readers
turning the page.
Now, if you want to write thiskind of prologue, focus on
showing the conflict in actionrather than explaining it.
Let readers feel the threatthrough vivid scenes and
emotional resonance.
And keep some mystery becauseyour goal is to intrigue, not
fully inform.
When done well, this type ofprologue sets the stage for a

(05:22):
story that feels layered,urgent, and impossible to put
down.
Alright, so that is the firsttype of prologue, the central
conflict prologue.
The second type of prologue isthe alternate perspective
prologue.
And this type of prologue shiftsthe story to a different
character's point of view, oftensomeone who won't appear as a
point of view character again inthe story, although not always.

(05:44):
Take a story like The BookThief, for example.
Death narrates the prologue andthe entire book.
This immediately sets a uniquetone and it signals to the
reader that this isn't a typicalWorld War II story.
Through Death's perspective, weget observations and
foreshadowing that wouldn't workfrom the young protagonist's
point of view.
One of my favorite lines fromthis prologue is, here is a

(06:07):
small fact, you are going todie.
And lines like this establishboth the tone and expectations
perfectly.
This otherworldly narrator seesthe bigger picture in ways that
the human characters cannot.
Now, this type of prologue worksbecause it provides crucial
context or atmosphere that yourmain character's perspective
can't deliver.
It can also create mystery ordread when readers know

(06:30):
something that the protagonistdoes not.
And by expanding the scope ofyour story to include this point
of view in the prologue, itenriches everything else that
follows.
So if you want to write thiskind of prologue, choose your
alternate perspective carefully.
It should offer something thatonly this viewpoint can provide,
whether that's unique insight,tone, foreshadowing, or

(06:50):
something else.
And as always, avoid using thiskind of prologue as a way to
sneak in backstory.
Instead, focus on adding depthand intrigue that enhances the
main narrative.
Alright, so that is the secondkind of prologue, the alternate
perspective prologue.
The third kind of prologue isthe flash forward prologue, and
this type of prologue jumpsahead to a pivotal moment later

(07:12):
in the story and then pullsreaders back to show how we got
there.
A great example of this is inthe book The Guest List, and
this story opens with theaftermath of a murder at a
wedding.
We don't know who died or whothe killer is, but the scene

gives us just enough (07:26):
the eerie setting, the horror of the
discovery, and the fact thatsomebody is dead.
The rest of the book buildstowards this moment with every
wedding guest becoming apotential victim or a potential
suspect.
This kind of prologue worksbecause it creates immediate
intrigue and raises questionsthat propel readers through the
story.
Readers know exactly wherethings are headed, but not the

(07:49):
how or the why.
It's kind of like showing themthe edge of a cliff and
promising to explain how thecharacter ended up hanging from
it.
The journey becomes just ascompelling as the destination.
Now, if you want to write thiskind of prologue, focus on
creating questions, notanswering them.
Show enough to hook readers, butleave key details unresolved.
Use atmosphere and emotion todraw readers in and then give

(08:11):
them the facts they need later.
Most importantly, choose amoment that's genuinely worth
the buildup.
The payoff should feelinevitable and satisfying,
making the journey to thatmoment unforgettable.
Alright, so that is the thirdtype of prologue, the flash
forward prologue.
The fourth type of prologue isthe orgid story prologue.
And this type of prologuereveals a pivotal event from the

(08:33):
past that sets everything inmotion.
But be careful with this onebecause it's not an excuse to
dump backstory.
One of my favorite examples ofthis is In The Way of Kings by
Brandon Sanderson.
And this book opens with theassassination of a king, which
is an event that happens yearsbefore the main story, but
completely reshapes the worldour characters inhabit.

(08:55):
And in this prologue, the authordoesn't just tell us that a king
has died.
He shows us the betrayal, themagic, and the shocking violence
in real time.
So we don't just learn whathappened, we feel it.
We see the emotional fallout,the devastation, and the ripple
effect that will shapeeverything to come.
Now, when done well, this typeof prologue immerses readers in

(09:16):
a traumatic, scene-based momentthat sparks the story's larger
conflict.
It's not about explaining howthings came to be, but instead
it's about letting readerswitness the spark that lit the
fire.
This will create a deeperemotional connection to the
consequences that follow, makingthe story feel immediate and
inevitable.
So if you want to write anorigin story prologue, focus on

(09:39):
a single pivotal moment ratherthan trying to cover years of
history.
Make it specific, dramatic, andemotionally charged.
Show how this moment changedeverything through character
reactions and immediateconsequences, not through
narrative explanation.
The goal is to make readers feelthe weight of this event so
deeply that they will carry itwith them into the main story.

(10:01):
Alright, so that is prologuetype number four, the origin
story prologue.
Last up is prologue type numberfive, the tone setter prologue.
And this type of prologue'sprimary purpose is to immerse
readers in the atmosphere of thestory and establish what kind of
world they're stepping into.
One of my favorite examples ofthis is in The Cruel Prince by

(10:21):
Holly Black, and this book openswith a scene that shows just how
dangerous and brutal the fairyworld can be.
By witnessing this violencefirsthand, readers immediately
understand the stakes and thekind of world the protagonist
must navigate.
A place where mortals are toysand cruelty is entertainment.
The author doesn't waste timeexplaining fairy culture or

(10:42):
rules, and instead she shows usthrough action, making the world
feel vivid, visceral, and alive.
This type of prologue worksbecause it sets clear
expectations and pulls readersinto the story's unique
atmosphere from the very firstpage.
And this is especially crucialin fantasy or in stories with
specific rules, dangers, orstakes that readers need to

(11:04):
grasp quickly.
Think of it as handing readers alens through which they'll view
the entire story, one that makesthe world feel immediate and
tangible.
Now, if you want to write thiskind of prologue, avoid
mistaking tone setting for aninfo dump.
Show your world's nature throughspecific, vivid scenes and
interactions.
Every word choice, image, andpiece of dialogue should

(11:25):
reinforce the tone and thestakes.
Readers should finish thisprologue not just understanding
your world, but feeling it intheir bones too.
Alright, so that is prologuetype number five, the tone
setter prologue.
And now that you understandthese five types of effective
prologues, let's examine theessential elements that all
great prologues share, no matterthe type.

(11:47):
So no matter which type ofprologue you choose to write, it
needs to have these threeelements to hook readers from
the start.
Number one is immediate conflictor attention.
And what I mean by this is yourprologue can't afford to be a
slow burn.
Something needs to be at stakefrom the very first line.
This doesn't mean you needexplosions or murders, although
those work as well.

(12:08):
It just means that somethingneeds to be at stake from the
very beginning of that prologue,and we need to understand what's
important to your character andwhat they stand to lose or gain.
Now, the tension could beemotional, psychological, or
atmospheric, but the reader mustfeel that something important is
happening.
If we think back to the Game ofThrones prologue, from the
moment the Rangers head beyondthe wall, every line drips with

(12:31):
dread.
We sense that something is wronglong before the White Walkers
appear.
So the tension buildsrelentlessly until it erupts
into supernatural horror.
But again, the conflict doesn'thave to be external like that
example.
In the Book Thief, the tensioncomes from death's casual
mention of the protagonist'sfuture death.
So it's the emotional weight ofknowing too much and seeing the

(12:54):
ending before the beginning.
So either way, your first lineshould make readers lean in.
Your first paragraph should makethem 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 keyingredient is immediate conflict
or tension.
The second key ingredient youneed is a clear connection to

(13:15):
the main story.
And this is where so manyprologues will miss the mark.
Your prologue needs to tie intoyour main narrative in a way
that feels essential, even ifthe connection isn't immediately
obvious.
Readers should finish theprologue with questions that
only the rest of the book cananswer.
And even if they can'tarticulate it, they should sense
that what they just read reallymatters.

(13:37):
Now, this connection to yourmain story can take many forms.
It can be thematic, soestablishing ideas or motifs
that will echo throughout yourstory.
It can be practical, so showingan event that directly impacts
everything that follows.
It can be emotional, so creatinga feeling or tone that colors
how readers will interpret thestory, and or it can be

(13:57):
symbolic, so presenting imagesor moments that will gain deeper
meaning later.
As an example, in something likethe guest list, we know that
someone dies at the wedding.
This knowledge casts a shadowover every interaction between
the guests, and that makes eventhe small moments feel charged
with tension.
In the way of kings, theassassination of a king reshapes

(14:19):
an entire world.
Its consequences ripple throughevery political scene that
follows, and that grounds thestory in stakes that feel
monumental.
So if you want your prologue toresonate, focus on how it
enriches the reader's experienceof the main story.
Whether it's throughforeshadowing, emotional weight,
or thematic depth, the prologueshould feel like an integral

(14:39):
thread in the larger tapestry ofyour narrative.
Readers should feel compelled tokeep turning pages, eager to see
how it all connects.
Okay, so that is the second keyelement.
You want your prologue to have aclear connection to the main
story.
The third key element is thatyou want some kind of compelling
hook at the end of yourprologue.
Your prologue's ending is yourlast chance to grab readers by

(15:00):
the collar and make themdesperate to keep reading.
So it should leave them with asense of urgency, questions they
need answers, emotions theycan't shake, or a promise they
can't resist.
Now, this hook could take manyforms.
It could be something that flipsthe reader's understanding of
the scene or the stakes, itcould be a mystery or unresolved
tension that lingers, it couldbe a visual or emotional moment

(15:22):
that stays with the reader, itcould be a hint of danger,
conflict, or transformation, orit could be as simple as a line
of text that shifts the reader'sperspective or raises the
stakes.
For example, the cruel princeends its prologue with young
Jude watching her parentsbrutally murdered by fairies,
only to be taken by their killerto live in the very world that

(15:44):
destroyed her family.
This final image of a mortalchild carried off to live among
monsters leaves readers withburning questions.
How will she survive?
Will she seek revenge?
And the tension and stakes areso visceral that readers just
have to keep reading.
And the key is to make yourprologue's ending feel like a
door opening rather thanclosing.

(16:04):
So it should create momentum,pulling readers into your first
chapter with excitement andcuriosity rather than
obligation.
Think about it like planting aseed that will grow as the story
unfolds, ensuring readers arehooked from the very first page.
Now, with all of that beingsaid, writing a great prologue
isn't about rigidly followingrules.
It's about understanding whatyour story truly needs.

(16:27):
Some stories demand prologueswhile others shine brighter
without them.
But here's the truth I want youto take away from this episode.
The prologues that readers skipare the ones that feel optional,
disconnected, or indulgent.
But the prologues that readerslove, those are the ones that
feel essential.
They're prologues that create anexperience that no other part of

(16:47):
the book could replicate.
So trust your instincts but alsotrust your readers.
They are smart and they don'tneed every detail spelled out
from the start.
Sometimes the most powerfulchoice is to dive straight into
chapter one and let your storyunfold naturally.
But sometimes a brilliantlycrafted prologue is exactly what
your story needs to elevate itfrom good to unforgettable.

(17:10):
Now before I let you go, I wantto recap the key points from
this episode.
Key point number one is that aprologue should feel essential,
so if it doesn't add somethingunique, something that could be
conveyed elsewhere in the story,then it probably is better to
skip it.
The best prologues createintrigue, set the tone, or
provide critical context thatenhances the reader's

(17:30):
experience.
Key point number two is thatreaders don't need all the
answers up front.
Readers are smart, they don'tneed every detail handed to them
in the first few pages.
Sometimes starting with chapterone and letting the story unfold
naturally is the most engagingchoice.
So trust your readers to followalong and piece things together.
Key point number three is it'syour story, your rules.

(17:53):
At the end of the day, you arethe author, and whether you
choose to include a prologue ornot, make that decision with
confidence.
What matters most is that yourstory is written with purpose
and clarity and that it reflectsyour creative vision.
Alright, so that's it for thisepisode of the Fiction Writing
Made Easy Podcast.
Head over to Savannagilbo.comforward slash podcast for the

(18:15):
complete show notes, includingthe resources I mentioned today,
as well as bonus materials tohelp you implement what you've
learned.
And if you're ready to get morepersonalized guidance for your
specific writing stage, whetheryou're just starting out, stuck
somewhere in the middle of adraft, drowning in revisions, or
getting ready to publish, takemy free 30-second quiz at
savannagilbo.com forward slashquiz.

(18:36):
You'll get a customized podcastplaylist that'll meet you right
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Last but not least, make sure tofollow this podcast in your
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strategies to help you become abetter writer.
Until then, happy writing.