Prologues and epilogues are crucial components of a great novel. The need to create a good prologue and epilogue may seem minuscule to most writers, but when done correctly, these two components can be invaluable tools and indispensable parts of the story.
The prologue and epilogue are two extremely vital components of writing a book. An exceptional prologue is important because it is an introduction to readers of what's to come. If the prologue is not well written, a reader might have no interest in reading any further. An epilogue is similar to a conclusion and can be written as a thought sharing insight on what you've discussed in your book. The need to create a good prologue and epilogue may seem minuscule to most writers, but when done correctly, these two components can be invaluable tools and indispensable parts of the story. Here are a few tips to take into consideration to help you pull off creating a killer prologue and epilogue for your novel.
One tip for creating a great prologue is to ask yourself what you're trying to accomplish by writing one. Are you attempting to create a foundation or background for your story or is your motive to hook readers into turning the page. My guess is that you'll actually want to accomplish a bit of both when writing a book. The combination of a solid foundation with a good hook can be the determining factor in whether a reader will put your book down or continue reading. Take the prologue for the super hero Spiderman for example -- he gets bitten by a spider and then develops super spider-like powers for saving the world (or something like that). You get point, the story behind the hero is both foundational and enticing....let that be your goal!
Similar to a prologue, you must also assess a motive or purpose for your epilogue when writing a book. One approach to writing an epilogue is to provide an afterthought to your story. However, an epilogue is most commonly used to give readers a hint of what might happen next. If writing a sequel, you'll undoubtedly use the latter as a tool for enticing readers to obsess over the release of your next book. A good "Spiderman" epilogue would be a script where Spidy's wife finds out she's pregnant....the hook: will their spider baby have the same super powers as dear old dad? Maybe not all that great of an example but hopefully it gets the point across. Your epilogue needs to grab the reader’s attention with a shock and awe that they never saw coming!
When writing a book, looking to other authors is another great way to create an exceptional prologue and epilogue. You should check out other books that are written in your genre. Take note of which ones pulled you in quickly and which ones you immediately became bored with. Next, choose your favorite and dissect the methods the other authors used to deliver an exceptional beginning and ending. By looking to other authors, you can discover what works effectively and what doesn’t.
Prologues and epilogues are crucial components of a great novel. While creating an effective prologue and epilogue can be challenging, it is not impossible. Aside from my ridiculous Spiderman examples, you can make use of these tips for creating a killer prologue an epilogue that draws readers in and gets them excited about what you plan to deliver next.
Creative Writing: Finding Your Inspiration
Every writer needs to find inspiration in order to produce inspired writing - whether it is in the form of a novel, short story, poetry, song or even a simple blog post or journal entry. You don’t have to live an extraordinary life to find sources of inspiration for creative writing. They are all around you. Below are some of the most common sources of inspiration that can be used to produce a masterpiece.
Co-Author: Writing a Book in Collaboration
These days, authors often collaborate with each other to produce the best work possible. By collaborating with another author of the same mind, the two of you may be able to produce a successful masterpiece that is esteemed by millions. The goal of producing a top-selling book may feel more reachable if you have the support of a co-author. Consider the following tips and you’re well on your way to the bestselling list!
A Discussion of the Self-Publishing Model
With the rise of self-publishing, a new niche of independent or indie authors has emerged. There are pros and cons to everything, and self-publishing is not exempt from this unwritten concept. Without the assistance of service companies, one might wonder if self-publishing has a broad scope. It’s up to you to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons. Once you decide which path to take, go for it and give it all you’ve got!
