: Re: When do I explain my created world scenario in a prologue vs. letting it unfold in the story? Let's say I'm creating a unique world for my book. New planet, maybe new species, complex society
You need to keep three things in mind:
If Page One of your story does not entertain the reader, he or she is unlikely to go on to the really good stuff on Page Two, let alone Page Seventeen. If there is one immutable rule of good writing, this is it.
Exposition is usually less entertaining than action. That’s not an immutable rule—people do, after all, purchase non-fiction books and read them for pleasure—but it’s a tendency to be aware of.
An extremely common flaw in novice fiction is putting stuff in the beginning of the story that is not actually necessary.
So if you really think that your readers cannot even begin to enjoy the action of your story without getting some background information first, and if you can present that background information in a prologue that is an entertaining read in its own right and not like homework the reader must slog through, then go with the prologue. Otherwise, jump in.
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