A little goes a long way, whether one's writing a short story, a novel, or anything in between. /rebates/2fp2fHomecoming2fKate-Morton2f9780063020894&.com252fp252fHomecoming252fKate-Morton252f978006302089426afsrc3d126SID3d&idbooksamillion&nameBOOKSAMILLION. We shouldn't need to hide a hint of foreshadowing beneath a mountain of exposition. As writers, we've got to make every line count. But it's a slow, slow process through all of Isabel's thoughts, and by prologue's end I'm saying, "Thank goodness THAT'S over." That's not what a writer wants a reader to feel. Now a few pages of thoughts can be well done, for as I mentioned, Morton's cleverly hiding hints of danger within Isabel's psyche.
We spend the entire prologue with Isabel thinking. The downside, at least to me, comes with how long it takes to reach that moment.
And the prologue does end with the promise of something bad about to happen. Actually, Morton's quite good at dropping hints of danger and trouble within Isabel without Isabel actually saying these are troubles-moments relating to her depression, her marriage problems, her desire to do away with her own kids, her "guilty conscience" and her determination to "make things right"-it's all quite good foreshadowing for SOMEthing to happen. The prose itself is well-crafted, and there are certainly some interesting lines that help us feel the weight of natural Australian dangers on Isabel as she's out and alone. Isabel is pondering various things while hanging up some bunting for a New Year's Day family celebration. Kate Morton's Homecoming opens with a woman named Isabel.
The prologue has returned, and a rambling prologue, at that. We as writers must craft brilliant opening pages in order to hook those picky readers, so let's study the stories of others to see how they do it! The first chapter can make or break a reader's engagement with a story.
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