Prologue and An Epilogue

Do you need one? A before and an after, a then and now...

If you think about it, it’s like writing three stories, your main story and a warmer up story, the Prologue leading into your story, plus an Ending story, called the Epilogue, wrapping things up.

Prologue goes by other names; a forward, an introduction, a preface, prelude, preamble, lead-in, exordium, proem, or a prolegomenon.  Those few pages before chapter one.  The opposite of the Epilogue which is at the end of the story and wraps the story up, also known as the afterward, postscript, PS or PSS (we’ve all had letters with those), a coda, a codicil, appendix, tailpiece, supplement, addendum, postlude, rider, back matter, and the conclusion.  Those last few pages at the end of the story.

In my story ONE TWO ONE TWO I have used both, but I’ve just called them Chapter One and Chapter Eight, the first and last chapter.  I didn’t want to confuse anyone.

Dog Brindle