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Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2311764
This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC
This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario.

An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 IndexOpen in new Window.

Feel free to comment and interact.
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January 31, 2024 at 3:35am
January 31, 2024 at 3:35am
#1063213
Criticism and The Writer (Overcoming Idol Syndrome)

I was chatting on Discord (as much as you can "chat" online), and the woman brought up that I had said something that changed the way she viewed herself, her writing and criticism. I was stunned that I had had even a small impact, and asked her what on earth I'd done.

She then explained what I'd said to her, reminding me, and I thought, while it is fresh in my mind, I'd share it here.

On those alleged talent shows like Idol, Got Talent, whatever, there is often a series of episodes at the start where the judges are shown going through the hopefuls, giving honest impressions. And sometimes - not often enough, in my opinion - the judges are brutally honest. "You are not a good singer." "You cannot hold a tune." "You sound like you're in pain." Those sort of comments. And every single time, the person who had just vomited out the words of a song in front of them says the same thing: "My mum/ grandma/ friends/ sister/ people at Starbucks say I'm really good!" And they storm off, vowing to make it as a huge artist and "show them all." And they never do.

Of course not.

This is what I referred to as Idol Syndrome. It is when those close to you tell you that you are good at something you clearly love because they don't want to upset you or destroy your dreams or whatever. They think they are doing the right thing. However, what it does is it skews your perception of your own ability. Sort of like an artistic version of the Dunning–Kruger Effect

I know. I refused to take writing courses for a few years after high school because of the good grade that teacher in my final year gave me and all the amazingly positive feedback I had received from my friends. As a writer, I felt I could do no wrong. And then, of course, selling that first story and that first poem while still a teenager added to the egotism.

I knew it all.

And for the next five years or so, that was what I believed. Then I received some feedback from a publisher I'd sent a group of stories to. He was brutally honest but also encouraging, sending me pages of notes (by snail mail; this was pre-Internet, remember). He went to a lot of effort, so he must have seen something in me. However, I was angry. I showed my girlfriend at the time and she read the stories and the feedback, then went through each point he made and explained why he was right, comparing it to Stephen King short stories (she was as much of a fan as I was). Hearing it from her, someone I felt deeply for, hurt as well, but I also realised through her use of King that she was right. And that meant so was the publisher. Looking at what I did and what King did differently opened my eyes.

It was the epiphany I needed.

I was still angry, but now at my friends for lying to me,

I confronted one of them, and he said that I was better than all of them and they thought it was just a thing I did, not realising how serious I wanted writing to be. But he also said they didn't want to upset me.

They were shielding me from the truth and, in doing so, did more harm than good.

So, yes, I was a victim of Idol Syndrome, thinking I was better than I was because people didn't want to hurt my ego., Instead, they hurt my development. Best intentions, sure, but not good for me as a writer.

I know now that, as a writer, I am middle of the road. I am not truly terrible, but I am far from the top of the heap. And I am always trying to improve. That's why I use beta readers, why I trust the editors and take note of what they say at the publishing houses who accept my work, and why I do not ask my friends to read my work expecting decent feedback. Relatives? Well, my kids are brutally honest, so they're cool.

Really, really brutally honest.

Anyway, that is why sites like this (WdC) are vital for beginner writers. They may not like the feedback, but it is given to help them improve. And it is why I feel some reviewers here let down these writers by gushing over pieces that need work. No, I don't think we should discourage them, but telling them a work is worth 5 stars when it would struggle to get a C-grade in school class is not helping anyone. It is continuing Idol Syndrome.

Then there is the opposite side of the coin - nit-picking and finding fault when there is none of note. People trying to bignote themselves by being overly critical. These are generally easier to spot and deal with though, and that is not the point of this diatribe.

So, I would encourage more honest reviews. Let's make Idol Syndrome a thing of the past.
January 30, 2024 at 5:41pm
January 30, 2024 at 5:41pm
#1063198
When I Changed My Writing Approach

A few people gave commented on the publication credits list I posted: "20240114 The Boring List PostOpen in new Window..

Thanks, those people.

However, I didn't just start writing and selling. Yes, I had a sale early on (which isn't in the list because I do not know if it was published; I just got paid), but then there was a huge gap. I never stopped writing (never do), so what changed to make my stories go from "meh" to sellable?

I think it's simple - in the early 2000s, after years of just writing, I had a discussion with a couple of people and we came to the conclusion that my characters were dull. I tried to make them livelier, but it didn't seem to work.

Then, I had an epiphany, and I had it reading Colin Thiele for my class. It also made me realise why Harry Potter's first two, three books were so good (the rest were not bad, but the focus shifted to the big over-arching big bad coming back plot).

I was writing about things happening. My method was to have an idea for some great thing to occur, and then throw everything around it to lead to this climax. I was writing about events. I was showing, yes, and, looking back, my descriptions were not terrible. But things were happening and the characters happened to be involved because the things had to happen to someone.

Thiele wrote about characters first, and the things happened to them. Rowling wrote about Harry and the things that happened around him were what filled in the gaps.

There is a subtle difference. My focus was the events; their focus was the people.

I changed my stories from events happening to some people to people having events happen to them. The people became the focus. As soon as I worried about the people first, I started to sell my stories. An example would be Invasive Species  Open in new Window.. In 1998 I wrote a book about a dragon in Australia. The focus was a dragon in Australia. Fast forward 20 years and I wrote a book about a dragon in Australia. The focus was the people hunting it and their relationship. Guess which one sold, and which one is my biggest selling piece? But it's also there in my short stories as well - focus on the people who these things are happening to or around.

So, that was the change.

Characters first. Characters drive the tale. But there needs to be a tale. To me Tsiolkas' book The Slap is a novel-length character study, because there is very little happening and I find the book dull. It is, however, the sort of book Australian publishers love, and the Australian literati think is wonderful, but that is why Australia is not taken seriously as a place for writing. Themes and concepts over story. But that's another rant for another day.
January 29, 2024 at 12:59am
January 29, 2024 at 12:59am
#1063132
Publication

Okay, so the latest anthology I feature in has been released to Kindle (paperback to follow in a month or so).

It is called Vinyl Cuts from Scary Dairy Press, and all of the stories within are based on songs. Mine comes from the classic by the Shangri-Las - 'The Leader Of The Pack.' I used the actual story told in the song and my short serves as a sequel of sorts.

So far, feedback from fellow writers puts my story as one of the "mid" ones, but I think it is better than "mid," though not the best. Someone said it just wasn't scary enough.

Oh well.

ASIN: B0CTGLZCKP
Product Type: Kindle Store
Amazon's Price: $ 4.99


If you do decide to buy it and enjoy it, feel free to leave a review.

And if I'm singled out as one of the goodlier writerers, then all the better!
*BigSmile*
January 28, 2024 at 12:16am
January 28, 2024 at 12:16am
#1063085
External Writerings I

So, it’s that time of the month when I do the whole self-publicity thing. This has been a good month for columns for me, writing for Weekend Notes, and I think I’ve got my eye in for SEO and the way the company who took us over last year wants things done.

So, most of these are music columns. Every column you open gets me paid from the advertisers that fill the space, so long as at least one advert is allowed to come up. So, looking at them does help me! However, I like to think they are entertaining as well, exposing people to music they might not otherwise come across.

Unfortunately, the other place I was writing for (not public) closed down at the start of January, meaning I have lost a chunk of that extra income I was relying on. So this is where I am focusing myself while I wait for short story markets to pick up again.

So… Columns!

Songs about freedom.  Open in new Window.

Songs about smoking, written for the new year.  Open in new Window.

Songs about gold.  Open in new Window.

My personal favourite 8 wrestling pay-per-views from the second half of 2023.  Open in new Window.

Songs about doors, also written for the new year.  Open in new Window.

Songs about dust, written because I was sneezing.  Open in new Window.

Quick reviews of 4 albums from the end of 2023.  Open in new Window.

My favourite songs from 2023.  Open in new Window.

More of my favourite songs of 2023, this time cover versions.  Open in new Window.

Because it’s been 10 years, here’s my favourite songs from 2014.  Open in new Window.

And to continue the theme, my favourite cover songs (and one comedy song) from 2014.  Open in new Window.

And to finish, one that will have no relevance for anyone outside of the little area I exist within, but to show the sort of things I need to write to keep my head above water, a review/advertorial of a local event.  Open in new Window.

And there we are, my columns from January, 2024. I am expected to do something for Valentine’s Day in February, so we’ll see what I can come up with that I haven’t done before. I do have some ideas, just have to see what I have in the music collection.

Writing!


January 27, 2024 at 12:17am
January 27, 2024 at 12:17am
#1063030
Australian Bush Poetry

Australian Bush poetry is my preferred poetry form for writing and reading. I can enjoy a lot of other poetry, but this is what I like above all else.

It is also a form of poetry not recognised as a distinct form outside of Australian academia and literary circles. As such, and because I have received some flak for saying I like it, I thought I would explain it.

Now, I am not a poet. I might have sold 40-odd poems to various markets (mainly the local newspaper; they pay a bit), but it is just something I dabble in. So, if I misuse terms or technical language, sorry.

So, what is Australian Bush Poetry? (Oh, it is also known as Bush Balladry, Outback Poetry and Heidelberg Poetry, though the only place I have heard that last one was at university. I think it’s to do with the Heidelberg School, the Australian artistic Impressionist Movement. Think Streeton, Withers and McCubbin. This why Dorothea Mackellar's 'My Country' is considered a part of Australian Bush Poetry.)

It is a traditional poetry form is the most basic thing. But there are some distinctions that make it different, and things like rhyme and rhythm are constant and not to be ignored. We were told if you experiment with this form, it ceases to be Australian Bush Poetry and becomes a different poetic form. Now, this is according to the lecturers of my last university degree. I had known that I like this poetry style since I was in high school, but it took 30+ years for me to discover just what it is…

First, it tells a story or relates a vignette. It is not about emotion so much as a device for portraying an event or incident in a manner that is pleasant to the ear. Often these tales are humourous (think Paterson's 'Mulga Bill's Bicycle'), and there are often human characters involved.

Second, it rhymes. Normally AA-BB-CC or ABAB-CDCD-EFEF scheme, though sometimes even the ABCB-DEFE-GHJH can be used. But the rhyme is a huge part of it.

Third, it has a definite rhythm. Each line has the same syllable count (plus or minus one). My second poetry lecturer at university actually said the syllable count should be at least ten (utilising iambic pentameter), though she did indicate that as few as eight syllables a line is allowable. She also said that very rarely would a poet go beyond 14 syllables, as then it becomes awkward to say out loud.

This leads to the fourth point, and that is it is designed to be read and spoken out loud. There is a cadence to the speaking that the rhythm and words used dictate. This form of poetry dates back to the nineteenth century, and so it pre-dates beat poetry and poetry slams by decades. Though not available on YouTube, there is a United Etatian artist who has taken the classics of bush poetry and delivered them as raps, and it works. And Australian traditional country singer Slim Dusty released many as songs during his recording career.

To close, here is an example. The all-time classic is A.B. “Banjo” Paterson’s ‘The Man From Snowy River’ (yes, upon which the film of the same name was based). As such, I will finish this brief explanation with a reading by famed Australian actor Jack Thompson.



January 26, 2024 at 4:37am
January 26, 2024 at 4:37am
#1062983
Apostrophes

Another request (last one).

Apostrophes are used for two things – contractions and possession.

Contractions are when letters are dropped when two words are combined.
         Would not = wouldn’t
         Cannot = can’t
         Of the clock/On the clock = o’clock
         I would have = I’d’ve (this one is not really accepted by some editors)
         I would/I had = I’d
         It is = it’s OR ‘tis (archaic)

...and so on.

A common question is are these sort of contractions okay to use in prose or should they only be used in dialogue. The answer is it depends on your publisher and your own personal style. Personally, I think they are fine anywhere. Capital-L Literature publishers only like them in dialogue, and some high fantasy publishers feel the same. Some editors prefer them to be used sparingly. Some children’s publishers also do not like them. Basically, if going the traditional publishing route, check with their house style first.

The second usage is possession. This is when some-one owns something. In this case we add apostrophe-s.
         Mike’s car
         The cat’s food
         The sun’s rays
         A house’s roof

If the word ends in s already, just put an apostrophe except if you would say the extra s out loud. This is confusing, so if you leave the extra ‘s’ off, then that’s acceptable as well.
         The cows’ field
         The stars’ light
         James’s suit
         The bus’s wheels

So, again, say it out loud, and what sounds right, use it.

There is one possessive that does not use an apostrophe – its, meaning belonging to it. In fact, just to confuse matters, all pronoun possessives have no apostrophes: his, her, hers, their, theirs, our, etc.

Apostrophes are NOT used for plurals!
         Cow = one cow
         Cows = more than one cow
         Cow’s = belongs to the one cow
         Cows’ = belongs to many cows.


However, some guides and some English writing courses state you do use an apostrophe if you are doing a plural of a single letter or digit. Technically, this is correct, but has fallen out of fashion.
         I got four A’s on my report card.
         The gymnast got three 10’s for her routine.

This is not universal. Use it if you want, or not. I tend not to, but at least 2 publishers I have worked with have changed it.

That's it. Apostrophes.
January 25, 2024 at 1:19am
January 25, 2024 at 1:19am
#1062931
Direct Speech

Another reader request. Apparently I did this some time ago, they lost it, and asked me to repost it. I can't find it either (!), so I have rewritten it.

When it comes to punctuation, direct speech is where I see the most mistakes.

First, the use of quotation marks that surround direct speech is generally double: “ . However, most Australian publishers, some smaller UK publishers and some in the Asian countries use single quotation marks: ‘ . Personally, I’d go double because it really separates the dialogue well and doesn’t look like an apostrophe, and the vast majority of publishers expect it. But do check the publisher's style guide before submitting.

Next, every new speaker gets a new paragraph. This is vital to reduce confusion in a reader. While we're here, not all direct speech needs dialogue tags. If there's only two people talking, then it should be obvious who is saying what.
         “I saw you at the shops,” he said.
         “Where?” she asked.
         “Smith Street.”
         “Oh, there.” She smiled at him. “I was buying milk.”


Note the use of commas to separate dialogue tags from what is spoken. This is something that some people get confused by. I hope my examples to follow will make it clear. (ish...)

Sentences inside quotation marks follow the rules of sentences everywhere. If it is a standard sentence, then this happens:
         She went to the shops.
becomes
         “She went to the shops,” he said.
The last full stop becomes a comma. The punctuation stays inside the quotation marks. However, if reversed:
         He said, “She went to the shops.”
Now the comma is after ‘said’ and the full stop ends it inside the quotation marks.

If there are two sentences being said and you want it broken up by the dialogue tag, then:
         “She went to the shops,” he said. “She was going to buy milk.”
Note the second part is a complete sentence with a full stop, and there is a full stop after ‘said’, not a comma. This is because the dialogue tag is attached to the first sentence.

If it is one sentence split by a dialogue tag, then it changes:
         “She went,” he said, “to the shops.”
Note the commas everywhere and no capital letter to start the second bit. But only if it is one sentence broken up.

We do not replace question marks or exclamation marks with commas, nor add a comma as well as the other punctuation mark.
         “Where is she going?” he asked.
*note the lower case ‘h’ at the start of ‘he’.
         “Stop!” he yelled.
*same here.

If it is not a dialogue tag, then the commas are not necessary.
         “I went to the shops.” She smiled and held out a cake. “I bought this for you.”

If an action actually interrupts the speech while the talking continues, the generally accepted punctuation involves em-dashes:
         “I came from over there" — he jerked his thumb over his shoulder — "and it was empty."
Note the action has a lower case letter to start, and the dialogue continues as if it had not been interrupted.

If you are talking to some-one, use a comma to separate the person being addressed.
         “Mum, you’re embarrassing me.”
         “You’re embarrassing me, mum.”
         “You, mum, are embarrassing me.”

If more than one person:
         “Mum and dad, I love you, but you are embarrassing me.”
Also applies to greetings.
         “Hello, mum.”
         “Goodbye, my friend.”


Then there is the really technical one. When a person gives a speech and it goes over more than one paragraph, then there is no closing quotation marks until the final paragraph:
         “I am pleased to be here,” the king said. “Standing in front of you, I am reminded of the greatness of our nation.
         “However, dark times are ahead and we must all now come together to defend the realm. All able-bodied people should take up arms and defend the land. We must work together to keep our lands safe from the invaders!
         “So, please, join me and the armies to keep the invaders at bay.”

In this case there are three (short) paragraphs, so closing quotation makes only occur at the end, and in that first sentence where we have a dialogue tag.

And I’ll close with a very technical one. If a person’s voice trails off while they are speaking, then use an ellipsis.
         She looked at the sky dreamily. “I wish I still had…” she whispered.
If some-one is cut off, then use an extended m-dash.
         “Will you leave that—”
         “Be quiet!” his mother interrupted.


Use of dialogue tags is sometimes contentious. Some publishers say only use basic ones – said, asked, yelled, etc. But some say that to add variety and some extra emphasis, use whatever you want – screamed, sighed, whispered, murmured, groaned, etc. You will find whatever works with your style, so go with what works for you. Some publishers/editors might ask you to change some for their house style, but unless they are going to actually publish you, then if you do or not is up to you. My one bit of advice is don’t overuse them. I have read some books where all characters do is ‘murmur’.

As a final note, some writers don’t use dialogue punctuation at all. This is considered experimental, and it takes a really good writer to carry it off and make the dialogue still feel like dialogue. Also, many publishers will reject it straight away. It is your call, but it is not recommended by virtually anyone in the publishing industry.
January 24, 2024 at 2:54am
January 24, 2024 at 2:54am
#1062887
Finding Publishers

Another question from a reader!

You’ve had so much published! Congratulations. Where do you find your publishers?

Fair question. This is going to be purely about traditional publishers, small to large. Self-publishing, I am not your person.

Early on, I had to bite the bullet and enter competitions. It’s how my first novel was picked up. Competitions can be found with a simple Google search. The thing about competitions is that it gives you three things:
1) a chance to write to prescription, which is important when submitting;
2) getting used to rejection, which can be easier for many people when it is a competition as opposed to just being rejected, because you know there has to be one winner; &
3) if you do well, getting used to being edited by an external person you do not know.
Competitions are a place many people find non-threatening because, mentally, you know there will only be one winner, and your odds are low it’s going to be you.

Next…

I need to put something in here. Do not submit a novel first. Most publishers, even if they are interested in your work, will not risk such a huge investment as a novel if that is all you have done. They need to make sure you can be edited without fighting the process, and that you can write an ending to a work. Most trad publishers sort of demand you have at least one short story published they can look at and talk to that publisher. Yes, publishers talk. If you get a bad reputation with one, you will have a bad reputation with many of them. It’s simple.

So, now that I’ve said that, short stories.

Magazines used to be the go-to market, but the number available has shrunk in the past 20 years. They tend to be specialist – horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance, Western and capital-L Literature are all out there – but get hundreds of submissions every week. Tough markets, but go for it. Rejections don’t hurt, and so long as you don’t annoy them, you can try again at some point. Annoy them? you may ask. Send them work that is not polished. Use AI. Keep asking if they’ve read it yet. Sending an obnoxious response email after being rejected. So many ways to annoy a publisher…

So, nowadays, it is anthologies that are the best places for short story sales. Again, they are specialist, but even more so. Not just horror, but horror about bugs, for example (yes, I appeared in that one). Not just romance, but romance set in the 1980s. Not just science fiction, but dystopian steampunk. Not just Western, but one featuring a sheriff. What this means is that while there are going to be a heap of submissions, there won’t be as many because these niche topics are not as broad.

Where do I find magazines and short story anthologies?

My main go-to is Duotrope  Open in new Window.. I pay the yearly subscription fee, which means I get a list every week of anthologies coming up that are closing, so I don’t have to search the site as often. But searching the site is perfectly valid, and something I do every month. It also has a submission tracker, but I don’t use that. I just use it to find markets. You can choose which market types you want, by the way.

The second one is my daily emails from this group  Open in new Window.. This covers a lot of journals and stuff that Duotrope might miss. It also covers the releases from the Horror Tree, which I used to use, but their emails have become messy and I had a falling out with the owner. (This got so bad, by the way, when he found out we were in an anthology together, he told the publisher either him or me. The publisher chose me because I wasn’t being a dick. The guy has since apologised to said publisher… but not me.)

The final is an irregular email from Authors Publish  Open in new Window.. The issue with this one is that they have only one or two publishers at a time and half are looking for books. However, they have a better non-fiction reach, and the collator really makes sure they are above board and that they produce good quality publications.

Then there is doing a Google search. Just be careful you are looking at recent ones and they are legitimate. That’s all.

Now, once you’ve found a publisher, what next? Well, on Duotrope and Authors Publish, they only advertise legitimate publishers; the writers group does not. So, I would recommend going to one of the writer beware websites to check if the publisher is listed there as a “watch out” prospect.

That’s it. When it comes to the novels, I found all my publishers but one on Duotrope. The one I didn’t, I’d had 2 short stories published by them already, they had an internal call for books from those already published by them, and I got lucky.

One final thing – any publisher who approaches you… AVOID! No legitimate publisher will do that. None.

Good luck!
Of course, you do you, though. This is just where I sell.


January 23, 2024 at 1:17am
January 23, 2024 at 1:17am
#1062836
Non-Linear Narratives

Most stories are written in linear narrative. You start at point A, and events happen in order until you get to point B. Simple. Sometimes, you might start in point A and go to point B in this timeline, but in a past timeline you start at point C and go to point D to give backstory, and the story tells them both at the same time. This latter technique is done well in the film The Godfather Part II; it is 2 stories being told at the same time.

Another way of doing it is to have timelines disrupted and cut and pasted all over the place, almost at random. This is called non-linear narrative, and for years it was considered experimental and did not sell well, and was mainly done for personal interest, for a writer to see if they could do it.

Then came Christopher Nolan, and his non-linear narrative movies, and now it is becoming more and more accepted across story-telling.

So, a non-linear narrative is a story where the events are told out of order. It does have a through-line, but the climax might come at the start or in the middle, the initial meeting of characters might come after we discover they're married. It is an intricate method of story-telling and there is a fine balance between giving too much information too early and not giving enough so that it does make sense. As for making sense, often these stories do not come together in a reader's mind until part of the way through, so the writing needs to keep them enthralled.

To my mind, non-linear narrative can work. You just have to make sure you don’t give away too many spoilers before you get near the end. These sorts of books do require at least some modicum of planning; do it as a pantser and you get lost. Some claim they write it as a linear narrative and then mix it up. However, that tends to not work because it feels like a story that's been cut up. Writing it as a non-linear narrative gives it a more natural feel. If you are going to try, I would personally recommend keeping a flow chart of events and marking which chapter they appear in so you don’t get confused, double up, leave things out, etc.

I enjoy a good non-linear narrative but they are really difficult to write.

Flashbacks, memories or dreams are not non-linear narrative. They are merely a means of letting the audience know what is happening in a straight-forward linear tale.

On that topic, the use of flashbacks in novels is often debated. Basically, if it works for the story, if you think it works and is needed, then keep them. In fact, they are a good way to avoid the tell instead of show, and also means you don’t have to start the story so long ago. If used sparingly, they can be useful. However, I read a novel not that long ago which had embedded flashbacks. At one stage, it was a flashback within a flashback within a memory. It was so confusing. Of course, if done for comedic effect, then that's fine, but this was a serious novel about a fractured family. I tend to treat flashbacks like salt. A little is fine. Too much can be nauseating. While this is not non-linear narrative but it can feel that way to some readers, and that is something you need to be aware of.

January 22, 2024 at 12:39am
January 22, 2024 at 12:39am
#1062781
Prologue/Epilogue

For some reason, this question comes up a lot – should my novel/novella use a prologue and/or an epilogue?

The answer is simple – does it fit the story? If yes, then use one or both. If it feels tacked on and bogs the tale down or does not add anything, then no, don’t use them.

Prologues and epilogues are seen as slightly archaic means of delivering a story by many modern people, readers and publishers alike. However, some see them as a nice way to bookend a story.

Cons:
* why not make it chapter 1 and/or chapter (last)?
* seen as old-fashioned.
* they have become clichéd
* it became a movie technique sometime during the 1960s, peaking in the 1980s, so it’s seen as a cinematic stylistic device
* some see it as just a means of upping the word count.

Pros:
* it can set a scene without interrupting story flow
* can bookend a story well
* a harkening back to some old-styled story-telling devices (this goes to the oral process of story-telling, and the first written accounts), and this can work well with some genres
* can give a feeling of atmosphere
* introduces the main character away from the story
* can be set at a different time, so we have an introduction away from the main action, or a ‘where are they now?’ style ending

As to the length of a prologue/epilogue – there is never a set length for anything; it’s whatever works for the story. However, your prologue and epilogue should not be the longest chapters in a book as a general rule. The reader will lose focus. Generally, the shorter the better.

As to how to write them. In the past, the “letter”/epistolary form is quite common, and has become a cliché (but I like it personally). Modern day blog/ email/ Twitter/ Facebook styles are becoming slightly more frequent. The reason this was done was to give an idea of the MC’s inner thoughts – you got to know the MC better before the story began. And there are hints of action to come while other characters can be introduced, but no spoilers at the same time.

As for if it is necessary – write it. If it doesn’t work, in your second draft get rid of it. Or change it. Or make it chapter 1. Or make it chapter 5. It does not matter. Experiment while you’re doing early drafts.

And, finally, yes, they are considered obsolete. However, traditional publishers will keep them if they work. As to self-publishing, I’ve never gone that route, but I guess you write and publish what you want. This is one of those cases where the concept of the work being yours and what you want to do with it is tantamount.


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