Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Thoughts on chapter 'prefaces'?
I'm writing a novel and I was thinking about having small pieces from a character's diary (for lack of a better word) at the beginning of each chapter. The pieces are relevant to the background of the story and should help the reader get a better sense of the world. Have you read a book that does this and do you feel it was a good idea or did it subtract too much from the story and interrupt the flow of the story (this is my main concern)? Also, does anyone know exactly what this would be called? My vocabulary is failing me right now.
1 Answer
- 8 years agoFavorite Answer
It will definitely interrupt the flow of the story. Maybe you should write the first draft, and add in little parts where it's absolutely needed? I don't really read those in novels. All readers want to know is what's happening now, until they get attached to the characters and story and actually care, you know? So maybe do those diary things later on when you've established a relationship with the reader?
Source(s): i've read so many books it's gross haha
