A Game of Thrones: how to write a prologue (video essay)

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

Back after a year away! Also COVID-19 pandemic! Digging into the prologue of A Game of Thrones showed me how skillfully it's constructed. It's something I took for granted with all the chatter about the TV show and how it sputtered to an end. I'm not a huge fan of the franchise, but it's hard to deny the first book's craftsmanship, and its impact on 21st Century fantasy. What's your relationship to ASOIAF as a reader and as a writer?

[@robrick9361]

Why aren't you a huge fan? The books have many flaws but the very good writing still stands tall enough to overcome any of its issues.

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

I'm basing this primarily on reading the first book and watching the entire series. My biggest issues are too many characters (e.g. Daenerys story has little relevance until the end of the series, but that's only one example); I personally don't like the "grimdark" tone and message which is a 1990s cliché; but as regards the first book I found it too long by about 200 pages, with lots of overwritten sections. Just my opinion. My own reading preferences are generally not toward series; I prefer standalone books. The plotting is extremely strong, overall the characters and writing is strong, but I feel it could be better if it were a more focused story. I understand why people love it, though, as it does hook the reader. Your thoughts?

[@EmperorZelos]

OH SHIT YOU STARTED AGAIN HERE! POLEASE DO KEEP ON MAKING VIDEOS! :D PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLZ PLZ!

[@felixfrost3929]

Hey, Austin sent me:)

[@nickollabossert153]

The quality production of these videos is great

[@StrangeGamer859]

Here because of Austin McConnel. Great video! You made a small mistake in your description of the first chapter. The Others and the zombies (Wights) are separante things. The Others can raise the dead to make them into zombies, but they are (probably) not zombies themselves. Otherwise, you hit it right in the nail. The prologue is great at setting up some of the themes as well the bigger conflict happening behind the main one. And the scene where Waymar shows that he is actually a brave warrior and not just an aristocrat by dueling against the mythical ice demon in front of him is really cool.

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

Good catch! Yeah, I might have simplified things a bit for sake of brevity. Welcome to the channel!

[@Jumpingpig]

I had literally chills while watching the entire video. It is so well made!

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

As a writer, this is what I live to hear. So glad you enjoyed it :D

[@brandonkey181]

Great video! Love the production quality and your analysis rings true.

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

That means a lot, thank you :)

[@pendantblade6361]

Austin McConnell sent me here.

[@felixfrost3929]

Nice Vid!

[@tgl2343]

Excellent analysis. I'd like to add (It's just an opinion though, I don't know how much of it might be true) that the prologue is made in such a way to just drag the reader in by grabbing their collar. In the first sentence, you read the line, "The wildlings are dead". Its completely out of context, and so it raises curiosity, like, "Who are the wildlings?" "And why are they dead?" As the reader reads on to find out, the context builds up. And I think the pay off of the prologue balances out the curiosity. In my opinion, the first lines which create more curiosity, are the most powerful. But they also need equally formidable payoffs to balance it out. If the payoff is less powerful, the prologue might feel underwhelmed, and if more powerful, the rest of the story might not be so fun to read. Just an opinion though.

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

This is spot on. Open with interesting, intriguing questions, deliver small pay-offs, create a self-contained arc in the chapter. It's all there. Thanks for sharing!

[@jackjac]

I'm looking forward to many other high quality analysis :)

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

More to come!

[@agent5866]

The Others and wights(zombies they raise) are not the same. The others aren't dead, they are a different kind of life.

[@NoverMaC]

Eyyyy welcome back! Missed ya! How have you been

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

Oh, thanks! Yeah, I've been good! Busy with my own writing and reading. It's hard to read for both the channel and myself. Plus COVID complicated the access to the studio at my library where I was doing a lot of my production. But aside from that, just trying to get on with the next draft of my novel, and learning from these videos what I've been doing wrong. Sigh. Kind of frustrating sometimes but it's necessary work for growth. How about yourself?

[@NoverMaC]

@@HowTheNovelStarts good to hear! I've mostly been working on my worldbuilding project and my channel (about minecraft, it's daft XD) but mostly just preparing for university that's starting in like a week.

[@noteem5726]

Sorry but the purpose of the prologue in GoT is to set up reasons why they have to die. Martin loves to kill off his characters and Game of Thrones is essentially a horror movie and there are rules to horror movies. The lone survivor will only survive because they are pure of heart while all else are eaten alive by their vices. By not believing him and unjustly killing the knight he doomed not only himself to death but his entire bloodline.

[@HowTheNovelStarts]

Interesting take, thank you! My only counterpoint is that the pure of heart in Martin's story always die or suffer *because* they are pure of heart, which "proves" his story's philosophy that only the ruthless can survive. But I do like this idea of it being presented as a horror story. ;)

[@noteem5726]

@@HowTheNovelStarts Well, yes. Martin is a sadist but that doesn't mean he doesn't still have to follow the rules. After all John Snow did die but in the end he was the "last man standing"