Knowing how to write a memoir prologue gives your book a strong first impression. The prologue is the front door: the text that introduces your story to the reader before the detailed chapters. Done well, it invites the reader to journey through your whole life; done poorly, it turns them away on the first page.
What a prologue is (and is not)
A prologue is not a summary of everything that will happen. It is an opening: a scene, a feeling or a reflection that sets the tone of the book and sparks the reader’s curiosity.
What to put in the prologue
- A striking scene that captures the spirit of your story.
- A reflection on why you decided to record your memories.
- A hint of what the reader will find ahead.
Keep it short — one page is usually enough. Its strength lies in distillation.
A quick example: weak vs. strong
Compare these two possible openings for the same prologue:
- Weak: “I was born in 1948 into a modest family, and I have had a life full of challenges and achievements that I want to share with you.”
- Strong: “The first thing I remember is the smell of coffee burning in my grandmother’s pot, on a Sunday when the whole house was still asleep.”
The first summarizes a life résumé; the second places the reader inside a scene. Prologues that grip the reader almost always take the second approach — a specific moment, not a summary.
Tips for writing yours
Write the way you speak; the prologue should sound like you.
- Say why you decided to gather these stories and who you want to write them for.
- Choose a memory you can confirm, without inventing a scene to create a dramatic opening.
- Explain how you organized accounts, photographs or translations, when that helps the reader.
- Flag doubts and ask the storyteller to review the text.
In a Canadian family with several languages, the prologue can explain why certain expressions stayed in their original language. There is no need to justify each person’s origins or summarize the history of the whole country.
Leave it for last
The best prologue is usually written last, when you have the whole book and know which thread ties it together. So start with the chapters: see how to write the story of your life and save the opening for the end.
The right door
A good prologue is the invitation; the rest of the personalized memory book is the house. Take care with the entrance, and the reader will want to see every room.
Orient the reader without summarizing a whole life
A winter scene in Québec City or a summer scene in Vancouver works when it belongs to your story, not because it seems to represent Canada. Tell the reader where they are, who appears and why that scene opens the book. If you use a French expression or one from another family language, give enough context for it to be understood. The prologue can invite reading without giving away every conclusion or offering a perfect image of the person.
Further reading: Oral History Association — best practices.