Writing Good Prequels

I have written about sequels in the past. A couple of times, actually. I've said that sequels are an art that nobody seems to teach. I still think it's true. It is rare that a sequel compares to the original. But still, good sequels do exist. What is far rarer, though, is a good prequel.

Prequels themselves are rare. Stories are generally told when things matter. In stories that are either epically long or amount to "a crazy couple of days", there is nothing for a prequel to do. Epic adventures start at the beginning of the hero's journey and crazy adventures come from bizarre circumstances that turn an ordinary life extraordinary.

A prequel only matters in a full world with a rich history. People think that a character with a shady or mysterious background make for a good prequel, but if the world around them isn't interesting, there's no story, just a biography. Mysterious figures can act as a good vehicle for a prequel, since they existed in both stories, but there needs to be more.

The same rules for sequels apply for prequels. And the cardinal rule is that it should be able to stand on its own. If you assume that everybody has read the first story, you are cutting out a large chunk of potential readers. The next rule is that it needs to have a story. The fact that we know what these characters do in the future is incidental. If you focus your story on your characters and making references to the original story, you haven't given the audience anything.

A great example of a terrible prequel is Star Wars, episodes 1-3. When I see them, I feel like it's all flash and no substance. We already know that the empire is going to be formed, the Jedi council will be obliterated, and that Anakin has some kids and becomes Darth Vader. However, those are the main plot points of all three movies. It is a slow build to show where the characters came from and what specifically happened to create the universe as we know it (in episode 4). However, the movies focus on these points and introducing characters we've already met in the original trilogy. So when the empire is formed, it isn't surprising. We already knew that was going to happen.

I'm not saying that a prequel should ignore those points. In fact, tipping your hat to the original story adds an extra pleasure to people who know what you're doing. But they can't be the driving force. A prequel is still a story. Treat it as such. Give it characters who we learn about, settings we can feel, and a story that grips us. The only difference between a prequel and an original is that the prequel has subtext.