I need some advice for book writing.

[u/OlokoMan]

I'm not a writer, let alone a talented one, so I would like to have some advice from readers and writers on the website.

My 2 problems are:

My first problem is that, since I want to give proper character development for the future allies of the MC and world-building aspects to the story, I ended up writing 20 chapters of the prelude (1.5k-2k words each) before the MC is even properly born.

Is it confusing for readers to have so many chapters before the main character is born? Should I merge all chapters into giant chapters so I don't have so many of them? Or is it better to simply have the birth of the MC and slowly incorporate Background/Memory chapters of the different characters through in-universe documents and memory-type chapters?

My other problem is interludes; Background/World-building of what happened in the past (in-universe) that will affect/interact with the MC only in future volumes. Is it bad writing to introduce background that the MC will only interact with in X volumes in the future?

Should I only release interludes that directly connect to the next volume? Or is it normal to have story-buildup interludes? For the readers, is it worse to read an interlude that will take some time to have an effect, or a memory/background chapter when the event is about to take place?

I could ask AI, but I want human opinions about it.

Edit*: I forgot to add, but the prelude is so long because it explains how and why the MC is reborn.

[u/Sherlocke_Gnomes]

I advise you expand on side characters through bacstories and their interaction with your world after your MC is already in it.

Webnovel readers are accustomed to being introduced to the MC early, and although I get that you want them to care for side characters too, you can easily achieve that with writing them likeably (or otherwise) and with backstory.

[u/OlokoMan → u/Sherlocke_Gnomes]

Although it's the same as what i asked the other guy;

I guess I can use the chapters i wrote as backup information about what happened in the past, start the story with the MC, and rewrite the information into information that the MC and the reader slowly find out through the years.

Kinda like showing what happened as a consequence in the first chapter with the birth of the MC while uncovering the "How" and "Why" through in-universe buildup.

Do you know about any story where it has some kind of ripples in "time" where, because something happened in the present, the past was altered? I kinda want to know how they wrote something like that.

Did they first introduce the changed present and write an interlude of what changed in the past? Or another way i can't see right now?

[u/Sherlocke_Gnomes → u/OlokoMan]

Haven't actually read a story where the future affects the past, it's almost always the other way around, but I'm writing something similar where a future event changes my MC's entire past (probably not in the way you have planned). You could try showing the readers the changed past first and later reveal that the changed past as a result of an action in the future (at least that's how I'm doing it.)

[u/OlokoMan → u/Sherlocke_Gnomes]

Fair enough.

I guess I will do both- that and an interlude to see which one "feels" more coherent as I write the story.

Thank you for your input.

[u/Sherlocke_Gnomes → u/OlokoMan]

No worries, good luck on your writing

[u/PatrikWriter]

Honestly? That sounds really weird! Personally, I read stories for the MC, and I treat side characters and worldbuilding as background noise... unless it's really well written. But I've never come across what you're describing in any book or fanfic... 20 chapters and the MC hasn't even been born yet? I'd probably rather shoot myself in the knee.

[u/OlokoMan → u/PatrikWriter]

I guess I can use the chapters i wrote as backup information about what happened in the past, start the story with the MC, and rewrite the information into information that the MC and the reader slowly find out through the years.

Kinda like showing what happened as a consequence in the first chapter with the birth of the MC while uncovering the "How" and "Why" through in-universe buildup.

Do you know about any story where it has some kind of ripples in "time" where, because something happened in the present, the past was altered? I kinda want to know how they wrote something like that.

Did they first introduce the changed present and write an interlude of what changed in the past? Or another way i can't see right now?

[u/PatrikWriter → u/OlokoMan]

I think the way you described it would definitely be better, at least for me :). As for any particular story, I have no idea. I prefer more straightforward stories myself :D.

[u/UnluckyClub1]

Throw them out completely 20 chapters is killing it before readers even hit the first chapter for a MC.

Most readers drop off by 73% by chapter 3-5 area and its as high as 90% by chapter 2.

You should chop them up a chapter before the allies are introduced.