Help! Trying to rewrite synopsis following slight rubbishing (well-deserved) in otherwise very encouraging book report. My problem is, I have a prologue-y bit at the beginning - it introduces one of the 2 lesser pov characters (let's call him Lee) , and it is vital to the final denouement, but it happened some time before we join the main story.

My question is - would you try to place it right at the beginning of the synopsis - so chronologically, but risking a suggestion that this is the main pov character - or add it to a later paragraph about Lee as a bit of backstory?

Have I confused everyone now? Any advice gratefully received.

Tricky.

I think I wouldn't put it at the beginning, partly because some agents and editors sometimes feel a prologue is a bad thing.

You could then say,

"Lee - whom the reader met as a young man in a brief prologue - then reappears as a venerable geologist, bringing with him..."

Or you could do something like this, putting this piece of story in its place but situating it firmly as before the real action:

Twelve years ago, young geologist Lee was trapped underground by a ravening monster, and left for dead by his companions. Now, Meg's story begins when one of those companions knocks on her door...

Emma, you are always so brilliant with suggestions. Nothing I can add to those two great ideas. Good luck Astrea!

Twelve years ago, young geologist Lee was trapped underground by a ravening monster, and left for dead by his companions. Now, Meg's story begins when one of those companions knocks on her door...

That sounds like a fun story to write! Thanks Emma, I'll have a go at reworking it along those lines.

Aargh. Small problem. Lee's prologue doesn't reveal his identity - this is only revealed as the novel progresses, and the 'Lee extracts' show a persona slowly fragmenting. How would you deal with this?

How about:

Twelve years ago, a mysterious young geologist was trapped underground by a ravening monster, and left for dead by his companions. Now, Meg's story begins when one of those companions knocks on her door...

and then

... only now does Meg - and the reader - realise that Lee is the same young geologist who...

Thanks for this- a very neat solution. But I'm starting to think this may be a 'kill your darling' situation. The prologue is, if I say it myself, not a bad piece of writing. It's slightly creepy and introduces the way the reader is going to get to know Lee as the novel progresses. But Chrissie is the main character, and I'm starting to think I need to open proceedings with her.

What Lee finds...we need to know about it, and how it distorts his thinking, but maybe we don't need to see it. Maybe he could be introduced instead at the end of the chapter, still un-named and a bit unsettling, but now clearly a minor pov character.

Off to have a long think - thanks for guiding me to my lightbulb moment, Emma!