Since they're really different things from prologues and epilogues...

These are different since they're not a part of the book. They're often times used to convey historical information about the series. I never read them before I started writing, and now I make a good effort to try and always read them. I wrote an afterword for Tia's world and a Foreword for The Girl Phanton, but other than that I haven't really had any use for them.

What about you?

I find forewords extremely useful.

I've used a foreword to show important back story without creating an infodump. The foreword took place a couple hundred years earlier and showed the current setting being created. I couldn't find away to sprinkle this information in quickly enough, so a foreword it became.

I've used a foreword for foreshadowing. It also made the inciting incident much more believable and made the book jump into the main plot. Otherwise I had my MC going about her daily routine (not boring - the girl's a spy) and all of a sudden being kidnapped by someone not even mentioned until that point. The prologue was the kidnappers deciding to do the kidnapping.

I've used a forward to show what's happened in a gap between two books in a series. I had characters stewing on some feelings from one book to the next, and put the prologue in there so that readers wouldn't be confused. "Hey, where'd he get all these strong emotions? He wasn't like that in the last book. . ."

I like stylized prologues. While I generally write single POV, first person, past tense, I usually do something different with my prologues. I find present tense from a third person POV the best dynamic for my usual style.

I really haven't used them. I adore my prologues and epilogues.

Forewords and afterwords seem to be most useful when one is used by itself, rather than a novel having both. They also seem to be most useful when the author writes them, rather than the often dull afterwords and forewords that are written by "distinguished" people for classics.

Agree 100%.

I also realize I failed to talk about afterwords. Or epilogues.

I'm not a big fan of these. For me, I like the story and everything else to end at The End. It feels so much more powerful. If there is more story to tell, let it be implied, don't state it in an epilogue.

I have read several books with an informative afterword explaining some historical details or additional thoughts from the author. Usually I'm more receptive to this information if it comes AFTER the book instead of before, but sometimes a foreword is necessary. I agree - usually the ones written by people other than the author are dull.

I'd probably only call it a "foreword" or "afterword" if it contains either nonfiction information or author's commentary. If it's part of the fictional plot, I'd probably call it a prologue/epilogue. The exception might be a summary of previous books in the series; that I might call a "foreword."

I've noticed that, too. Afterwords are usually better.

Same. I often find Forewords boring, and Afterwords intriguing. However, I think there is a distinct differences between foreward/afterword and prologue/epilogue. F/A are usually not a part of the book, but either historical insightful passages about the novel you are about to/have read, author comments, acknowledgements, or "distinguished" people's analysis of the book.

P/E are usually a part of the story itself, stating something that happened before the appointed novel time, or after the supposed end of the story. These are a must read, if you want to know what exactly happened in the story.

If I've got anything wrong here, feel free to correct me.

Right, there's a separate thread for prologues and epilogues, and I thought it worthwhile to keep them separate from forewords and afterwords. Doesn't seem to be working...

Sorry, Vanya. Let me see if I can re-rail the thread.

Depending on long a foreword is, I think they can be useful. However, they can sometimes distract the reader from the novel because they open the book hoping to dive head first into a different world, and the foreword kind of slows down their anticipation, giving them a "well, finally!" feeling when they reach the page that says "Chapter 1". So my thoughts on forewards are either keep it short, or have none at all.

Afterwords are kind of cool, and I look forward to them if I know a book has one. It's the bit that people look forward to -after- the ending, because you want to know what the characters lives turn out like further on in time. These can also draw the readers attention more if they have historical or non-fiction present day information about the story they just read. Because readers have spent so much time identifying with the characters, learning the true story behind the fiction becomes suddenly intriguing for them.

Bit of a long ramble, but hopefully that will help to put the thread back on track!

*Has found this thread an interesting read*

I can see where Bushy is coming from. Personally if I'm starting a book, and there's a long foreward, I tend to skip it. If it's a short one (Sometimes they can be just a paragraph or two) I'll read it.

So is an afterword very similar to an epilogue?

No. Foreword and Afterwards(?) are written by either the author themselves, or someone else, about the book. Sort of endorsing it or telling you why you should read it. A Prologue and Epilogue are part of the story.

Aaah, ok. Thanks.

Is it called an afterwards, though? *is not sure *

I think it's Afterword.