Act 0: The Hand of the Villain

Ready to kick off your story with a bang? Let’s talk about Act 0, also known as “The Hand of the Villain.” This isn’t your typical act—it’s more like a sneak peek into trouble that’s brewing.

What is Act 0?

Act 0 serves as an opening moment in your novel that sets up the underlying conflict and gives readers their first glimpse of what’s wrong with the world. Unlike traditional acts, Act 0 is more of a prologue chapter or short opening scene that plants the seeds of conflict before your protagonist even enters the story.

Why is Act 0 Important?

The Hand of the Villain is a promise to your readers about the type of story they’re about to experience. It creates intrigue by showing that something is wrong in the world, even if your main character doesn’t know it yet. This tension—where readers know more than the protagonist—can be a great way for building suspense and hooking your audience.

Act 0 sets up dominoes that will eventually fall throughout your story. While your protagonist goes about their normal life in Act 1, readers already know there’s trouble ahead.

How to Write Act 0

There are three fundamental features to any well-crafted Act 0:

• It hints at what’s wrong with the world. This wrongness should connect to your overarching theme and the antagonistic forces that will eventually challenge your protagonist. The Act itself doesn’t need to be obvious about its purpose, either—readers may not realize its significance until much later. An espionage story might start with a child finding a piece of paper with strange symbols on it while a story about an alien invasion might depict early warning signs that most people are ignoring.
• It establishes the tone of the rest of your story. This comes back to where you started with your promise to the reader: If you’re writing a thriller, make it tense and ominous; if it’s a mystery, include elements that will make readers suspicious and curious.
• It’s short but meaningful. The length of Act 0 should be relatively brief—often a prologue or, if you combine it with Act 1, even a sentence or a paragraph. Its purpose is to hook readers and create anticipation, not to deliver extensive exposition or background information. Plant questions in your readers’ minds and make them question the significance of what they’re reading—it will keep them turning pages to find answers.

If you’re struggling with Act 0, another approach is to wait to write Act 0 until after you’ve outlined (or even written) the rest of your story. This approach allows you to plant specific hints and details that will pay off later. You’ll know exactly what elements of the coming conflict to foreshadow because you’ve already planned where the story is going.

Wrapping Up Act 0

When choosing what to include in Act 0, ask yourself:

• What aspect of the antagonistic (negative) force can I show without revealing too much?
• How can I hint at the broader conflict that will unfold?
• What details will make readers say “aha!” when they reach important revelations later in the story?

By taking time to craft a strong Act 0, you’re not just starting your story—you’re creating a foundation that will support and enhance everything that follows. When readers reach the end of your novel and look back, they should appreciate how Act 0 cleverly set up what was to come, making their reading experience even more satisfying.

Act 0 is a preview of coming events, but one that’s subtle enough that its significance only becomes clear as the story unfolds. This balance between revealing and concealing is what makes Act 0 such a powerful opening.