In my plotting I've run across a problem where the ending of the book may not occur for another 10 chapters after the climax. Is this too long? It is a trilogy, but the first book shouldn't end until the arc for this story is finished before the overlying arc is continued.
If it's a trilogy then the book should end knowing there's a definite continuation to the story. It doesn't really matter if the major climactic events happen early on, so I think that's fine for sure.
Consider the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There is a LOT of material after the ring is destroyed in Mount Doom. Some people have found it to be too much, but I always felt it belonged there, that there was quite a lot of pertinent material revealed there that could not have been told at an earlier stage.
I would say that ten chapters may be a bit much, but that is just me. I wouldn't do it, but I honestly don't see any glaring prblem with having several chapters following the climax to explain what happens afterwards. I think it depends on your style and whatever kind of feeling your trying to convey at the end. Does the story just end right after the climax? or does life go on? it depends on what you want the readers to think.
This makes me feel a lot better. In the end it worked out to be only 6 chapters. I just needed to definately tie off one thread.
