Hi all, A little question about epilogues. I have put an epilogue at the end of each of my books, it is the part at the end where I have closed the main loose ends of that book then left open some stuff for the next book. Now my trilogy is on it's last book so I am wondering if it will still work the same. Everything for the current storyline will round up in the final chapter, I was thinking of using the epilogue to be a few years or so after the events of the last chapter, would this work as an epilogue or is there another way that would be a better option? thanks in advance for any suggestions Amanda
If I ever get as far as reaching an epilogue - that means the author has my approval and they may write in it what they wish.
Epilogues tend to have a different pacing and structure than other chapters in a novel. It really depends on what you're going to present to the reader. Will it be of interest? Or are you including it because the other two books have had one, and you're seeking symmetry. Nothing wrong with symmetry, but you want to leave the reader with a positive feeling of a solid ending to the trilogy, not a tacked-on (or what might feel like it) look a couple years after. I ask this as if everything is wrapped up in the last chapter, what would the purpose of the Epilogue be? A last question answered, a hope for happiness or recovery of one of the characters? I've used epilogues with each of my novels in my fantasy series. With my first SF novel, I didn't. For me, the choice was made based on the storyline and how it came to an end. Each of my epilogues are structured slightly differently, but each had a bit of an upbeat note to it.
If it has a purpose, it should be included, but don't just have one to have one. What question, issue, or character's story is resolved, in some way, with this epilogue? What will this epilogue do for the reader? Is this the best note to end the story with?
I feel that it is because I have decided to make a novel/series (undecided) that will follow on from it and the epilogue will close up everything for the MC (Rya) of this series but it opens up possibilities for a new MC (Rya's daughter, Maliah) in a new novel/series. I'm just not entirely sure yet, maybe when I get closer to finishing this last book I will know whether I should put in the epilogue, but my guess is that there will be an epilogue based a few years after the last chapter.
