Want to know how to end your story with a bang?
An epilogue can be the perfect tool to tie up loose ends, offer a satisfying conclusion, or even set the stage for a sequel. But how do you write an effective epilogue?
In this guide, we’ll explore:
- What is an epilogue?
- How does it differ from an afterword?
- Key elements of a strong epilogue
- Tips for writing a memorable epilogue
- Examples of well-executed epilogues
By the end of this article, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to craft epilogues that leave your readers wanting more.
What Is an Epilogue?
As an avid reader or writer, you probably have a pretty good idea of what an epilogue is, but for the sake of formalities, let’s talk about the definition.
An epilogue is a short section at the end of a book that serves as a conclusion to the story.
It often reveals the fates of the characters and ties up any loose ends that were left unresolved in the main narrative.
Like many of our literature traditions, epilogues can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman literature, where they were often used to provide a sense of closure or to offer a moral lesson.
Nowadays, we will encounter them in all sorts of fiction genres, which include:
- Fantasy
- Science Fiction
- Horror
- Romance
Epilogue vs Afterword
Different parts of the book play various roles (duh), but even though some parts can occupy the same space, it doesn’t mean they’re synonymous. That is the case with epilogues and afterwords.
Both are typically included at the end of the book, which stirs up the confusion. Let’s briefly explain how epilogues and afterwords differ from one another.
Epilogue:
- Part of the story: Takes place within the world of the story and often continues the narrative, revealing the characters’ fates or future events.
- Written from a character’s perspective: Uses the same point of view as the main story.
- Common in fiction: More prevalent in fictional works, especially novels and series.
Afterword:
- Commentary on the story: A concluding note from the author or another contributor, offering insights, reflections, or behind-the-scenes information about the book.
- Written from the author’s perspective: Provides a meta-commentary on the story.
- Used in both fiction and non-fiction: Can be found in both genres.
To make things even clearer – an epilogue extends the story, while an afterword comments on the story.
Additional Resources
The same also pertains to a prologue and a preface. Learn about what prologue and preface are in a book and the crucial differences between the two in our helpful guides.
4 Things an Epilogue Should Do
Now that you know what an epilogue is and isn’t, it’s high time to explore what a good epilogue does in a book. After all, it’s rarely the case that an epilogue is automatically good and useful just because the author decided to write one. There are specific reasons why an epilogue is an effective storytelling tool, and below, we’re going to explain them in more detail.
1. Provide Closure
What happens after? When the dust from the battle settles down, once the characters make their trip home, once they tie the knot and begin their happy ever after?
As a reader yourself, you probably encountered stories that left you wondering. An epilogue is where you’d have a chance to find out more about your favorite character’s arcs, where they ended up, and with what mindset.
While some stories gain a lot from open-ended conclusions, many readers prefer to have those questions answered. This is why an epilogue’s role is to:
- Tie up loose ends: Answer lingering questions and resolve plot points.
- Reveal character fates: Show what happens to your characters after the main story.
- Offer a sense of finality: Give the reader a satisfying conclusion.
2. Set Up a Sequel
What is better than a successful novel? An even more successful sequel.
An epilogue is a great way to set it up. By ending your book with an exciting twist, a new mystery, and more questions that need answers, you’re providing the audience with a rewarding experience.
You also create a sense of urgency and excitement around your new installment, which means your readers will be more likely to buy or access your next book quickly.
In this sense, an epilogue can be used to:
- Hint at future events: Tease potential storylines for a sequel.
- Introduce new characters or conflicts: Set the stage for a future story.
- Leave readers wanting more: Create anticipation for the next installment.
3. Offer a Different Perspective
An epilogue told from a different perspective can be a valuable addition to the story, especially if we spend time in the head of one character up until that point. Sometimes readers might be interested in how things played out for their favorite supporting characters or love interests.
While it might not make that much sense to break up the flow of the story in the main text to give that inside, this can be easily executed in the epilogue.
This way, this part of the book can:
- Provide a new point of view: Show the events of the story from a different character’s perspective.
- Offer a new interpretation: Provide a fresh take on the themes and messages of the story.
- Reflect on the story: Offer a final reflection on the significance of the story.
4. Highlight Important Themes
Finally, a great epilogue is where you can reiterate or juxtapose the main themes in your book, sometimes even going as far as changing their meaning before that last page is turned.
The epilogue can be a great space to show a character’s growth and their relationship to the main themes, which gives readers a chance to deepen their understanding of the story.
An epilogue can:
- Reinforce the story’s central message: Use the epilogue to reiterate the main theme or moral of the story.
- Connect loose ends to the theme: Show how seemingly unrelated plot points contribute to the overall theme.
- Offer a final reflection on the theme: Provide a thought-provoking conclusion that leaves the reader pondering the story’s meaning.
5 Tips for Writing a Good Epilogue
In truth, there is no one simple recipe to write an effective epilogue. We prepared some useful tips to help you start.
1. Know When to Use an Epilogue
That’s the most important advice we can give you. Just because you can write an epilogue doesn’t mean you should. Use it when you want to provide closure, set up a sequel, or offer a final reflection. If all of those objectives are achieved in your last chapters, there’s no need to further extend the story.
Remember
The best writing is intentional. If someone asked you why you decided to include a prologue or an epilogue, would you be able to justify that decision?
2. Keep it Concise
An epilogue, in most cases, should be brief and to the point. It’s not a regular chapter, but a final note. Keep in mind that most readers carry certain expectations regarding this part of the book. Most of them are excited to finish the story, especially since the main plot has already been resolved in the prior chapters.
Avoid adding unnecessary details or plot points. Keep your epilogue between 5 and 10 pages.
Pro Tip
You can use tools like Voxtury’s Online Rich Text Editor to refine your writing in the epilogue, catching all the repetitive words and phrases.
3. Experiment
This might seem like the antithesis of our last, quite formulaic point; however, it’s really not, and here is why.
An epilogue is a separate part of the book for a reason. It assumes a greater level of flexibility. It’s not uncommon to change perspectives or separate the events of the main story and epilogue by years or decades.
This is exactly how you achieve this additional value of an epilogue, offering your audience a new outlook on the events and characters they grew to love.
4. Trust the Reader
We’ve said before that an epilogue is a great place to highlight prominent themes and tie up loose ends, and that’s still true. However, a modern (adult) audience doesn’t require you to hold their hands through it.
What we mean by that is that you should be mindful of very one note, the tell-all kind of wrap-ups, which don’t leave much room for interpretation or nuance.
Your readers are smart. They crave stories that are layered. Your epilogue should match those expectations, especially if that is the quality you maintain in your main story.
If you’re creating for adult audiences, try to stay away from endings that are too simple. Be careful in how you talk about the main theme. Don’t simply reiterate the main message you want the reader to take away from your book. Choosing more subtle approaches will earn you some dedicated fans.
5. Use a Strong Ending
Now, this piece of advice may not work for every project, so take it with a grain of salt. If you’re going for a more “here’s what happened to them in the end” type of ending, you don’t need to intrigue the reader more.
But, if you want to entice them to reach for a sequel, shock them to get your message across, or simply ensure your story stays with them for longer, consider a powerful image, a thought-provoking question, or a hopeful note.
Strong endings that inspire emotions are always better than bland ones that could be skipped with no difference for the reader.
Make each page count.
Epilogue Examples – Learn From the Best
What are some of the best examples of very well-executed epilogues in modern literature? Let’s dive in!
- “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” by Suzanne Collins – The epilogue of “Mockingjay” offers a glimpse into Katniss and Peeta’s future. They have two children and live a relatively peaceful life. However, the trauma of the Hunger Games still lingers, affecting their daily lives. It’s bittersweet yet hopeful. It’s the world they have fought for, and the burden of that fight is still present despite the passage of time.
- “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T.J. Klune – The epilogue of “The House in the Cerulean Sea” is a bittersweet farewell to the magical island and its extraordinary children. Linus returns to his mundane job at DICOMY, haunted by memories of the island and its inhabitants. He dreams of the ocean, the garden, and the unique personalities of each child. Despite the longing, he finds solace in the knowledge that he has changed their lives, and they have changed his. The bittersweet tone perfectly captures the complex emotions of leaving behind a place that has become a second home.
- “The Ten Thousand Doors of January” by Alix E. Harrow – The book includes a poignant and hopeful conclusion to January’s journey. It delivers on the promise of countless doors and the potential for extraordinary adventures. Also, it suggests that the story of January and her family is just beginning, leaving the door open for future adventures.
Final Thoughts
As you now know, there are many ways to deliver a good ending to a book. While you don’t have to include an epilogue in your own story to make it a memorable one, doing so gives you a nice opportunity to close the loose ends, highlight the main themes, or open new avenues.
Whatever you decide to do, hopefully, you’ll find plenty of support on our website. Be sure to check out our book writing tips and resources to hone your writing skills.
