Epilogue or not

[Fyle]

So, I have been writing a novel for over a year now. The story and every chapter is completed, I am now editing and shortening the novel since it ended on 317k words and I wanna cut it down to under 300k (now on 308k).

The story ends on a note that closes all the major storylines the reader was invested in and leaves open some minor plotlines, mysteries ect.

My question is, should I write an epilogue and what exactly is the purpose of an epilogue? To me it seems like aftermath that could be more... if that makes sense.

Is it there to just fill in something the reader may have been wondering about you did not include in the flow of the story? Is it there to maybe leave another question open ended? I am not totally sure.



Comments, suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

 

[Trick]

My interpretation is, if you have more to say but it just isn't another chapter, write an epilogue. It can be used in a myriad of ways. It could be one of those mysteries you mentioned, seemingly resolving but in fact growing deeper. This is not a cliffhanger, it's an invitation. It says, "I didn't forget about the small unresolved things and, by the way, they're not that small."

I like epilogues. But I like prologues, so, take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Fyle]

I like prologues too.

Thanks Trick, thats a good start.

 

[Terry Greer]

I like epilogues - they can put story into context in a way nothing else can. They can allow a story to be seen from a perspective totally outside the events told in the novel.

Yes - they do run the risk of feeling a bit tacked on - but that can also act as a superb end to a tale - so the devil (as always) is in how you implement it.

 

[skip.knox]

Write it. Only by writing it can you know. After all, just because you write it doesn't mean you have to use it.

 

[stephenspower]

My novel has an epilogue that was originally the opening to the sequel, so it closes down at least one storyline, it also functions as a teaser.

 

[Svrtnsse]

I too have an epilogue.
The main story line takes place over six days and at the end there's a fairly big question left unanswered. The answer to that question comes in the epilogue, which takes place a few months after the main story ends.

 

[spectre]

Robert Jordan used at least one of his epilogues to lead into the next book although I forget which one it was. To me a Prologue is more apt to contain information with minor relevance to the story but still within it's structure but it might be a big foreshadowing, Robert Jordan used prologues in that way too. An epilogue in a lot of books is like how the characters ended up or leading to a new book as I've ever seen them.

 

[Fyle]

Write it. Only by writing it can you know. After all, just because you write it doesn't mean you have to use it.

Sure. This is true.

I planned on writting it no matter what. I just didnt understand its exact function

 

[Penpilot]

I've used epilogues and prologues. For me, epilogues give closure. You might ask why not just have that in the last chapter? I think of epilogues in a similar way to prologues. They can happening after a span of time has passed. They can happen if told from a different POV than the story. They can also happen if you want to close one door and maybe open up another one just a crack for further stories.

 

[Fyle]

I've used epilogues and prologues. For me, epilogues give closure. You might ask why not just have that in the last chapter? I think of epilogues in a similar way to prologues. They can happening after a span of time has passed. They can happen if told from a different POV than the story. They can also happen if you want to close one door and maybe open up another one just a crack for further stories.

Ya, thats good advice too.

Thanks.

Could be from any angle...

 

[K.S. Crooks]

I see an epilogue as a way to show how life continues for the characters after the events of the story are complete. The events in the epilogue can jump to any location or time. It is also a useful way to set the stage for a sequel to the story.

 

[Fyle]

I see an epilogue as a way to show how life continues for the characters after the events of the story are complete. The events in the epilogue can jump to any location or time. It is also a useful way to set the stage for a sequel to the story.

Ya, i was wondering if i wanna leave it as a set up for a possible sequel.

I would like the book to be able to stand alone, which it does as is... for the most part

 

[Chessie]

Can prologues and epilogues both be used in the same story? I don't think I've ever seen it done this way, so I'm just curious.

 

[X Equestris]

Can prologues and epilogues both be used in the same story? I don't think I've ever seen it done this way, so I'm just curious.

Yes, they can be done. A Song of Ice and Fire is the best example I can think of, though there are certainly others.

 

[Fyle]

Yes, they can be done. A Song of Ice and Fire is the best example I can think of, though there are certainly others.

Thats what i was thinking...

Anything asoiaf did, cant be that bad... how many copies sold before the tv show？

I think a lot. I doubt a prologue or epilouge turned a single reader off in anyway.

 

[Incanus]

I think the epilogue is a strucural concern. I see it as an option for handling the denouement material of the story. In deciding whether or not to employ one, I would ask the question: "Can the wrap-up stuff be dealt with right after the climax of the story's events, within the same chapter? Or should this material be separated out and put in an epilogue?" I think the nature of the story, and the amount of material needed, are likely going to suggest which choice to go with.

At least, that's the way I see it.