Epilogue, from the Greek ἐπιλέγως epilogos, is the concluding chapter of a literary work. It's a complete part, like a small chapter of its own. It's the opposite of the prologue and can be used to let people know about the future developments of the story.
Key verbs:
• To conclude.• To solve.
The epilogue comes after the story is over and serves as a finishing touch. It can serve to give the opportunity to reflect on everything that has happened in the story that has just ended. It does not replace the ending.
When to use an epilogue?
An epilogue can also offer readers a more purposeful sense of resolution, emphasize character development, and allow the author to choose which note to end the story on. It can also be a means by which to settle loose ends.
A powerful epilogue should also show us how history has affected these characters and what they've been through.
An epilogue, such as the ending to the first book of a saga, for example, can serve as a nod to the direction of upcoming events in the characters' lives, letting us know that that's not all. It's a great way to keep readers hooked on the series and often includes a gripping plot twist.
The trick to crafting a sequel with a twisted epilogue is to sow the seeds early. You have to weave enough information into the main body of the story so that when the climax arrives, readers have a basis on which to speculate in anticipation of the next novel.
Sometimes an epilogue can provide a final look at the theme of your novel, whether from a different era, setting, or point of view. Be careful not to break the novel's tone or pacing too much, or else the epilogue will end up sounding like an introduction to a new story, rather than a conclusion to the current one.
If there's nothing important to say, don't say it. Of course, you could go on to explain where your characters are ten years into the future, but if that doesn't contribute significantly to the reader's understanding of the story, the characters, or their world, then leave it alone. If you doubt its need, that's a sure sign it shouldn't be there.
