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Hey all! As a couple of you probably have noticed, your guildmaster is currently off (on a skiing trip, of all things) and I have stepped in again as a substitute. 😛

Before leaving, she did give me this week’s lesson for you guys, so I’ll step out of the spotlight and hand it over to her.

 

Hello from your absent Guildmaster, Parimis! I hope you’re being nice to @Jane-Maree.

I have a short lesson that doesn’t involve tons of questions, (maybe) but I’m sure Jane will be happy to answer any until I get back next week, and then I’ll check everything and answer questions too.

This is a nice follow on from our last lesson, so, hopefully it is all right! Introducing… Epilogues!!!

Unlike prologues, one rarely sees and epilogue as a cheap way to build suspense. Rather, people have a habit of using it as a cheap way to diminish tension. Who’s seen it before: the two main characters settle down, get married, and live happily ever after…and maybe it mentions the next generation and let’s the readers hope that there will be more?

Now, there’s nothing wrong with this use of an epilogue, but you can do so much more.

Now, here are some simple things that will make your prologues and epilogues more enjoyable, as well as let you know if you need one.

1. The epilogue is typically slightly outside of the book itself. Like the prologue, it is used to look at things a bit differently. It is often a few years later, back to the narrator’s present tense, or from an different character’s point of view. Some classic examples of these are Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Name of the Wind, and The Way of Kings. If your ‘epilogue’ is tied in directly with the last chapter, from the same character’s point of view, and doesn’t seem to have a different feel to  it from the other chapters, then probably don’t label it as an ‘epilogue.’
2. The epilogue should not bring any huge plot twists, unless it is something very slight, or is leading on to a second book. That is a very rambly sentence, I know. As examples, it is not okay to end a book with the main character waking up from a dream. That is NOT a cool plot twist. That is not okay for the epilogue, or the prologue. I actually would argue that if about five chapters of the middle are dreaming, and that dreams ends up relating to reality later on it the book, it is okay then. But not in the epilogue.
   You also should not kill off the main character in the epilogue. That is not fun. Sorry, but no. I’ve read books where this happens, and it is a no. It seems like a cheap ending, and generally doesn’t leave the reader time to recover. If there is a second book, it can work. It really is different for each book.
   Same goes with resurrecting characters. You can, but often it lets the reader down. Just suddenly saying that someone can come back to life in time for the ending. Trying to avoid doing that is ideal.
3. Tying prologues and epilogues together is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I mean, agh. I love it so much. There aren’t even words to describe it. Again, Name of the Wind does this brilliantly. When you write a prologue and an epilogue, it is really cool if you can get the two to somewhat relate to each other. Maybe end with the line you started with, or have it set in the same place. Maybe have the same thing be happening, but the character has changed and grown so much since the start that it now seems different. See what fun things you can tie in.
4. Don’t let the tension die. The epilogue is a good way to tie up loose ends, and you don’t want to do that until the last sentence. If you have everything resolved by the last chapter, then have an epilogue, it isn’t as engaging. Keep up with the use of your choice of information. Drop in reminders to the characters’ backstories and what has happened in the book. Mention that scar on your protagonist’s hand. Remind us of the watch by having the character glance down at their bare wrist. It keeps that familiar tension from the story there, but allows the reader to still feel the joy after reaching the end.
5. Keep the tone. Just because you’ve reached the end means that you get to suddenly change what was a dark book into a light book. Let the reader feel the same mood that they had when you first started the book. Keep this consistent throughout.

 

Your task? Again, look at your WIP. Does it need an epilogue? What would it look like with one? Do you know of any good examples of one?

Have fun!

 

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Note: if you have any questions, I am absolutely very willing to answer them. Just shoot away and I’ll come back to answer them for you. 😀