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How to Use Prologues, Part 11, Prologues and Epilogues


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H i SErs! It’s a day of Consistency here at Story Empire Today, I want to discuss epilogues in relation to beginnings. Here’s a link to the previous post on Wrap-up of Tools.

What is an Epilogue?

An epilogue resembles a beginning because it contributes to the primary story. The primary distinction is that an epilogue comes at completion of the book instead of the start. So, where a beginning comes prior to the primary story, an epilogue comes after all the other occasions have actually occurred. An epilogue can leap method ahead in time or just an hour or a day or 2. Nevertheless, it MUST be connected to the occasions and characters your reader has actually ended up being knowledgeable about throughout the primary story. Just like a beginning, just utilize an epilogue if the info does not fit within the primary story … for instance: to present a brand-new character or dive ahead in time.

Does a Beginning need an epilogue?

The fast and simple response here is no. The 2 are different tools and can be utilized individually, separately, or can bookend one another.

Why utilize an Epilogue?

  1. To mean a follow up.
  2. To restrict the possibility of a follow up.
  3. Additional advance the story to a gratifying resolution.
  4. Present a brand-new however associated component of stress (to establish a follow up, as in point one however more certain).

How to utilize an Epilogue:

  • Relate these brand-new occasions to your primary story: Firstly, you need to guarantee connection. Otherwise, there is no point in including an epilogue.
  • Keep it succinct and pertinent: Completion of your primary story will have been filled with stress and feeling of some sort, and the last thing you desire is to leave your reader sensation as though they are now learning treacle, and– even worse still– for no factor.
  • Epilogues and Afterwords: Whichever you utilize, this last writing ought to reveal result, impact, and modification. In my book, FALLOUT, I utilized an epilogue to delve into the future to demonstrate how the characters were handling the ‘fallout’ and all the troubled modifications they ‘d simply endured. In this circumstances, I restored among the small characters from the opening chapter as a method to bring closure for the primary character at the end and to complete her character arc.

Summary: Just like a beginning, an epilogue is just required if the info does not fit within the primary story. Keep your epilogue concise and pertinent. Stimulate feeling (which sort will rely on your story and its category).

TOP SUGGESTION: When you compose a great epilogue, and have a legitimate factor for utilizing one, it will boost your story instead of interfere with it.

Keep In Mind: There are NO mandatory guidelines. You can do anything you desire, as long as you do it wel l and with excellent factor.

In my last post, Paula Cappa had some fantastic concerns about epilogues, and I intend to have actually addressed them in this post. (Thanks for your charming input, Paula!) If I have not covered all those inquiries, or if any of you have more concerns, please let me understand in the remarks, and I will do my finest to use clearness.

That’s it from me today. I hope you have actually discovered this series of posts beneficial. I’ll see you once again on Wednesday 22nd February, when we’ll close up this series on beginnings with a simple, at-a-glance summary of the entire subject

Bio Box for Harmony Kent that links to her website www.harmonykent.co.uk

The beginning series up until now:

Part One, Prologues Summary

Sequel, What a Beginning Is and Isn’t

Part 3, Beginning Dos and Do n’ts

Part 4, Does Your Story Required a Beginning?

Part 5, Backstory Shipment

Part 6, Spoilers Ahoy

Part 7, Unforeseen Ideas

Part 8, Outsider’s Report

Part 9: In Media Res

Part 10: Wrap-up of Tools

© 2023 Consistency Kent


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