I Love Epilogues (Here’s Why)

If the title didn’t give it away, I love epilogues. They’re one of my favorite things both to read and to write. I’ve written an epilogue into just about every single one of my books. It’s my favorite way to conclude a series, and when I stopped to think about it, I realized that there’s got to be a reason why. What makes an epilogue such a great way to end a book? 

First of all, what even is an epilogue?

The dictionary defines an epilogue as “a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.” I think that sums it up pretty well. An epilogue is a chance to say one last thing. Frequently, epilogues are a way to say something that you couldn’t say in the rest of the book. They may be from the perspective of a different character or take place several years in the future. An epilogue can be a way to give more resolution to the end of the book, or taunt your reader by telling them that this isn’t over yet. It’s a very versatile piece of writing. 

And that is why it’s my favorite tool when ending a book. I like complicated characters. I do my best to write characters that have a lot going on, whether it be good, bad, or neither. And the thing with complex characters is they tend to create complex problems. And the bigger and more intricate the problem, the more time you have to spend solving it. The deeper the trauma, the more lengthy the healing. 

Enter the epilogue. 

I’m going to go through the two different types of epilogues and how they each serve a different purpose, but how both are equally potent depending on the book’s needs.  

The first type of epilogue is a Happy Ending. It’s where you skip ahead, whether it be a few days, weeks, or years, and show what the character’s life looks like now. With all that time behind them, they were able to heal from the semi-broken state they were in at the last chapter. It’s essentially saying “And they lived happily ever after, don’t worry.”

I’ve used this type of epilogue twice, once in The Queen’s Children to wrap up the trilogy, and once in Leopard’s Strike, for the same reason. This is probably my favorite type of epilogue, because I like when the actual chapters end with only a bit of resolution. Just enough that it feels like this could be the ending, but you’re really happy when you turn the page and there’s an epilogue. In both cases, the epilogue takes place a couple years after the events of the final chapter, and a great deal of healing and growth has taken place in between them. 

The last chapter was the end. The epilogue, in this case, is a chance for the reader to get a glimpse of what the character’s life looks like now. (I also love to use this type of epilogue to show the development of relationships, particularly romantic ones) 

Plenty of other authors use Happy Ending epilogues in their books. Jessica Day George does in Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. Others utilize this type of ending in the future, but just don’t call it an epilogue. Kara Swanson and Jeanne Birdsall are two great examples of this. 

The second type of epilogue is the Uh Oh. This is one I haven’t employed as much, simply because I haven’t needed to. However, after receiving some feedback on Tiger Lily, I’ve decided to add an Uh Oh epilogue to the end of this book. I don’t want to spoil it too much, but the book itself ends with quite a bit of resolution. The only problems left facing the characters seem far away and, frankly, unproblematic. I’ll be using this epilogue as a tool to say, “Actually, these problems are going to be quite the headache in the next book.” I’ll also be using this to introduce a point of view that will be entering the next book, but wasn’t used in the first one. So it serves a dual purpose, uniting to make my reader think “uh oh.”

Madigan Thompson uses Uh Oh epilogues in her work, which is unreleased as of right now. I had the privilege to read it as a fellow author and observe her masterful use of a final foreboding voice. Her character is unannounced and we don’t know who he is, but we do know that he means trouble for the main character, who thinks everything is finally over. 

The main point of an Uh Oh epilogue is to do the exact opposite of a Happy Ending epilogue. Instead of giving the reader closure and making them sigh with relief, it makes them worried and hooked for the next book. It effectively undoes all of the resolution you gave the character –but only for the reader. 

We all know (hopefully) the feeling of closing a book and letting out a sigh, or a smile at how things finally worked out for the characters. And we all know what it’s like to end a book on a cliffhanger. An epilogue is almost a way to end a book twice. 

I love epilogues (both kinds) because they are so good when done right. It’s a way for authors to skip ahead to the good part without leaving the reader unsatisfied, or leave the reader with a burning worry for the next book. A very useful tool and one I would love to see more of. In the end, an epilogue is a way to connect with the characters one last time. A final farewell, if you will. Or it’s the author torturing the readers. Both are good.