When considering whether or not to conclude one of my novels with an epilogue, I came across this essay:
http://writerunboxed.com/2012/10/30/after-the-end-the-epilogue/
In part:
Something to think about, maybe.
Thanks a lot for posting the link kkbe it is really helpful and provides a good basis for questioning the need for an epilogue or not. I have cut and pasted an earlier post of mine below that adds a little more information/insight to the epilogue question
Hello All
this is my first Post so apologies in advance for any mistakes.
Ok so I am just about finished my first 75,000 word novel. It is predominantly a work of Humour /Satire about a modern day Aristocratic or Landed Gentry family Father , Mother, Adult son, who are on the run from Interpol and flee from England to Rural Italy. The entire novel takes place over one week and the MC of the novel is the father of the family who also owns a bank.
The plot is delibertely set at a fairly fast pace as there is a lot of action and dialogue usually connected with the terrible disasters the family cause in the little Italian town,either independently or as a group on a daily basis.
However (and this is the crux of my question) the last chapter has been purposely written with a definate twist (even though clues had been dropped earlier on in previous chapters) and becomes a lot more serious than all the previous chapters revealing hidden secrets about the characters that the reader would not have known.This is mostly achieved via a letter that is left from one character to another conveying secrets and lies that had been told years ago, Also within this letter is another letter written forty two years ago that provides the proof in relation to the secrets and lays to rest the unresolved ghosts of the past.
"My question is even though essentially the novel is a comedy/satire.Do you think it is still OK to finish the story on a serious note that possibly provokes the reader to think on a deeper level about the events of the novel ? or Do you think the reader will feel ripped of if they are not having a big Ha ha ha belly laugh right up untill the end ....... BTW there is a sequel in the pipeline !! "
OK so that is the post related to the epilogue question ...... and after reading your link and finishing the final chapter I think an epilogue or another chapter is definitely needed.
My only concern is which should it be ? I am not too sure how far into the future the new information needs to be introduced before it can be titled an Epilogue .... in my case the Main characters are only one day into the future but clearly already out of the ending of the main story ... if that makes sense ?
Can an epilogue be an epilogue even if it is only one day into the future ? ..... does this still make it viable as an epilogue or does it have to be more than a few weeks/months/years into the future?
I dont want to start a new chapter as this Epilogue is meant to be a bit of a teaser into the sequel as well as adding information important to the main story and a final check on all the characters and what happened to them .... seeing as though they had left the story two chapters before the end ....... in dire circumstances !!!
The Epilogue also begins in the exact same cicumstances as the first chapter .... ie they are all travelling in a car together to an unknown destination ....... hence once again the start of a new journey ........ hope this makesa abit more sense and helps clarify my questions !!