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Matthew
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: February 2015
Messages: 73
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Hey I'm curious about what peoples,opinions are on epilogues
Do stories need them to end a story
What do you expect from an epilogue,
What don't you want from an epilogue
I won't lie, i am approaching the end of my story and currently i don't intend on using an epilogue, but i am still curious about them and wanted to see what other people thought and gauge if i am making a mistake in not using one.
I have read quite a few good ones, but at the same time i have read some that were either confusing or under whelming, or both and again i guess i am just curious on the general consensus
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Think about if you buy a regular book. Does it have an epilogue? Is one needed? Few do and in my opinion, that is about right.
A story needs a closer to the plot, but once that is done, little more needs said. In the on-line world the epilogue to a gay story is rather common, too common if you ask me. Probably the best advice would be to see how the story looks at the final chapter and take it from there.
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Matthew
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: February 2015
Messages: 73
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"Nick "Think about if you buy a regular book. Does it have an epilogue? Is one needed? Few do and in my opinion, that is about right.
A story needs a closer to the plot, but once that is done, little more needs said. In the on-line world the epilogue to a gay story is rather common, too common if you ask me. Probably the best advice would be to see how the story looks at the final chapter and take it from there.
--
Good advice and i agree, at the moment i am happy with the ending i have, but it is always good to keep an open mind until the ending is submitted.
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ChrisR
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Likes it here |
Location: Western US
Registered: October 2014
Messages: 136
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Many good stories call for an epilogue. Very, very few call for the author to provide it.
Think how many times you've heard a little kid ask, "What happened then?" It opens the mind to endless possibilities. Ten different people will offer eleven different answers. Perhaps it's why fairy tales end simply with, "And they all lived happily after," lest Junior wants to stay up all night listing alternative endings!
Some films use an epilogue scene. The epilogue from Stand By Me is a true classic and places the entire film we've just seen into its context. Beautifully done. A rarity.
Most book and movie epilogues are adult variations on "And they all lived happily ever after." Not necessary. If your reader is that curious, we live in the world of internet where people can meet and ask each other and, occasionally, even the author! Let's all enjoy the afterglow together of a good read.
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bisexualguy
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Toe is in the water |
Location: United States
Registered: November 2012
Messages: 30
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I have definite ideas on this, and will explain my reasoning.
If there is almost no possibility in the writer's mind of a sequel, an epilogue (or epilog) is okay to have. One of the best stories I have read, Billy and Danny on Nifty, has a great epilog. Billy and Danny would NOT fit into this board.
If a sequel is planned, no epilog is necessary, unless a considerable amount of time lapses between the first story and the sequel. The epilog of one story might serve as the prequel of another.
Epilogs are very helpful if there are many "loose ends" of story plots hanging around, yet would not add very much to the story if continued and addressed. At times, one sentence can wind things up instead of an epilog. For example, one book I read as a kid wrapped all plot lines up except one, and the author dealt with it thusly: "But they never did find Mrs. Peppercorn's bicycle."
I think it should be up to the author and the author's editor (if there is an editor) to choose whether or not to include an epilog.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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"Matthew wrote on Mon, 18 May 2015 13:07"Hey I'm curious about what peoples,opinions are on epilogues
Do stories need them to end a story
What do you expect from an epilogue,
What don't you want from an epilogue
I won't lie, i am approaching the end of my story and currently i don't intend on using an epilogue, but i am still curious about them and wanted to see what other people thought and gauge if i am making a mistake in not using one.
I have read quite a few good ones, but at the same time i have read some that were either confusing or under whelming, or both and again i guess i am just curious on the general consensus
--
The reason for an epilogue is a technical one. If there is a large time distance between the final chapter and the eventual end of the story, that is the right use for an epilogue. If you just want to sognifiy that it has ended, "The End" works better. Best is just finishing. Like life, stories should end unfinished, though with important loose ends tied up.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Quote:ChrisR wrote on Mon, 18 May 2015 15:19Some films use an epilogue scene. The epilogue from Stand By Me is a true classic and places the entire film we've just seen into its context. Beautifully done. A rarity.
The film 'Stand by Me' is rare in that the tale of the boys is told by one of them (can't remember who) as an older man. So it is tailor made to have an epilogue and does it very well.
A book that doesn't have an epilogue by name, that sort of does in the way the end of the story is tackled is 'The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint' by Brady Udal. Not a gay story, but an excellent read - my copy is well thumbed.
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Matthew
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: February 2015
Messages: 73
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Cheers for the replies and it's good to see everyone's opinions and for me I'm going to stick with my planned ending, i don't see a Epilogue adding anything to the story and I'm confident that people will like it that way.
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Andichan
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Getting started |
Location: Hillmorton UK
Registered: December 2014
Messages: 26
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Matthew.
For me I use the term epilogue to indicate that this particular chapter is the final one in the story, closure if you like.
Quite a few stories on here don't make that distinction and I find myself waiting for further chapters.
Andy.
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Matthew
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: February 2015
Messages: 73
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Quote:Andichan wrote on Mon, 25 May 2015 11:35Matthew.
For me I use the term epilogue to indicate that this particular chapter is the final one in the story, closure if you like.
Quite a few stories on here don't make that distinction and I find myself waiting for further chapters.
--
Ah well i can get that reasoning, i don't think i will go the same route, but it is another way of looking at the use of an epilogue (love sayiing the word, for so long i had no idea how to pronounce it and had to ask someone at work hehe)
Btw keep up the good work and i am so happy you got boy on a towpath on this site, although i still prefer Loneliness as my favourite story of yours
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Oh dear!
I tend to use epilogues, perhaps because my stories are written in the past. My stories tend to depict events that have a major influence on the future so giving at least a clue as to what happened next is sometimes helpful as real life we often don't know what happened to the 'other party'.
A case in point. I am currently writing what is either a novel or long novella. This work currently has a starting point and a draft end point but the middle is still being worked on. The question is, do I leave the end as 'they all lived happily thereafter', leave that bit to the imagination or as currently written leave a bit of mystery about one character whilst resolving what happened with the other?
To me, one always knows one's own trajectory but there are always going to be people who were important to you at one stage who go off in a different direction. What happened to that love interest you met at school? How come the school bully became very successful as an adult? Life is far more inventive than fiction!
Ian
[Updated on: Wed, 27 May 2015 12:55]
Visit my Blog: http://thepaintheagony.blogspot.co.uk/
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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"Ian John Copeland wrote on Wed, 27 May 2015 13:53"Oh dear!
I tend to use epilogues, perhaps because my stories are written in the past. My stories tend to depict events that have a major influence on the future so giving at least a clue as to what happened next is sometimes helpful as real life we often don't know what happened to the 'other party'.
A case in point. I am currently writing what is either a novel or long novella. This work currently has a starting point and a draft end point but the middle is still being worked on. The question is, do I leave the end as 'they all lived happily thereafter', leave that bit to the imagination or as currently written leave a bit of mystery about one character whilst resolving what happened with the other?
To me, one always knows one's own trajectory but there are always going to be people who were important to you at one stage who go off in a different direction. What happened to that love interest you met at school? How come the school bully became very successful as an adult? Life is far more inventive than fiction!
Ian
--
My view is that a story should mirror real life in the way the author requires. I'm happy with loose ends. My life has them in spades.
- The boy I adored
- My Best Man, who lost touch with me, has been back in touch, expressed interest in reconnecting, but never manages to
- People I used to sail with
- Old school colleagues whom I liked and thought I was friends with. One was exceptionally unpleasantly rude when I emailed him several years ago
- Loads more
I want many loose ends tied up in a tale, but not all, by no means all.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Mark
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Likes it here |
Location: Earth
Registered: April 2013
Messages: 279
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Well, I turned to Webster's New World College Dictionary (4th ed.), and the first of the three definitions it provides for the word "epilogue" is "a closing section added to a novel, play, etc., providing further comment, interpretation, or information."
That is, in some ways, rather how I view an epilogue - it doesn't add anything that's really needed in the main part of the story, but is a sort of "Where are they now?" type of thing (giving a short telling of what happened to the main characters many years after the events of the main story) and perhaps throwing in a few other fun little tidbits of information. ("Stand By Me" is, for me, an excellent example of both of these - not only do we find out what happens to the main characters after their adventure, but we also find out that the bulk of the movie is really a flashback of sorts to the events in question, as one of the characters is writing a book about it years later.) Sometimes it can be used to wrap up minor loose threads or provide other explanations that just, for whatever reason, couldn't be handled effectively in the rest of the story (I like Ian's comments on "and they lived happily ever after..."; sometimes an author might want to expand a bit on that - think of the epilogue at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).
However, i also an epilogue isn't always necessary. It can depend on how things are wrapped up in the "regular" part of the story as to whether anything else really needs to be said.
[Updated on: Wed, 27 May 2015 23:24] |
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Matthew
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: February 2015
Messages: 73
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Well i guess if i get a lot of questions about what happens to the characters after i finish the story, i may consider an epilogue, but it really depends on a number of factors and right now it isn't something i will plan for.
Thank you for everyone's views on the subject though, it definitely helped me get a good idea of what and epilogue is and how it should be used.
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Looks like I agree with the consensus. An epilogue shouldn't be anything like a 'final chapter'. It should only exist to sort of put a bow on things that aren't part of the story line covered by the story itself. It can address things that didn't happen within the story, and things that happened after the story took place. If it is more of a last chapter, wrapping up the story, then it's the last chapter, not an epilogue at all.
An epilogue I'm working on now doesn't follow the narration/perspective of the story. I'm using a different perspective or view, by a character who had no voice in the story, as the story was first-person perspective by the main character. It goes something like...
'Hi, I'm blah, (main character's best friend) and I just wanted to let you know that blah and blah did eventually get along, and that blah told blah about blah, and blah didn't blah when blah told blah about blah. See, I managed to convince blah that blahing blah was something he thought was a huge mistake afterward. It started when I..... and that's how he found out. So, it all worked out. And I didn't tell blah about blah, even though blah (the main character telling the story) told you so. That's why he thought so, though. So it wasn't his fault he blah-blah-blah, it was mine.
The parenthetical remarks weren't part of the text, I added them to maybe make more sense of what I'm trying to get across here. The epiloge was the second character talking, instead of the main character as it had been throughout the story. He even spoke with the character's inflections and tone instead of the main character, or dryly and factually. My point being, the prologue was the main character's best friend having his voice for the first and only time, explaining some plot points that didn't and couldn't be explained by the main character, as he didn't know about the facts or events. And the last line reveals a main plot twist, and ends the entire story on that revelation.
So an epilogue can be very different from the story itself, and IMHO it should. Though I and others have done an epilogue in the main character's voice and style as well. It's very flexible. I've even seen some done as if written by an omniscient overseer and some done as the author himself.
[Updated on: Sun, 31 May 2015 13:05]
raysstories.com
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larkin
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Toe is in the water |
Location: Massachusetts
Registered: June 2015
Messages: 58
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Me first post:
An epilogue can be a wonderful solution to a long story with divergent plotlines and character complexities, that reaches a state of irresolvable calamity and suddenly the story ends.
Are all their lives ruined?
The epilogue moves into the future and ties all the loose ends together. Some with sad endings or unexpected but most happy resolutions leaving the reader with some sense of satisfaction. A great epilogue can be a thing of beauty that can haunt you long after you've put the book back on the shelf.
Conversely it can also be a cheap trick if the author is at a loss of what to do and can not finish the story doing justice to the original effort.
There are acceptable or appropriate epilogues that meet the story's structure and then there are bad epilogues that are just an excuse to get the author out of a dead end story. This will destroy the entire story.
I am guilty of both..
It is better to put the story aside for a while and then go back to it later.
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ChrisR
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Likes it here |
Location: Western US
Registered: October 2014
Messages: 136
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You've made some good points here. Thanks.
The only problem with that last one - setting it aside for a while - is when you have a thousand loyal readers who are dying to learn what happens to Bubba, Fred and Marcus! Things could get ugly real quick! 
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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"Quote:"ChrisR wrote on Sat, 06 June 2015 18:04You've made some good points here. Thanks.
The only problem with that last one - setting it aside for a while - is when you have a thousand loyal readers who are dying to learn what happens to Bubba, Fred and Marcus! Things could get ugly real quick!
--
"Life went on like that for some time. Eventually, though, Bubba decided things had to change, so he shot Fred, and tied Marcus to a cross, where he disembowelled him, eating the heart and the liver. Yes, it was a typical week in Scunthorpe."
Job done!
That'll teach them to want all the loose ends tied up!
[Updated on: Sat, 06 June 2015 17:22]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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ChrisR
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Likes it here |
Location: Western US
Registered: October 2014
Messages: 136
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Timmy, you make a wonderful host.
As a writer, um, well, ahhh, you make a wonderful host!
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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Quote:ChrisR wrote on Sun, 07 June 2015 01:37Timmy, you make a wonderful host.
As a writer, um, well, ahhh, you make a wonderful host!
--
I resemble that remark
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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larkin
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Toe is in the water |
Location: Massachusetts
Registered: June 2015
Messages: 58
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Quote:ChrisR wrote on Sat, 06 June 2015 17:04You've made some good points here. Thanks.
The only problem with that last one - setting it aside for a while - is when you have a thousand loyal readers who are dying to learn what happens to Bubba, Fred and Marcus! Things could get ugly real quick!
--ChrisR, Thank you for responding.
I agree, causing the reader to wait and wait and wait is unforgivable but then one should hold back publishing the story only upon completion.
I have never written to an outline or a to structured story line. I have no idea what the story is going to be about but I know it will involve boys.
I often design a desirable character, give him a set of attributes and then drop them into a situation that is sure to provoke a conflict and then, let the character write the story. It is not the character's hair color or their blue eyes that tells the story, it is their personality and nature that tells the story.
I let my muse guide me but unfortunately sometimes a story fizzles. I have used an epilogue on 2 occasions but I've used only when it was right.
I also have stories that just died and even an epilogue couldn't save them.
I used to publish on Japanese sites and the feed-back was incredible and it fueled my writing. But one day, they all suddenly vanished.
Nifty readers want mostly wank-media..Not that's there's anything wrong with it..but one can expect almost no feedback.
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