Ending a Story

Epilogues - article

Author Learning Center — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 19:01:19 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by Author Learning Center on 6/23/2025 7:01:19 PM

An epilogue is defined by Merriam Webster as a concluding section that rounds out the design of a literary work; in simple terms, the concluding section of a story. Some books refer to it as an “Afterword”, but the gist is the same. It’s a way to tie up loose ends, or to inform the reader of the ultimate fate of a character or characters.

But why would an author wait until the epilogue to conclude the story? Why not wrap up the story within the story itself? This makes the reading experience far more satisfactory, and speaks volumes about your talents as a writer and a storyteller.

Granted, sometimes an epilogue can be appropriate, even preferable. Those instances are rare. But when you, as an author, feel that an epilogue is necessary, there are some simple rules you should follow:

Keep the epilogue “short and sweet.” If it’s not worth including in the body of the story, it’s not worth a great deal of words.
Address smaller issues, not critical plot elements. For example, things that happen long after the story has concluded.
Consider using the narration style and speaking directly to the reader.
Be concise, to the point. Don’t ramble. Rambling on and on is always bad, but ever so much more obvious when it’s in an epilogue.
Ideally, the epilogue should include something humorous or surprising. It may not have been considered worthy of including in the main body of the book, but adds to the readers’ enjoyment of the overall work.
If you’re planning a sequel, the epilogue can be a good way to open the readers’ eyes to this possibility. For example, if the main character of your book dies at the end of the story, the epilogue might be a good stage upon which to introduce the future protagonist.

For the most part, though, including an epilogue in your book is not recommended. The best books include the beginning, middle and end within the body of the story.

Tags: article, fiction

How Chapter Structure and Ending Affect the Reader Experience

John Wilkerson — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 15:38:35 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by John Wilkerson on 2/20/2019 3:38:35 PM

Sometimes, it would be easier if every book could end like the last page of a fairytale: “….and they all lived happily ever after. The end.” The dragon has just been defeated and the kingdom is saved. But, it turns out, this ending is rarely satisfying to readers. John Wilkerson, sci-fi author, journalist, and ghostwriter explains how to structure chapters and endings that will please readers. “When you end a chapter, there’s one goal in mind. You want the reader to turn the page and read the first word of the next chapter,” says Wilkerson. The goal of a chapter ending is to keep someone up at night, deeply invested in the story. However, that’s a pretty disappointing way to end a book. A book ending, according to Wilkerson, needs an emotionally satisfying finish. He’s found that ending with dialogue is helpful for a few reasons. First, it gives a sense of how different characters are reacting within the resolution. Second, it eases the reader away from the frenetic pace of the plot and back toward the characters of the story. Third, it allows the reader a bit of space to process the events on their own, before the end of the book.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowChapterStructureandEndingAffecttheReaderExperience.mp4

Tags: fiction, Subscriber, video

Appealing to Readers with Surprise Endings and Universal Themes

Arthur Doweyko — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:00:36 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by Arthur Doweyko on 1/28/2019 3:00:36 PM

Award-winning author and scientist Arthur Doweyko explains how he uses themes and endings to craft an engaging story. Doweyko enjoys playing with wonder through a surprise ending that can be twisted to bend a reader’s mind. He has a fun secret for his writing process that engages readers and leaves them shocked at the end of the story. The build-up to an end, though, requires that a reader has already been captivated by the story and the world crafted by an author. That same wonder that he uses for a surprise ending, Doweyko infuses into the themes of his story. He asks universal questions such as “why are we here” or “what is our destiny” to grab the reader’s attention. Because these themes play with religion and philosophy, his approach to writing about these ideas is very different than his approach to writing the science in his novels. Listen to the clip below to learn how to craft a story that will thoroughly engage a reader and keep their mind captivated long after they’ve walked away from the book.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../AppealingtoReadersWithSurpriseEndingsandUniversalThemes.mp4

Tags: fiction, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Subscriber, video

Appealing to Readers with Surprise Endings and Universal Themes

Arthur Doweyko — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:56:08 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Ending a Story by Arthur Doweyko on 1/28/2019 2:56:08 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../AppealingtoReadersWithSurpriseEndingsandUniversalThemes.mp4

Tags: fiction, Science Fiction and Fantasy, video

Appealing to Readers with Surprise Endings and Universal Themes

Arthur Doweyko — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:55:13 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Ending a Story by Arthur Doweyko on 1/28/2019 2:55:13 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../AppealingtoReadersWithSurpriseEndingsandUniversalThemes.mp4

Tags: fiction, Science Fiction and Fantasy, video

Appealing to Readers with Surprise Endings and Universal Themes

Arthur Doweyko — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:52:41 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Ending a Story by Arthur Doweyko on 1/28/2019 2:52:41 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../AppealingtoReadersWithSurpriseEndingsandUniversalThemes.mp4

How Chapter Structure and Ending Affect the Reader Experience

John Wilkerson — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 20:05:52 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Ending a Story by John Wilkerson on 1/11/2019 8:05:52 PM

Sometimes, it would be easier if every book could end like the last page of a fairytale: “….and they all lived happily ever after. The end.” The dragon has just been defeated and the kingdom is saved. But, it turns out, this ending is rarely satisfying to readers. John Wilkerson, sci-fi author, journalist, and ghostwriter explains how to structure chapters and endings that will please readers. “When you end a chapter, there’s one goal in mind. You want the reader to turn the page and read the first word of the next chapter,” says Wilkerson. The hogoal of a chapter ending is to keep someone up at night, deeply invested in the story. However, that’s a pretty disappointing way to end a book. A book ending, according to Wilkerson, needs an emotionally satisfying finish. He’s found that ending with dialogue is helpful for a few reasons. First, it gives a sense of how different characters are reacting within the resolution. Second, it eases the reader away from the frenetic pace of the plot and back toward the characters of the story. Third, it allows the reader a bit of space to process the events on their own, before the end of the book.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowChapterStructureandEndingAffecttheReaderExperience.mp4

Tags: fiction, Subscriber, video

How Chapter Structure and Ending Affect the Reader Experience

John Wilkerson — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 19:34:13 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Ending a Story by John Wilkerson on 1/11/2019 7:34:13 PM

Sometimes, it would be easier if every book could end like the last page of a fairytale: “….and they all lived happily ever after. The end.” The dragon has just been defeated and the kingdom is saved. But, it turns out, this ending is rarely satisfying to readers. John Wilkerson, sci-fi author, journalist, and ghostwriter explains how to structure chapters and endings that will please readers. “When you end a chapter, there’s one goal in mind. You want the reader to turn the page and read the first word of the next chapter,” says Wilkerson. The hogoal of a chapter ending is to keep someone up at night, deeply invested in the story. However, that’s a pretty disappointing way to end a book. A book ending, according to Wilkerson, needs an emotionally satisfying finish. He’s found that ending with dialogue is helpful for a few reasons. First, it gives a sense of how different characters are reacting within the resolution. Second, it eases the reader away from the frenetic pace of the plot and back toward the characters of the story. Third, it allows the reader a bit of space to process the events on their own, before the end of the book.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowChapterStructureandEndingAffecttheReaderExperience.mp4

How Chapter Structure and Ending Affect the Reader Experience

John Wilkerson — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 19:14:01 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Ending a Story by John Wilkerson on 1/11/2019 7:14:01 PM

Sometimes, it would be easier if every book could end like the last page of a fairytale: “….and they all lived happily ever after. The end.” The dragon has just been defeated and the kingdom is saved. But, it turns out, this ending is rarely satisfying. John Wilkerson, sci-fi author, journalist, and ghostwriter explains the structure of a really good ending. “When you end a chapter, there’s one goal in mind. You want the reader to turn the page and read the first word of the next chapter,” says Wilkerson. The goal of a chapter ending is to keep someone up at night, deeply invested in the story. However, that’s a pretty dissatisfying way to end a book. A book ending, according to Wilkerson, needs an emotionally satisfying ending. He’s found that ending with dialogue is helpful for a few reasons. First, it gives a sense of how different characters are reacting within the resolution. Second, it eases the reader away from the frenetic pace of the plot and back toward the characters of the story. Third, it allows the reader a bit of space to process the events on their own, before the end of the book.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowChapterStructureandEndingAffecttheReaderExperience.mp4

How Chapter Structure and Ending Affect the Reader Experience

Author Learning Center — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 18:33:18 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Ending a Story by Author Learning Center on 1/11/2019 6:33:18 PM

Content here

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowChapterStructureandEndingAffecttheReaderExperience.mp4

The Differences Between HEA and HFN Endings in Romance Stories

L.E. Perez — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 14:20:14 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by L.E. Perez on 12/17/2018 2:20:14 PM

Anyone who has seen a Hallmark movie can dissect a true romantic plot with ease. We know the conventions because they historically work well in a story. However, these plots are constantly being subverted and twisted by authors to create other, interesting stories. For example, Nicholas Sparks’ heartbreaking romance novels probably wouldn’t be adapted to film by Hallmark, simply because they don’t end happily. Whether you are writing a true romance or a story with a romance embedded in it, you need to be aware of common conventions. Stories that end with “happily ever after” (HEA) or “happy for now” (HFN) are defined by these conventions and the way these stories unfold is driven by the author’s desired ending. L.E. Perez, author and owner of Palmas Publishing, writes romance along with thriller, steampunk, urban fantasy, and more. The blending of these genres makes for unique romances that don’t follow typical romantic storylines. In the clip below, Perez explains how being aware of the story you’re writing will change the way that you write it.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheDifferencesBetweenHEAandHFNEndingsinRomanceStories.mp4

Tags: fiction, Subscriber, video, romance & erotica

The Differences Between HEA and HFN Endings in Romance Stories

L.E. Perez — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 13:38:57 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Ending a Story by L.E. Perez on 12/17/2018 1:38:57 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheDifferencesBetweenHEAandHFNEndingsinRomanceStories.mp4

Tags: fiction, video, romance & erotica

The Differences Between HEA and HFN Endings in Romance Stories

Author Learning Center — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 16:34:03 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Ending a Story by Author Learning Center on 12/14/2018 4:34:03 PM

Tags: fiction, video, romance & erotica

The Differences Between HEA and HFN Endings in Romance Stories

Author Learning Center — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 13:46:52 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Ending a Story by Author Learning Center on 12/14/2018 1:46:52 PM

Anyone who has seen a Hallmark movie can dissect a true romantic plot with ease. We know the conventions because they historically work well in a story. However, those conventions are constantly being subverted and twisted to create other, interesting stories. These plots, however, don't work for every story. For example, Hallmark probably wouldn’t produce many of the heartbreaking Nicholas Sparks novels simply because they don’t end happily. Whether you write a romance or a story with a romance embedded in it, you need to be aware of which kinds of conventions you’re working with. Stories that end with “happily ever after” (HEA) or “happy for now” (HFN) are defined by their different endings. However, the way these stories end determines the way they are constructed and structured. L.E. Perez, author and owner of Palmas Publishing, writes romance along with thriller, steampunk, urban fantasy, and more. The blending of these genres makes for unique romances that don’t follow typical romantic storylines. In the clip below, Perez explains how being aware of the story you’re writing will change the way that you write it.

Tags: fiction, video, romance & erotica

The Differences Between HEA and HFN Endings in Romance Stories

Author Learning Center — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 13:44:06 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Ending a Story by Author Learning Center on 12/14/2018 1:44:06 PM

Tags: fiction, video

Book in a Year: Getting to “The End” with Your First Draft (Fiction)

Jeanne Lyet Gassman — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 15:55:55 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by Jeanne Lyet Gassman on 11/26/2018 3:55:55 PM

You are now a couple of months into writing your novel and the deadline for your first draft is quickly approaching – what’s your plan to get it done? Do you feel behind and need some advice on how to catch up? Are you struggling with how to end your book or knowing when to end it? Does it feel like something is missing from the plot or does one of your characters feel underdeveloped? Author Jeanne Lyet Gassman will offer tips to overcome these challenges and more so that you can reach “The End” on time with the first draft of your fiction book!

Download the handouts and watch the session below:

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../ALC-CHARACTER-WORKSHEET.pdf

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../ALC-How-Long-Should-Your-Book-Be-_2800_Fiction_2900_.pdf

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../ALC-Online-Tools-for-Managing-Time-and-Distractions.pdf

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../BIYPlaceholder.mp4

Jeanne Lyet Gassman's debut novel, Blood of a Stone (Tuscany Press), received a Bronze 2015 Independent Publisher Book Award in the national category of religious fiction. Her short work has been nominated for Best Small Fictions and the Pushcart Prize. Jeanne's writing has appeared in The Manifest Station, Queen Mob's Tea House, Hippocampus Magazine, Literary Mama, Barrelhouse, and Hermeneutic Chaos Literary Journal, among many others.

Tags: fiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Knowing When Your Novel Is Done - podcast

Leslie Miller — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 19:13:50 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by Leslie Miller on 11/15/2018 7:13:50 PM

Leslie Miller, co-founder of Girl Friday Productions, talks about knowing when your novel is really finished. “One of the first misconceptions about writing [is that] you’re novel is certainly not done when you write ‘the end,’” says Miller. There is so much that happens after the first draft of your manuscript is done. The power of a good editor should absolutely not be underestimated. There’s plenty of big picture stuff that needs to happen immediately after the manuscript is done. Listen to Miller as she gives tips about the difficult parts of the editorial process.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../KnowingWhenYourNovelIsDone.mp3

Tags: fiction, Subscriber, podcast

Knowing When Your Novel Is Done - video

Leslie Miller — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 19:13:15 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by Leslie Miller on 11/15/2018 7:13:15 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../KnowingWhenYourNovelIsDone.mp4

Tags: fiction, Subscriber, video

Book in a Year: Getting to “The End” with Your First Draft (Fiction)

Jeanne Lyet Gassman — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 20:04:46 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Ending a Story by Jeanne Lyet Gassman on 7/18/2018 8:04:46 PM

You are now a couple of months into writing your novel and the August 3rd deadline for your first draft is quickly approaching – what’s your plan to get it done? Do you feel behind and need some advice on how to catch up? Are you struggling with how to end your book or knowing when to end it? Does it feel like something is missing from the plot or does one of your characters feel underdeveloped? Author Jeanne Lyet Gassman will offer tips to overcome these challenges and more so that you can reach “The End” on time with the first draft of your fiction book!

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../BIYPlaceholder.mp4

Tags: fiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Ed Aymar on the Concept Behind The Dead Trilogy - podcast

Ed Aymar — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 19:34:34 GMT

Current Revision posted to Ending a Story by Ed Aymar on 3/23/2017 7:34:34 PM

When author Ed Aymar wrote the first book in The Dead Trilogy, I'll Sleep When You're Dead, he planned it as a stand alone book, not as a series. He resolved conflicts, wrapped up the characters, and even killed off some characters, but after receiving overwhelming interest from readers to know what happens next, he realized he wasn't ready to say goodbye. He was careful not to continue it as an ongoing, open-ended series because he wanted a closed story with a definitive ending, and a trilogy has allowed him to do that.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Ed-Aymar-on-the-Concept-Behind-The-Dead-Trilogy.mp3

Tags: fiction, podcast