What is an Epilogue?

In fiction writing, an epilogue is a literary device that functions as a supplemental, but separate, part of the main story; it is a sort of commentary that enhances the story. It appears after the main narrative, i.e. at the end of a story, and it is separate from the final chapter.

An epilogue is often used to reveal the fates of the characters in a story, or to provide important information that wasn’t covered in the climax, falling action or denouement parts of the novel, or to indicate the aftermath and consequences of events in the story.

You need a clear reason for writing an epilogue. It should not be used simply to wrap up any loose ends, something which you should have done towards the end of your main narrative. Without a good reason for including an epilogue, readers will see it as a clumsy attempt to make up for poor plot structure or a weak ending to your story.

It’s usually better to keep an epilogue rather brief so the reader does not get the sense that a whole new story is starting. If the epilogue is especially short, it may even be in italics.

How it Differs from an Afterword

An afterword is typically written by someone other than the author and describes how the book came into being. In an afterword, the author or a third party speaks to the readers directly.

An epilogue is always set at some point in the future after the main events of the story have taken place, and the writer speaks to the readers indirectly, through the point of view of a different character.

In this regard, decide on a point of view from which to write the epilogue. Keep it consistent with the rest of the novel and maintain the same vantage point as the manuscript. For example, if the story was written in the first person, then avoid writing the epilogue in the third person.

What does a Good Epilogue do?

Only write an epilogue if you absolutely must — don’t use it in place of a solid and satisfying ending. The epilogue should only contain information that is critical to the main story, supplementing a reader’s understanding of what has transpired and providing a strong resolution.

Why include an Epilogue?

There are various reasons why you might include an epilogue in your book:

• To add to the development of character by telling readers what happened to them after the story has ended. If you’ve written a compelling story, readers will be invested in your characters and their fates. Suggesting the future for the protagonist and other characters is an important consideration in series fiction or if you’re planning a sequel.

• To share a core character or narrator’s final reflections. It gives you a chance to show how the events of the entire story impacted the characters — the lessons they learned, and how they have grown. An epilogue that has characters reflecting on prior events, having them experience the past from a new vantage point, may be emotionally satisfying for the reader.

• To bring closure, covering any loose ends of your story and resolving those issues that were not addressed in the climax, falling action or denouement. While all major issues should have been resolved within the main narrative, it is possible that other, less important ones, remain outstanding. Clarifying or resolving these may bring the reader some satisfaction.

• To wrap up story events after a traumatic or violent climax. This is an especially important technique when the ending is abrupt or surprising or even ambiguous. It diffuses tension and helps the reader process the ending of the story. If your story’s ending raises more questions than it answers, you will either need to rewrite it or create an epilogue to resolve the problem.

• To make the story seem realistic. For example, the epilogue can be written from the POV of one of the characters to explain how matters unfolded after the events related in the story. Or, if the ending of your story was dramatic, even traumatic, the epilogue can assure readers that the protagonist has survived or healed. The epilogue can also be an opportunity to take a different perspective on the characters and their world, which might seem incongruous within the main story.

• To reiterate the importance of what the story is trying to say. An epilogue can be a good way to remind readers of the central themes and lessons of your story, and to highlight the consequences and results of events in the story. Since an epilogue is its own standalone short section, you can shape the structure to focus on some of the things you want readers to take away with them. In this way, the author can use the epilogue to direct the reader towards a particular interpretation of the story.

• To hint at a coming sequel or the next instalment of a story. If you are setting up the possibility of a sequel or a series of novels, an epilogue is a good way to let readers know they haven’t heard the last of these characters. Hinting at events that are already underfoot in an epilogue is an effective way to keep readers intrigued and on the lookout for your next instalment. Some epilogues do more: they introduce a twist, or a new, suspenseful development related to the main story arc to make readers keen to obtain the next part of the story.

• To foreclose the possibility of a sequel. Proving the reader with an ‘I want you to know this is the absolute ending’ as a conclusion in the epilogue, communicates the author’s intent; it does not add something relevant to the story arc.

Final Words

When done well, an epilogue can have a big impact on readers, providing a sense of closure in a way that a final chapter sometimes cannot, or does not, do. But remember that not all issues need resolving to complete a story ‒ in some instances it may even detract from the reader’s satisfaction to do so.  The best books engage the reader’s imagination in some way.

An epilogue is an effective way to give readers an idea of what happened after the story ended. The tricky part, however, is not to get sucked into the trap of making an epilogue the actual end of the story. If the information is crucial to the story, it shouldn’t be in an epilogue, it should be in the final chapter.

It’s also worth noting that many readers admit to skipping the front- and/or end matter of a book, so ensure there is nothing vital to the story included in the epilogue.

What Is a Prologue?

A prologue is a piece of writing found at the beginning of a literary work, before the first chapter and separate from the main story. Its purpose is to introduce important information that has a connection to the main story, but whose relevance is not immediately obvious. A good prologue contains information that is — or will be — important to understanding the plot.

It should not be confused with other front matter elements, such as a preface or an introduction:

A preface gives the reader a look at how the book came to be. It explains the goal of the book, its development, and acknowledges the parties who contributed to the book. It’s mostly used in non-fiction, sometimes in fiction.

An introduction deals specifically with the subject of the book. It might offer supplemental information or explain the perspective of the writer(s).

While a preface doesn’t typically contain information vital to the reader’s understanding of the book, an introduction usually does. It’s mostly used in non-fiction.

Functions of a Prologue

A good prologue performs one of many functions in a story:

• Foreshadowing events to come, thereby creating suspense for the reader and get them asking questions (and eagerly reading on). This includes offering critical information the reader couldn’t otherwise glean from the plot. The prologue could even offer glimpses of the future.

• Providing background or history on the central theme or main events, describing what took place before the beginning of your story. These earlier events then go on to significantly impact the storyline going forward. The writer now has a quick, economic and convenient way of providing important background information without the need of flashbacks, dialogue, or memories that interrupt the flow later on in the book.

• Showcasing the ‘inciting incident’, the event that thrusts the main character into the heart of the story, and sets off a chain of events, even if they don’t yet know it. Many such incidents take place during the opening chapters of a story, but some occur before the story begins — often without the main character’s knowledge. When the latter is the case, a prologue that gives readers a glimpse of the inciting incident can be a great way to pique their interest and, perhaps, create dramatic irony.

• Establishing a point of view (POV), either the main character’s or another character’s, one who is privy to the tale. This function works well when a particular character’s insight is only needed once and provides a foundation for the story. A ‘different POV’ style of prologue describes a certain event from a point-of-view different to that of the main characters of the story. This event may occur in the same timeframe as the plot or years before or after. Its relevance may be made clear early in the novel or towards to end. However, it must have relevance and affect the plot substantially in some way. A ‘different POV’ prologue should be written in the third-person, even if the novel is in the first-person.

• Setting the tone for the rest of the story and to introduce a philosophy, belief system, cultural environment, milieu, etc. that is important to the plot/setting. Most editors, though, would recommend that if you’re simply including a prologue to set the tone/mood or establish the world of the story, consider doing so in Chapter One instead. A prologue needs to somehow propel or impact your main plot: its first duty is to supply information that is or will be vital to the understanding of the plot. If you solely want to ‘create atmosphere’, write an epigraph rather than a prologue. The mood of your novel needs to be made clear in Chapter One anyway, so you may as well do it properly within the novel.

• Hooking the reader into the action right away, having them asks questions relevant to the central plot — and therefore eager to learn those answers in the opening chapters. Once again, most editors would recommend not throwing the readers right into the middle of an action scene simply to hook them; it can be confusing, even disorienting. Think about developing the scene fully within the rich context of a chapter instead.

• Creating dramatic irony, a form of suspense that occurs when readers are privy to valuable knowledge that the main characters do not have. Often an antagonist is introduced in this style of prologue.

• Introducing the antagonist — providing background motives that either humanises the character or exhibits their evil intentions. This angle can be handy if the protagonist doesn’t meet the antagonist until later on in the book.

• Introducing the protagonist: The ‘future protagonist’ prologue shows the hero some time after the main part of the plot has taken place, and it is written in the same point-of-view and style as the rest of the novel. The ‘past protagonist’ prologue is generally used when the protagonist has a defining moment in their past which must be known to the reader, in order for the reader to understand this character.

When to Use a Prologue

The first question you need to ask is: “Does my novel need a prologue?”

A prologue is used when ‒

• Material that you want to include in the opening is out of time sequence with the rest of the story. Or, the scene occurs in a very different place or setting to events in the main story. In either instance, the event that is related in the prologue then shapes or has an impact on the rest of the story.

• It is important for certain information to be revealed upfront and it can’t be revealed throughout the story in smaller trickles and still be as impactful.

• The character’s POV does not come up again later in the story (e.g. the murder victim), or if it does, it would be confusing for the reader if it had not been included earlier, in the prologue.

Don’t use the prologue as an opportunity for a massive information dump ‒ readers will switch off and become bored or restless. The key is to create a balance between revealing information and maintaining, even stimulating, interest.

Final Words

To make sure your prologue works well, you can put it through a simple two-step test: First, try to leave it out and see if anything important is missing, and second, try to change its title to ‘Chapter One, and check if the plot integrity is damaged. If you’ve answered both questions with a yes, then your prologue is doing a good job.

The prologue should always be an integral part of your novel, written in the same tone/mood and style. Otherwise, it’s a personal preface rather than an opening chapter. Also, keep it interesting and keep it brief: your prologue shouldn’t be longer than your average chapter length. A prologue should read exactly as if you were writing a short story without a true ending — your prologue should leave the reader questioning and curious.

What is a book blurb?

A blurb is the copy/text that appears on the back cover of a book. Your back-cover blurb is the second thing a potential buyer looks at after your front cover. You can write a ‘description blurb’ your book yourself (preferably in the third person) or have a ‘review blurb’ written by someone else in which praises for your book are mentioned.

Purpose

A strong, insightful blurb is one of the most important and powerful selling tools for your book because it serves as your sales pitch. Once your book’s title and cover have drawn the reader in, the blurb is what is going to make the difference between a missed opportunity and a sale. You have one shot at introducing your book to your reader ‒ make it count.

Many authors write the blurb as an afterthought, even though it is the single most important piece of writing you will do on your book! While the cover design creates interest, even intrigue, the blurb is what will convince readers to buy your book. A book blurb is there to entice a purchase, not demonstrate your writing skills; therefore, it should be short and to the point.

What makes a good book blurb?

Blurbs for non-fiction books are very different to those for fiction, in that they convey a message and the benefits the reader will receive from reading the book.

A non-fiction book blurb should give a quick indication of the credentials of the author, which readers it is written for and why they need it. A fiction book blurb, on the other hand, should convey atmosphere, specify its genre, and indicate what kind of book it is (mass-market or literary fiction). Quotes are extremely valuable to both fiction and non-fiction blurbs as they accurately describe the expectations the reader should have of the content.

It’s very important to match the words to the product. Do not make a romantic novel sound like classical literature: you will put off both potential markets. Try to use your genre keywords too – they’re great for SEO ‘findability’ and to help classify your book on the shelves.

10 Book Blurb Essentials

Blurbs for non-fiction books need to address the fact that the reader has turned to you, the author, for information rather than entertainment. Instead of creating suspense or drama in the blurb, you’ll want to reveal a little more about the content and its significance. Here’s how:

1. Determine your target market

Indicate who the book is for. This could be phrased as ‘For people who want…’, or it could describe the primary problem your target market has. Followed by what they’ll get from the content, or how you will help them solve the problem and why they should make buy your book and read it now. Keep this concise.

Its highly likely that any subject you’ve written about has already been covered by other authors, so you’ll want to look at similar books and their blurbs. Where does your book fit in? What’s unique about you? What’s your story? How do you differentiate your book? Perhaps you can identify a niche market or highlight a unique perspective that you bring to the content.

Is there a hook you can use that will attract readers in a particular niche market? Naturally, others will read (and hopefully) love your book too. But the readers who will feel that you really ‘get them’ will be those who can sympathise, empathise, admire or identify with you. Your blurb will persuade them to pick up your book, read it and recommend it to others ‒ if it lives up to expectations.

2. Make your opening line count

First impressions count. And when writing a blurb, your opening line is your first impression. Short, pithy, surprising sentences or valuable information will grab the reader’s attention. And it’s not a bad idea to lead with the most outrageous claim, alarming insight, startling reveal, etc. that you have. It’s not suggesting you make something up or be deceptive, but a clever use of words to create a need-to-know urgency in your reader never hurts.

3. Sell the benefits

Why should someone read your book? What’s in it for them? What will they learn? How will it change them? These are just some of the questions that you can answer by stating the benefits of reading your book. For the most part, non-fiction is about learning, teaching and training to varying degrees. Approach the copy of your back-cover blurb with the mindset of ‘what’s in it for the reader’.

You could structure sentences along the lines of, ‘What you’ll learn when you read this book:’ or ‘When you’ve read this book, you will know/understand/be able to:’ then follow this with three to five bullet points of benefits of the content. This is your chance to make your promises about the value the book will deliver and paraphrase the best bits from your Table of Contents to entice the reader.

4. Showcase your knowledge

Offer some of your insight and learnings in your blurb. Don’t give it all away, but you do need to show your authority and relevant experience to build credibility. Demonstrate that you know something valuable which will help your readers. Mention something significant about the content that makes the book worth picking up, promising that there will be more of that useful information inside.

5. Write in your own voice

This is paramount. Your blurb should be written in the same voice as your book. It might sound obvious, but so many writers don’t do this. A potential reader looks at the blurb the same way they would look at the book itself. In a non-fiction book, you are selling your knowledge, your experience, your writing and yourself, so if the blurb doesn’t represent the typical language you use in your book, the reader will feel a disconnect. Besides, it will only make your words more authentic and impactful.

6. Keep it short

Most blurbs are only between 100 and 150 words long, excluding the author biography. Keep your blurb within these limits if you want it to make an impact. Your last sentence should wrap it up – essentially coming full circle back to the first sentence. You can use bullet points and questions. The book blurb should arouse curiosity, rather than provide answers. You want them to think ‘That’s what I need to know!’ or ‘That sounds just like me …’

7. Use a cliffhanger

The aim of your blurb is to leave readers curious and wanting more ‒ so much so that they would actually buy the book. For non-fiction books, your cliffhanger should promise a strategy or a solution to address a problem the reader has, or a situation they want to understand, or information that they are seeking, and so on.

8. Get testimonials or endorsements

Endorsements are a powerful way for you and your book to have credibility and ‘social proof’, making your book more appealing to potential buyers. Powerful endorsements or testimonials from notable, credible people in your related field is the goal.

The praise on your book cover should make it very clear, in one brief sentence (include a maximum of three short quotes), why someone should read your book. The quote should be from someone whose name the reader recognises or whose title shows they know what they’re talking about ‒ if not, it might be ineffective. Acquiring testimonials and endorsements is something you’ll need to start working on early, often before you’ve finished writing your book.

9. Author biography

Keep this short and focused on why you, the author, are uniquely qualified to write this book and what motivated you to do it. Three sentences should cover it (you can put a longer Author Biography inside your book). List your key credentials and qualifications but don’t write a CV or present irrelevant details – align this with the tone and subject matter of the content. Readers want to know the person offering the information they’re spending their time and money on, is genuine.

10. Author photo

A professionally photographed headshot of you adds character and illustration to all the words on your back cover; it also helps your readers connect with you. It can be in colour or black and white, but should show you looking friendly, likeable, approachable and trustworthy.

Final Words

Make sure these elements are concise and well laid out (a back cover that is covered in text with not enough ‘white space’ is unappealing to the reader) and your back cover will be doing a great job selling your non-fiction book. Your book blurb can also be used in pitch letters to reviewers and journalists, and as background information for anyone wishing to interview you about your book. The book blurb is an important communication aid when promoting your book, so invest plenty of time and effort to ensure you get it right.

What is Persuasive Writing?

Persuasion is the art of making an offer that others can’t refuse. Persuasive writing uses words to convince the reader to listen to what you have to say and to act in a certain way ‒ it has to sway your reader intellectually and emotionally.

We all need to use it in our everyday business writing. Great business writers use persuasive writing in advertising materials, social media marketing, proposals, articles, newsletters, blog posts, memos, emails, requests for meetings, speeches and reports. In each situation, your goal is to persuade your readers that what you have to say is relevant and valuable and that it is in their best interest to take the action you have requested.

3 Pillars of Persuasive Writing

1. Be credible

By appealing to credibility, writers make their claims more believable. The writer builds on his or her credibility by writing with confidence, clarity and accuracy. You and your business will be more credible if there are no errors in your written material, as well as no errors in the subject matter.

Incorporate some personal work-related information and some comments about your customers’ experiences with your business in your writing to bolster your credibility. You can support the validity of your customers’ feedback with testimonials and personal recommendations.

2. Be logical

By appealing to logic, writers persuade their readers through coherent arguments. A successful appeal to the reader’s reasoning requires tangible evidence, e.g., a quote from a reliable source, a case study, or a testimonial. You appeal to the rationality of your reader, using your evidence to persuade the reader to agree with you, convincing them that your argument is viable and likely to result in the obtainment of benefits and goals.

3. Appeal to emotions

By appealing to emotions, writers persuade by evoking feelings and swaying emotions rather than by using valid logic. If you judge a mood, or correctly address feelings about the subject, you can win over a reader. Trigger positive emotions by highlighting desirable benefits and outcomes, and negative emotions by indicating what might occur if your products and/or services are not used.

This is possibly the most important of the appeals but the most frequently abused. Be careful not to appeal to the prejudices of readers instead of offering a fair and sober assessment of a situation, product or service.

Most persuasive writing techniques use all three appeals.

10 Techniques used in Persuasive Writing

1. Focus on the reader

‘It’s all about you’ is the most important technique used in persuasive writing. This technique, which produces goodwill and favourably influences people, is crucial in business writing. You must emphasise the reader’s importance and put their interests first.

If you want to get your point of view across, convey information or persuade readers, focus on them and see things from their perspective. Adapt what and how you write in terms of their interests, problems, needs and preferences. Present your products and services in light of what’s important to the readers rather than yourself, and what your business can do to benefit them.

2. Have clear goals

Answer the following questions to help you select the right content, format, tone and structure for your writing:

• What is important, original or exciting about what you want to convey?
• Who do you want to read this?
• What action are you trying to inspire?
• How will it benefit your readers?
• Where will it be read? On a website, in print, in an email?

3. Warmth

You can make all sorts of mistakes in your writing and the messages you want to get across yet still leave your readers with a good feeling ‒ if you can convey the intangible quality of personal warmth. Warmth is more difficult to convey in writing than it is in verbal communication.

You should demonstrate concern for the reader’s circumstances, show interest in their attitudes and values, and be honest and genuine about the ways in which your products and/or services are going to be helpful to them. Make the reader feel comfortable and confident in dealing with you.

4. Engagement

The first paragraph of your writing must be well crafted to engage the reader right from the start. It should grab the reader’s attention, provide an overview of the whole story, and set the tone of what they are about to read. Provide a compelling reason for the reader to continue reading.

Concentrate on three key messages – It is tempting to cover a lot of material in your writing as you want to provide the reader with as much information as possible. But you should focus on key messages you want the reader to take away and how you want them to feel after reading the material.

5. Focus on benefits

When it comes to writing persuasively, make the case for why and how the features of your products and/or services lead to benefits, and how they can help the reader address a particular problem or need. Show and tell the reader why they are making the correct decision in choosing your products and/or services rather than any other.

Write your material not only to ‘sell with benefits’ but also to create a compelling vision of a desired future state that will attract and please the reader if they do business with you. Also consider what your readers’ questions might be and have the answers ready to work into your document.

6. Parallel experience

One way of touching the right spots with your reader is to draw on a parallel situation in your own experience, creating a sense of insight and empathy. Build your writing around this experience or use what you have learned as a basis for your writing. By developing a sympathetic bond between yourself and your reader, you enhance the person-to-person connection and help your reader to become more open to what you are saying.

7. Good manners

If you want to persuade your reader, you must show impeccable manners. In other words, be nice, be polite and be truthful. If you are rude or pushy, your reader will shut down to your ‘marketing argument’ and turn elsewhere. When in doubt, put yourself in their shoes and ask, “How would I feel if this was directed at me? Would I be offended, or would I be open to listening to more?”

8. Tone

The tone of your writing goes beyond the content of your words. It offers the reader an overall feeling, an indication of your intention and attitude toward them and the subject you are talking about. The general tone of your message will depend on what is being covered and how you want to convey your message, but a useful guideline is to stay positive and approachable.

Suggest to your reader that you are interested in their problems and in solving them. A good tone is ruined by using slang, harsh words, sloppy phrases, and a lack of respect for your readers.

9. Use the right structure

Choose a structure that complements what you have to say and the persuasive technique you have chosen. Plan the structure of your writing to persuade effectively ‒ don’t try to construct an argument on the fly. There are several ways to structure a document and argument, such as:

• The ‘inverted pyramid’ in which the most important information is presented first.
• A profile or case study which highlights the significance of a single experience.
• The traditional pyramid structure which leads the reader gently to a persuasive conclusion.

10. Have a strong finish

The closing paragraph is the second most important thing you’ll write, after the opening paragraph. It should encapsulate and reiterate your central idea and explicitly state what action you want your reader to take. Avoid introducing a new idea when you’re writing the conclusion. Be sure to leave a memorable impression with your final words.

Final words

Persuading isn’t about manipulation or pushy sales tactics; it’s about getting buy-in for your offer. If you need assistance fine-tuning your business documents, please call Renell for an appointment.