We’ve talked about the pros and cons of including an epilogue with our story. In that post, I mentioned a few of the reasons why we might want to include an epilogue:

Genre Expectations
Sense of Closure
Additional Wrap Up
Emphasis of Change
Series or Sequel Set Up
Outside Perspective
Emphasis of Theme

Despite all those reasons, most stories don’t include epilogues. At the same time, there’s no shortage of reviews that complain about too-abrupt endings. So when it comes to story endings, there might be a disconnect between what readers want for a sense of closure and what authors deliver.

Why are authors so reluctant to include epilogues—or epilogue-like endings that wrap up the story beyond just the plot—even when having one might help the story or make readers happier? Let’s peek behind the scenes…