TheNextBigWriter Premium → Killing off Characters (spoilers?)
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Have you ever had a character you killed off in any of your works that you were attached to?
I suppose people should try to avoid spoilers for their own works here so you don't have to name names or anything like that. The one that lingers with me was a happy character who was trying their best. I think those are the ones that always stick with me most, like Fred Weasely. Perhaps its the loss of innocence?
Have you ever had a character you killed off in any of your works that you were attached to?
Yes! I cried when Mellie died! Though I haven't finished For the Love of Mellie yet, I got attached to her very early and cried when I had to eliminate her!
MJ
Define "killed off"... If the character accomplishes all they can (think Yoda or Luke Skywalker) and simply move on, does that count?
In my novel, Root Hog or Die, I killed off one character literally and two other significant ones figuratively, in that they left the story from that point forward. There was sadness in each case dealt with in context. As your story probably deals in reality to some extent even if fantasy (don't know your genre), people die or move on for various reasons. So too will it be in many a novel. Take care. Vern
In my space opera, I blew up a 400-pound male Mob boss named Mama of Mama's Little Shipping, which has a galaxy-wide monopoly on shipping. Mama was poisoned with Daemon-07, a substance that causes your intestines to expand at nearly the speed of sound. It happened at his Le Chick Restaurant, famous for its succulent baby chicken dishes. A favorite hangout of Mob bosses from around the galaxy, as each person in the restaurant inhaled the resulting fumes, they too exploded. Mama's head landed in the lap of the ever-elegant Lady Kay, named for our very own Kdot (see above). The quick-thinking Kay escaped out an air conditioning vent. On the news, she is quoted as saying: "Heads were popping like champagne corks in there. I thought I had cannon fire chasing my [censored]." I kept laughing while writing the full news report. He was one of my favorite characters, but the news report was too good to pass up once it was written.
Some day I'll tell you about a crazed 41st century taxi driver named Leonardo, his ex-wife Donna Pelosa (which Google Translate seems to think means "hairy woman"), and the cab's long-suffering artificial intelligence unit, Stronza, which is Italian for bitch (it was the ex-wife's rusty old cab). You should see what Stronza can do when Leonardo engages Suicidio Mode! He doesn't actually die (yet), but he leaves quite a body count behind as he flies his cab through rush hour traffic.
I killed off one of my favorite characters, but the book started with his impending death. So it wasn't exactly a spoiler. He gets more page space in the prequel though. 
As with life itself, a "life story" book often ends in the death of one or more of your characters. This isn't necessarily a sad thing, but simply the end of a portion of the story, which continues on.
Bill
most times good stories have their favorite characters die, please I'm trying to apply for an African writers competition, i would love my book "Smashed by The Axe " reviewed so i know if my story is good enough thank you
I had a girlfriend of main character in certain of my work who i based on one close friend and my real life girlfriend. While the story progressed I had to make decision to let this girl killed. I was really attached to her not only by her character but also this real life connection. Then 2-3 years later this close friend of my died for cancer (at age of 16) and while after that I broke up with my girlfriend. Both of these events affected of course my writing and further development of this character prior her death.
In my first attempt at a novel, I posted a chapter here wherein a character was murdered. His dying words were supposed to be a clue.
Unfortunately, in my effort to protect the main and secondary characters, who had personalities I liked, the murdered guy was inconsequential in the story. The most telling comment I received was that I had killed off a character in whom the reader was not invested. In short, nobody cared that he died.
If a character is liked and accepted by the reader (and, by extension, the author), his/her death has greater impact. Makes a better story.
The three-book series by Correia and Ringo in Correia's Monster Hunter universe (Grunge, Sinners, Saints) end with the protagonist's death, described by another character. It was set up in the very first book, and does not read as a tragedy. Impact, yes, but grief without sorrow.
I killed off one of my characters at a reviewers' suggestion. And an important subplot (or perhaps the plot) of my current work revolves around making a character really sympathetic, then killing her off. But no Spocks, Supergirls, Captain Kirks, or Sherlock Holmes, all of whom came back. (Although maybe Holmes is not an example of a beloved character. Doyle wanted to kill him off because he began to hate him. Thousands of working-class men wearing black armbands and a few death threats later, he brought him back.
Fascinating responses, everyone!
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TheNextBigWriter Premium → Killing off Characters (spoilers?)
