Mastering Character Deaths
The Art of Saying Goodbye
Behold, you monstrous creature. Are you considering the demise of an innocent character? One that you yourself have breathed life into? You have sunk to a truly horrible low. And you are prepared to face the consequences of being scrutinized by your readers? After all, it’s a crime, isn’t it?
But fear not, you have come to the right place. However, have you ever wondered why you should take such drastic measures in the first place?
Reasons to End a Character’s Life
- To add dimension to the plot.
- To add authenticity to the storyline.
- To fulfill a character arc.
- To encourage another character to act.
- To establish a sense of consequence.
- They deserved it.
Reasons to Spare a Character’s Life
- You are eliminating unnecessary characters.
- You are aiming for a cheap thrill.
- You are going to bring them back later.
- You have written yourself into a corner.
When to Kill a Character
Timing is absolutely crucial when planning to end the life of a particular character. Prematurely killing them off could not have the desired effect on your readers, leaving them rather indifferent than mourning the loss of a friend. Allow your readers enough time to get to know the character. Develop them into a fully fleshed-out character before giving them their last goodbye.
Also, consider your character’s individual arc. Each character has their own goals throughout the narrative, like returning home after a battle, getting revenge on someone’s behalf, getting married, or leaving the country for a particular purpose. Every character is driven by a motivation, so to make their death have the most impact, choose to interrupt their journey as they are on their way to fulfill their objective — it will make their death feel more sudden.
How to Kill a Character
Establish the Character
Before killing a character, make sure that they are well developed and have served their story purpose. Let the readers connect to the characters, their lives, their goals, and, ultimately, care about their fate.
Determine the Method
Choose how your character will die. Will it be an accident? An illness? Violence or sacrifice? A duel with the villain? Maybe your character has been dying this whole time? Align the method with your character’s life and personality. But also keep in mind the genre of your story.
Foreshadow the Event
Through the clever use of foreshadowing, you can make the readers think your character is going to meet their fate at some point in the story. Drop subtle hints or clues, but don’t give away the finale entirely.
Set the Stage
Create a scenario where the character’s death will happen. Write the setting and the atmosphere, and add any emotional impact you care about. Describe the death in vivid detail, focusing on imagery and emotions. Capture the character’s final moments, thoughts, and feelings, and consider the reactions of other characters witnessing the death.
Investigate Consequences and Aftermath
Explore the immediate consequences of this death on other characters. This can include grief, anger, guilt, revenge, or even a shift in power dynamics. Show how the absence of the character impacts the other characters in terms of relationships, motivations, and the overall narrative of your story.
Resolve the Finished Product
Tie up any loose ends, resolve conflicts, and allow your readers some moments of reflection and resolution. Let them experience a feeling of closure following the character’s death.
Bonus: Which Character to Kill
Main Character
Killing off the main character is not comparable to any other death. Their exit carries a significant weight. Make sure the event remains grounded and authentic, but don’t shy away from injecting some real emotion — it is your protagonist after all.
The death of the main character often signals the end of the tale, so there is no room for the story to continue. Not every protagonist must meet their end precisely at the end of the story. You can kill your main character at any point within the plot you’d like. Following this event, you may want to choose to introduce a new section where a secondary character takes up the protagonist’s objectives and brings the story to its resolution.
Villain
While the death of a villain typically means the triumph of the protagonist, it can still carry a sense of tragedy. Give your readers mixed feelings regarding the villain in the first place, so that they can celebrate the protagonist’s victory, but mourn the loss of a good character at the same time. Let your readers also know that it is perfectly okay for them to feel sad after a villain dies.
Treat the antagonist’s death as a tragic event. Despite their twisted beliefs and evil actions, every villain has a backstory and motivations that add layers to their character.
In the world of storytelling, character deaths are powerful moments that allow to shape the emotional journey of your readers. Whether saying goodbye to a hero or a villain, each death adds layers to the narrative. Handle these moments with care, so you can leave a lasting impression to your readers.
