Killing off characters

by Isabella
(USA)

Question: I am writing my plot outline and listing all of the characters I am planning on putting in my story, but I realized, after figuring out simple information on the characters, that I am killing off characters all throughout the story. Most of the characters are 'support' characters and a few (one or two) are more important to the main character. I realize that some books do kill off a lot of characters, especially in the case of the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series by George R. R. Martin, but I am doubting myself.

Thank you so much for your time!

Answer: You have to trust your instincts and knowledge of your genre.

There are lots of good reasons for killing a character. Sometimes it is to illustrate the price that must be paid for the sake of the goal We call this a "Cost" in Dramatica.

Sometimes a death can be an inciting incident or a major plot twist.

Sometimes a death can be a Forewarning of what will happen to all the characters if they fail in their quest. An example is when a villain kills an innocent person. Forewarnings heighten the tension by making the Goal more urgent.

Sometimes death is the price a character incurs for making the wrong choice (and thus showing another character what the right choice is).

Sometimes characters die to illustrate the evil nature of the person who kills them. For instance, when the villain kills his own ally, it is also a Forewarning - showing why the villain should not win.

Sometimes deaths can be used to bring about the crisis as the characters are running out of options. For example, in The Hunger Games, there are only 24 tributes. As they die, one by one, you know that Katniss will eventually be forced to face Cato. Another example is the murder mystery, And Then There Were None, in which 12 people are on an island and one of them starts killing the others. The reader doesn't know who the killer is, but you know that eventually only two people will be left (the hero and the killer) and at that point, the mystery will be solved.

Also, some characters just deserve to die, such as villains themselves.

Like I say, not every genre can handle a lot of deaths. You wouldn't expect to see a lot of deaths in a romance, for example. But some readers turn to other genres because they are seeking a certain visceral, gritty quality (thrillers, horror, adventure, war stories, etc.).

Best of luck.

Killing a Major Character

Question: What are some valid reasons for killing a major character? In what ways should the event contribute to the plot if I wanted to do this?

Answer: Let's begin with the Essential Plot Elements.

Sometimes, the death of a character is a forewarning of what might happen to everyone if the story goal is not achieved. The implication is that more characters may suffer this fate unless the goal is achieved, the bad guys are defeated, etc. It shows the characters how important it is to achieve the goal, giving them motivation.

Sometimes death is a cost, a hardship that the characters must endure for the sake of achieving the goal. In this case, it shows the reader how important the goal is to the characters, that they are willing to die or risk their lives to achieve their aim.

Sometimes death can be a requirement, if a death is an essential step on the way to achieving the Story Goal. For instance, perhaps the only way to win the war is to have your spies kill the enemy's chief strategist. Perhaps the only way for a woman to be free of her abusive partner is for her to kill him in self-defence. Of course, you may need to make it clear that there were no other options. If the strategist could be persuaded to defect to your side, then his death might not be necessary.

Sometimes death is the story goal. For instance, if you have an evil tyrant on the throne, the goal might be to kill him and so free the kingdom. Or you might have a story where the hero must kill the villain to avenge the wrongful death of another.

On the other hand, if you are writing a tragedy, death can be the consequence. Perhaps the main character must die in the end.

Sometimes, a murder is used just to show how evil the villain is, so the reader knows whose side to be on.

A death can be the inciting incident that prompts the characters to discover the truth (Goal) about the past or about the toxic or hidden relationships in the community. Murder mysteries often work this way. Another example is the comedy film, Death at a Funeral.

And sometimes the death of a Guardian is necessary so that the main character can stand on his own two feet. For instance, if the story is to have a successful outcome, the main character must achieve the Goal by his own actions or decisions. If his parent or mentor solves the problem for him, the story doesn't work. Characters like Obi wan Kenobi, Gandalf, or Dumbledore have to be killed so that main characters like Luke Skywalker. Frodo, and Harry Potter can step up to the plate.

Killing Off Fictional Characters

by Jeremy Eger
(Deering )

Question: When is killing off fictional characters good, and is killing many bad or is not killing much bad as well? Most likely killing off characters is going to effect the plot, so i was just wondering.

Answer: It's all about why you kill off a character.

For instance, sometimes you kill a character whom the hero or the reader cares about as a forewarning of what might happen if the hero fails. In other words, you're showing the reader that this fate lies ahead for many other characters unless the hero buckles down and achieves the goal.

Sometimes you kill a character who has the wrong approach, as a way to show the main character that he needs to take the opposite approach.

Sometimes you kill a character for the sake of justice, as when the villain or someone deserving of death dies.

Sometimes you need to get a character out of the way because the main character has been relying on that person and you need the hero to start taking responsibility for solving the problem, so that we can see at the climax whether the main character's approach is right or not.

And there are other reasons as well. The important thing is that you kill a character because their death will move the story forward or illustrate something that heightens the drama. But there's no rule as to the right number of deaths. It depends on your story, the genre, etc.

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