Killing off Characters

Usually when we start writing, we already know that one of our characters isn't going to make it to the end of the story. And if we really know our characters it hurts. I know that whenever I kill off a character I'm usually getting choked up. Even if it's the antagonist! The problem is, a lot of times our readers don't feel the same way. They brush it off like it's nothing. So how do we kill off our characters in a way that will really affect our readers.

I think that one of the biggest things is that your reader needs to have time to really get to know the character. If you kill off the character right at the beginning of the book, they probably won't be as affected by it as they might be if you had done it later on. Give them time to gain an understanding of your character. Of course, you need to make sure that there is something there to UNDERSTAND. This goes right back to the issue of 2D vs. 3D characters. Real people are going to grab your readers, not mechanical stick figures.

So, we need to make your readers care about the characters. Another way to do this is to have your protagonist (unless they are the one you're killing off) needs to be personally invested in that character. If they don't care, your reader isn't going to care. But if the death affects your protagonist, it will affect your reader far more.

Another thing that we need to be mindful of, when killing off characters, is the method we use. If the character just got stabbed in the chest, they're NOT going to give a five minute monologue! This is something I struggle with -- not creating a clichéd, stereotypical death scene. But the more unique it is, the better. Pour your heart into it and you will grab your readers' hearts.

I'm not sure that there's anything more to be said on the subject. I've found that the more obscure details you add in, the better. The more real you make it, the more real it will become to your readers.

     (Thank you for listening to my ramblings. If you have any input, please comment below.)