Writing Death Scenes: How To Kill Off Characters
- Don’t be afraid to get gruesome.
- Have them a sacrifice themselves.
- Throw in a red herring.
- Duel it out.
- Give the Big Bad character their comeuppance.
- A death with dignity.
- Make an example of them.
- Give your character a second chance.
Can you kill off a main character?
It’s acceptable to kill off your main character when it makes the story better. What that means will depend on your readers and you don’t get a say in it. I’m curious to know just how screwy/inappropriate it is to kill your MC at the end of one book, but then suddenly bring them back at the start of the next.
How do you make a character death sadder?
How to make a character’s death sadder
- Don’t have them die of old age after a long, fulfilling life.
- Leave one of their major goals unfinished.
- Give them strong relationships with other characters.
- Make them fight against whatever is causing their death.
- Kill them in the middle of their character arc.
How do you make a good death of a villain?
Make the reader understand why they do what they do, but don’t make it justified. Let the villain get away with everything until the last second when everything crumbles. Make the villain regret and have them be at fault for their own death (symbolic or literal, whatever you want).
How can I make my character sad?
6 Tips for Writing a Sad Story
- Tap into your own emotionality.
- Know the difference between sentimentality and truth.
- Leave room to be surprised by specific detail.
- Pair strong emotions with ordinary ones.
- Use backstories to add weight.
- Use sad moments to further character development.
How do you make a character death meaningful?
7 Tips For Writing Meaningful Death Scenes
- Make the reader care about the character.
- Make the reader despise the character.
- Show the death’s effect on other characters.
- Avoid over-dramatisation and clichés.
- Don’t rely on shock value.
- Try not to make a death predictable.
