How to Make Deaths in Your Story Seem Real
Choose which character/s you want to kill off., Decide how the character will die., Write the first draft of your story., Put yourself in the other character's shoes., Edit the story, otherwise known as the spit-n-polish method.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose which character/s you want to kill off.
These are called 'Fate' characters.
The most common Fate characters are antagonists, contagonists, and protagonists.
Example: in 'Bridge to Terabithia' Leslie, one of the two protagonists, dies.
Dorian Grey (The Picture of Dorian Grey) is also an example of a Fate Protagonist.
Also, don't be afraid to kill off more than one character, several characters can die in a story or series.
Choose a character that the reader will likely never guess will die.
This creates suspense, and a few sensitive readers who were fond of the character might even cry (this is a good thing, which means they'll have the name of the author, that's you, so they'll want to read other books you might publish).
Timing has to be perfect.
The Fate Character could die at a turning point in the story, disrupting the entire plot or plans of other characters.
Most commonly, characters die near the end of the story. -
Step 2: Decide how the character will die.
This is crucial because it could also affect the entire plot.
Maybe another character accidentally killed the Fate Character, maybe they committed suicide.
Be creative, and don't kill them off on a commonly used 'Kill' Method, such as car crashes.
These will be overly predictable and readers will quickly get bored if they figure out how the character will die.
If the person is going to get murdered, carefully choose who murders them, since this is a common 'kill method'. , Don't rush and don't stress.
This is your first draft so you can mess up the whole thing and write it again later. , Now your other characters are going to be sad for the rest of the story.
Try to imagine that this character was your best friend, a parent, a sibling, cousin, anybody you once cared about (note: you might cry if you do this, that's a very good thing).
How would you feel? Sad? Angry? Scared? Remember, nobody would be happy after losing somebody they love, even the overly-cheerful characters. , Go through your story.
Make sure all of the previous events lead up to the Fate Character dying (unless they die unexpectedly).
After the character dies, have every different character react in a different way.
Temperamental characters would probably be furious. -
Step 3: Write the first draft of your story.
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Step 4: Put yourself in the other character's shoes.
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Step 5: Edit the story
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Step 6: otherwise known as the spit-n-polish method.
Detailed Guide
These are called 'Fate' characters.
The most common Fate characters are antagonists, contagonists, and protagonists.
Example: in 'Bridge to Terabithia' Leslie, one of the two protagonists, dies.
Dorian Grey (The Picture of Dorian Grey) is also an example of a Fate Protagonist.
Also, don't be afraid to kill off more than one character, several characters can die in a story or series.
Choose a character that the reader will likely never guess will die.
This creates suspense, and a few sensitive readers who were fond of the character might even cry (this is a good thing, which means they'll have the name of the author, that's you, so they'll want to read other books you might publish).
Timing has to be perfect.
The Fate Character could die at a turning point in the story, disrupting the entire plot or plans of other characters.
Most commonly, characters die near the end of the story.
This is crucial because it could also affect the entire plot.
Maybe another character accidentally killed the Fate Character, maybe they committed suicide.
Be creative, and don't kill them off on a commonly used 'Kill' Method, such as car crashes.
These will be overly predictable and readers will quickly get bored if they figure out how the character will die.
If the person is going to get murdered, carefully choose who murders them, since this is a common 'kill method'. , Don't rush and don't stress.
This is your first draft so you can mess up the whole thing and write it again later. , Now your other characters are going to be sad for the rest of the story.
Try to imagine that this character was your best friend, a parent, a sibling, cousin, anybody you once cared about (note: you might cry if you do this, that's a very good thing).
How would you feel? Sad? Angry? Scared? Remember, nobody would be happy after losing somebody they love, even the overly-cheerful characters. , Go through your story.
Make sure all of the previous events lead up to the Fate Character dying (unless they die unexpectedly).
After the character dies, have every different character react in a different way.
Temperamental characters would probably be furious.
About the Author
Virginia Martin
With a background in digital media and internet, Virginia Martin brings 14 years of hands-on experience to every article. Virginia believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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