Young Writers discussion

I'm not very sure if there's a topic for this, but I think this is kind of needed. I have read plenty of stories in my time, not just here but elsewhere, and there are people who work well with literary death.

And then there are people who try to do well.

I'm not bashing anyone, or tooting my own horn, but I have been called the "Queen of Literary Death" by my English teacher who happens to be published (Her book is actually list here on GR).

I'm not sure if anyone would even consider killing off a character, as I do, but sometimes the story calls for it and we shy away because we think we can't do it, or we'd feel bad about killing one of our babies(I'm not sure if everyone feels this way, so correct me if I'm wrong, and I apologize in advance).

I can help anyone if they need it. I don't do much in this group, so I thought that this would be a good way to do something.

SeaTheFiend wrote: "I'm not sure if anyone would even consider killing off a character, as I do, but sometimes the story calls for it and we shy away because we think we can't do it, or we'd feel back about killing one of our babies(I'm not sure if everyone feels this way, so correct me if I'm wrong, and I apologize in advance)."

Yes, I think that's a problem a lot of people have. That is, they grow so attached to their characters that they become afraid to do what's necessary. Or along those lines, some authors are afraid to kill off characters because they don't want to upset readers.

On the other hand, the exact opposite can also be a problem. That is, an author randomly killing off a character is also bad. Sometimes it's obvious that an author got to the end of a story––or just wanted something interesting to happen––and killed off a character for the heck of it, and not really to contribute anything to the plot or to character development. It's not good when a character dies and I don't care about that character and/or none of the other characters seem to have much of a reaction.

So the point is, do it if you have to. But also, don't do it if you don't have to.

True, true.

I'm working on a story that has a lot of character death. I've gotten comments about when this character will die, or when that character is gotten rid of and when the happy ending will happen- when really I never planned for their to be one.

If I really love a character and I have it in the plot to kill them,, I find the more grotesque way to kill them off. It's convoluted, I know, but it makes the character that much more remembered.

I'm kind of the same way ... the more I love a character, the more I torture them. That doesn't necessarily mean killing them, though. I've only killed off a few characters ... I tend to prefer making characters stay alive and suffer forever. >:) Heehee.

What exactly is a literal death?

Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "I'm kind of the same way ... the more I love a character, the more I torture them. That doesn't necessarily mean killing them, though. I've only killed off a few characters ... I tend to prefer mak..."

I do that. If it's not death it's sickness or legal trouble. For example, there's a school shooting in one of my drafts...and I kill off all these awesome characters and I can't help but suffer myself but I know it has to happen.

Literal death is just death in literature. Not actual death

Woah, there Brigid, we should be evil conspirators for character deaths >3

SeaTheFiend wrote: "Literal death is just death in literature. Not actual death

Woah, there Brigid, we should be evil conspirators for character deaths >3"

Ahhh I get it. Thank you, I just read it wrong.

You're welcome :)

Maybe "literary" death would make more sense?

Probably, I'll edit that

Okay, I think I'm actually decent at death scenes, but I'm not certain. Anyone have tips?

I always have trouble deciding how much emotion to put into them, how much violence, and so on. To where there isn't too much of any one, y'know? But I think that's a good way to go about it--trying to include the emotional and physical aspect of it.

Emily:

If you use more description with deaths, and as Kriss said, use emotional and pyhsical aspects of the situation, you can paint a pretty gruesome picture.

Emily:

If you use more description with deaths, and as Kriss said, use emotional and pyhsical aspects of the situation, you can paint a pretty gruesome picture.

I think I'm pretty good at writing death scenes, because the things you are suggesting I do do, but then again. :P

I think what's most important for me is:

1) Making it clear that the character actually died. Sounds simple, but ... sometimes authors try to get all metaphorical with it or something and I'm like, "Wait ... did he just ... die ...?"

2) Make the other characters have a realistic reaction to it. Sometimes an author kills off a character and then everyone else is sad for like two pages and then they're all like, "Oh well, that sucks. Moving on!" And then they hardly ever speak of it again. I think it's important to understand that, after experiencing a death, the other characters will be pretty depressed and traumatized. Of course, you don't want their grief to completely overtake the plot, but there should still be signs of it here and there or it just seems like the other character's death was pointless.

"Did Jet just... die?"
"Y'know, it was really unclear."

Acacia, I officially love you.

Acacia wrote: ""Did Jet just... die?"
"Y'know, it was really unclear.""

I was this close to putting that in there. Hahahahaha.

Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "I think what's most important for me is:

1) Making it clear that the character actually died. Sounds simple, but ... sometimes authors try to get all metaphorical with it or something and I'm like..."

Ugh, I hate it when deaths are unclear. Like I'll be minding my own business and then like 25 pages after somebody dies someone mentions it and I'm like "WAIT SOMEONE JUST DIED?"

Acacia wrote: ""Did Jet just... die?"
"Y'know, it was really unclear.""

Jet... off of Avatar?

Indeed, m'lady. Jet of the Freedom Fighters.

I remember that O.O

Emily [Bobby Darin is a dork] wrote: "Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "I think what's most important for me is:

1) Making it clear that the character actually died. Sounds simple, but ... sometimes authors try to get all metaphoric..."

I know, right?! It's the worst.

Maybe it's just me, but I like literally need to read the words "he/she was dead" to really get the picture. Haha.

Kriss wrote: "Acacia wrote: ""Did Jet just... die?"
"Y'know, it was really unclear.""

Jet... off of Avatar?"

Yes. With his weird little strand of wheat and his weird hook thingies.

Oh! Yeah. His death was the most confusing thing ever.

I did like him though.

Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* wrote: "Kriss wrote: "Acacia wrote: ""Did Jet just... die?"
"Y'know, it was really unclear.""

Jet... off of Avatar?"

Yes. With his weird little strand of wheat and his weird hook thingies."

It's a blade of grass, and they're duel tiger-headed hook swords. *nerding*

I thought it was interchangeable, like he had a thing of wheat at one point, then changed to grass.

If it was, I never noticed.

It probably wasn't. Probably just my imagination ^-^

So, the prologue of my novel is a death scene, and I'm trying to decide if it is... too pretentious maybe? Or too confusing. It's supposed to tie into the novel at the very end so... COULD I GET SOME OPINIONS ON IT? I just want to know if its a good introduction or if it is too confusing.

More details plz? Without spoiling it of course :P

It's a very significant scene and it kind of paves the way for the rest of the novel. I was going to post it?

Maybe you should just go with it for now, and if it's just not meant to be you may realize it later in the book and go back and change it. Nothing's set in stone.

... Very true.

In every manuscript I've written (8 1/2 as of right now) I've killed off at least one character. Something about it adds to the strength of my characters.

I don't like it when authors are too scared to kill off characters (*cough*Stephenie Meyer*cough*) but I do think that the deaths should serve a purpose.

Jayda wrote: "In every manuscript I've written (8 1/2 as of right now) I've killed off at least one character. Something about it adds to the strength of my characters.

I don't like it when authors are too scar..."

^^^
So true

Kriss wrote: "... Very true."

Heh that probably didn't set your mind at ease very well. If you do post it, I'd like to read this and be more helpful. :)

Samantha Anne wrote: "Kriss wrote: "... Very true."

Heh that probably didn't set your mind at ease very well. If you do post it, I'd like to read this and be more helpful. :)"

This.^

Also, I'm trying to decide whether or not to kill of a few characters in one of my WIPs. I'd like to try it, but I think it would be a little extreme.

Here's the premise: A group of soon-to-be high-schoolers go on a camping trip for two weeks. Eventually, they find a way to get rid of the adults (they don't kill them, just trick them). The rest is pretty much history.

What do you guys think?

I've never killed a character myself, but I see how it can be a daunting task. The first time's the hardest, I guess.

It may seem extreme, but that would depend on how you write it, and the overall mood of your WIP. My advice is to go for it. :)

I mean, I'm planning on things getting really out of control, but I felt that having a fourteen-year-old murder another teenager would just be stupid.

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to factor it in somehow without the whole thing seeming obnoxious.

You could make it accidental. All the kids could be messing around and being reckless and someone could accidentally shove someone off something high, shove them into water and they drown, someone accidentally hits someone too hard over the head with a metal plate. Something like that, if you didn't want to have flat-out murder.

Lav wrote: "You could make it accidental. All the kids could be messing around and being reckless and someone could accidentally shove someone off something high, shove them into water and they drown, someone ..."

Actually, that's what I was thinking about doing.

I really want to kill off more characters. I killed one in my NaNo to move the plot forward, but that was off-screen. Like, they just found out that he had died. It's kind of stupid in hindsight. But that was NaNo.

Basically, I love dramatic death scenes *morbid*, and I have ideas for them but no stories to put them in.

Maxy wrote: "I really want to kill off more characters. I killed one in my NaNo to move the plot forward, but that was off-screen. Like, they just found out that he had died. It's kind of stupid in hindsight. B..."

I hate it when that happens: something epic that you really want to use, but can't do to a lack of storyline/plot. :/

@Maxy

If you love dramatic death scenes, here's one for ya.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd521k...

This may sound a bit weird... but I love killing off characters.

You aren't alone there, so it's not weird to me

Taylor [formerly Timothy] wrote: "@Maxy

If you love dramatic death scenes, here's one for ya.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd521k..."

Hmm, not quite as good as this death scene.

Or this one.