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The best advice really is to just write. Write badly - purple prose, stilted conversations, rambling descriptions. Don't delete it, pass go, take your $200, save all your garbage in a big folder. Look at how much you've made - it doesn't matter if it isn't perfect, isn't polished, it was practice. Every time you write you learn a little more, and find another piece of your voice.

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Hi all! Sorry for the absence, it’s been a busy couple weeks! I’ll respond to tag games as soon as I can!

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me, reaching the part in the story where I have to kill off my favourite character even though I’ve known it was coming since the beginning:

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11/11/11 tag game

I was tagged by both @glasskaleidoscopes and @bonafidealchemy​ for this, so I’m knocking all ?’s in one post. This was fun!

From @bonafidealchemy​:

1. how would you pitch your wip to someone who knew nothing about it?

I’ve had to try and find numerous ways to talk about my wip without dumping the entire story on someone. I suppose the best way to describe it is that it’s a what if scenario of France becoming a world empire, all because the French Revolution never happened.

2. do you have a specific audience in mind for your wip?

Not exactly. It’s adult fiction, but I suppose whoever was into the Leviathan series as a kid would be super into this story.

3. is it important to you that your wip has a moral or a message?

I don’t think it’s majorly important, but it’s always nice to have one.

4. what kinds of relationships do you like writing the most (romantic, platonic, familial, etc)?

Honestly I’m a huge romantic, so I absolutely adore writing slow burn, destined lover stuff. Buuuut I also love writing platonic found sibling relationships.

5. what kind of research have you done for your wip? what have you learned?

Where do I begin? I have an entire shelf dedicated to research. I took an entire class in college to research for this book. I’ve learned so much. My knowledge of French History has increased probably 5x as much as it did before. My knowledge on steampunk and air balloons even more so. My goal with my WIP is upend disbelief. I want you to read my story and go, technically this shouldn’t make sense, but the writer discusses it in such a way that it’s pretty believable. Ever read The Effluent Engine by N.K. Jemisin? I want to write about the mechanics of the world like that. So I’ve done a shit load of research

6. if your wip became very successful, would you want to make a movie adaptation? why or why not?

Can I have a TV adaptation instead?

7. did you have any alternate title ideas for your wip? if so, what are they?

Sea of Air is just a placeholder title. Currently this WIP is the story without a title, because I have yet to find something right for it

8. what has been the hardest part about writing your wip so far?

Balancing the world building and the actual writing.

9. do you prefer writing action or description?

Action, always. I’m not good at descriptions (still/yet)

10. what do you want your readers to come away with after reading your story?

Oooh… a sense of accomplishment. Empowerment. I want them to feel content because the storyline and ending went the way it should have, or at least felt that way.

11. what’s your favorite part about your wip? what makes you excited to write it?

My characters, specifically Rosalie. The airship. Thinking about what Paris would look like when the imagination of cafes on rooftops with air balloons comes to life. Thinking about France as an empire, and it’s devastating impact on any growth if it ever did become one. That’s just super interesting to explore. Finishing it is what makes me most excited to write it.

And from @glasskaleidoscopes​:

1. What do you do when you need to think of writing ideas?

I usually work out. Running gets my brain going. If not I usually call my girlfriend and ask if she’ll listen to me rant about my story. We then go off of questions she gives me throughout the convo and ideas form from there

2. Do you know how your WIP ends? Or are you figuring it out along the way?

It’s a bit of both. I know in a broad sense, but not specially. I.e. i know I want the Revolution to succeed, but I’m not sure what I want the ruling government to be after. Or the effect it has on the rest of the world

3. What do you struggle with the most when writing?

I think I struggle with keeping on track. I easily get distracted to find an obscure detail for a sentence or a scene. I have to remind myself that this is a first draft

4. How have your characters evolved over your WIP?

I think my characters have been given more depth over time. Multiple went from side characters to essentials for plot. Caddis, actually, has gone from semi-redeemable father figure to being the sort of dude you really don’t want your children around.

5. Has one of your characters done something you never thought they would have done when you created them? If so, what?

Most definitely. Josephine, a side character, will become a bit of the enemy later on in the story even though her introduction is as a good character.

6. How far into your WIP(s) are you?

Heh. Well for the first part of this story I’m about 75k words in and have maybe another 15k to go? Times that total by say, four? I’m barely a quarter into this WIP!

7. What inspired your current WIP(s)?

My love for French history and a love for their imagination in a time where traveling in the sky was starting to rise.

8. What is your stance on using flashbacks in writing?

They’re good if done right. Which isn’t an answer at all. I feel like I’m back and forth on flashbacks. I love writing them now in my first draft but I don’t think a lot of them will stay come revisions

9. Which genre is your least favorite?

Horror. I don’t have the stomach for horror books

10. What is your worst writing-related habit?

I love to overcomplicate sentences. Like. A lot.

11. What bits (if any) of your personality have you added into your WIP?

My endless admiration with pirate coats has wormed its way in. There’s a lot more, I’m sure.

I’m cheating with this but here’s 11 I’m tagging (found some of y’all over a post asking to be tagged in tag games) @odpadkywriter @tjswritingstuff @bookenders @fantasy-shadows @libra-writes @mercutioswriting @typewrxter @shattered-starrs @designermolotovcocktails @alittlegoblinwrites and @the-corner-girl

My questions for y’all are the following!

1. Do you create playlists for your stories or characters?

2. What is your stance on endings that don’t end with some hope?

3. What author would you love to hear feedback from on your WIP?

4. What is the genre of your WIP(s)?

5. How do you come up with new ideas for your WIP(s)?

6. What do you use to keep all your writing on? (Scrivener, Google Docs, good old pen and paper...)

7. What gave you initial inspiration for your WIP(s)?

8. How long have you been working on your WIP(s)?

9. What was the first thing you came up with for your WIP(s)?

10. Have you considered Hogwarts houses for your characters? If so, what are they?

11. What do you find easiest to write? (Description, dialogue, etc.)

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Last line tag game

Catching up on my tag games; I was tagged by @glasskaleidoscopes, thank you! :)

Rules: Paste the last lines you’ve written, then tag people equal to words in the last sentence.

I’m going to tag @fantasy-shadows @alittlegoblinwrites @bookenders and @designermolotovcocktails if you want to do this!

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wip page 02 - by @bebewrites​ a tabbed wip page code to celebrate 500 600 followers! ♥

preview / code

this code has five tab pages. one for details, characters, additional information/q&a section, links + tags, and a short excerpt. all colors and the font should be changed in the root section near the top of the code.

please let me know if you come across and bugs or have any questions! i’d be happy to answer them:) i’d also appreciate a like/reblog if you use!

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Writing Fear

Writing about fear isn’t just about writing a scary scene or working on a horror novel. Writing about fear is about understanding your characters and what really terrifies them. Since we all don’t share the same fears, it can be difficult to get your readers to understand what your characters are going through. You need to write in a way that convinces the reader that your character is really scared by using all the senses—without flat-out telling them.

Showing fear through your writing is a very effective way to reach your audience and to write an intriguing scene. First off, let’s start off with some body language that shows fear.

Someone who is afraid might not might eye contact with whoever they’re afraid of. On the other hand, in a more intense situation, they might have a wide-eyed stare. For example, if someone is hiding their fear of another person, that’s when they might avoid eye contact. If something scares them suddenly, they might have the wide-eyed stare and have unwavering eye contact.

A scared character might be breathing heavily (maybe through the nostrils) and might have a clenched mouth. It’s likely that most of their body will be clenched, think tightened muscles and clenched fists, and they might be stuck in one spot.

They might be sweating or shaking as a result of excess adrenaline. Their feet might be turned away from the person they’re afraid of, subconsciously ready to get away. Some people might hunch or slouch and other people might stand taller and become more aggressive. It all depends on the situation.

Nervous behaviors such as tapping legs, crossing arms, or fidgeting might indicate fear. Rocking back and forth might also be from fear.

All of these body language suggestions should help you shape your character and how they experience fear. However, this is just one part of writing fear. Explaining why someone is so afraid could be just as important. Creating a back story, even if you don’t reveal it for a while, will help YOU and your readers understand why your character is so afraid. Knowing the intricacies of your character’s fear is important and it will help you translate it into your novel.

The emotional implications of fear also need to be explored in order to strengthen your novel. That fear might somehow manifest itself into their daily life, which will make your character development stronger. Someone who is afraid might have trouble dealing with that fear and might develop depression or distrust issues. Fear can often cause nightmares, trouble sleeping, or other health issues that will make their lives uncomfortable. Even after someone “gets over” a fear, there might be some residual issues. They might still be dealing with it for the rest of their lives.

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I need writeblr friends 😭

reblog if you’re a writeblr, a prompt blog, an oc blog, a whump blog, a writing advice blog, literally anything relating to writing! let’s make a follow train!

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3 oc facts tag game

I was tagged by @bookenders , thanks!

I’m tagging: @tjswritingstuff @odpadkywriter and @fantasy-shadows if you all want to do it! I can’t wait to see what you guys say about your characters!

From Sea of Air:

Rosalie - she carries around an book of poems in Latin that she translates when she has downtime on the airship.

Nadia - though she always comes across as stand offish, Nadia has a soft spot for the people closest to her... even if it only happens to be one person right now.

Philomena - she loves to learn everything she can about the way things work, which is why she soon becomes the lead engineer aboard the airship.

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not sure what should happen next in your story?

Embarrass your protagonist. Make them seem weak and vulnerable in some way.

Shoot someone. That always takes the reader by surprise. 

In relation, kidnap someone. Or, rather, make it seem to your protagonist like someone has been kidnapped. 

Have one of your side characters disappear or become unavailable for some reason. This will frustrate your protagonist.

Have someone kiss the wrong girl, boy, or person, especially if you’ve been setting up a romance angle. It’s annoying.

If this story involves parents, have them argue. Push the threat of divorce, even if you know it won’t ever happen. It’ll make your readers nervous.

Have someone frame your protagonist for a crime they didn’t commit. This could range from a dispute to a minor crime to a full-blown felony.

If this is a fantasy story involving magic or witchcraft, create a terrible accident that’s a direct result of their spell-casting. 

Injure your protagonist in some way, or push them into a treacherous scenario where they might not make it out alive. 

Have two side characters who are both close to the protagonist get into a literal fist-fight. This creates tension for the reader, especially if these characters are well-developed, because they won’t know who to root for.

Make your protagonist get lost somewhere (at night in the middle of town, in the woods, in someone else’s house, etc.) 

Involve a murder. It can be as in-depth and as important as you want it to be. 

Introduce a new character that seems to prey on your protagonist’s flaws and bring them out to light.

If it’s in-character, have one of your characters get drunk or take drugs. Show the fallout of that decision through your protagonist. 

Spread a rumor about your protagonist. 

If your protagonist is in high-school, create drama in the school atmosphere. A death of a student, even if your protagonist didn’t know them personally, changes the vibe. 

If your story involves children, have one of them do something dangerous (touch a hot stove, run out into the road, etc.) and show how the protagonist responds to this, even if the child isn’t related to them. 

In a fantasy story, toss out the idea of a rebellion or war between clans or villages (or whatever units you are working with). 

Add a scenario where your protagonist has to make a choice. We all have watched movies where we have screamed don’t go in there! at the top of our lungs at the main character. Make them go in there. 

Have your protagonist find something, even if they don’t understand the importance of it yet. A key, a document, an old stuffed animal, etc. 

Foreshadow later events in some way. (Need help? Ask me!)

Have your protagonist get involved in some sort of verbal altercation with someone else, even if they weren’t the one who started it. 

Let your protagonist get sick. No, but really, this happens in real life all the time and it’s rarely ever talked about in literature, unless it’s at its extremes. It could range from a common cold to pneumonia. Maybe they end up in the hospital because of it. Maybe they are unable to do that one thing (whatever that may be) because of it.

Have someone unexpected knock on your protagonist’s door. 

Introduce a character that takes immediate interest in your protagonist’s past, which might trigger a flashback.

Have your protagonist try to hide something from someone else and fail.

Formulate some sort of argument or dispute between your protagonist and their love interest to push them apart. 

Have your protagonist lose something of great value in their house and show their struggle to find it. This will frustrate the reader just as much as the protagonist.

Create a situation where your protagonist needs to sneak out in the middle of the night for some reason.

Prevent your character from getting home or to an important destination in some way (a car accident, a bad storm, flat tire, running out of gas, etc.)

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I’ve seen a lot of curious people wanting to dive into classical music but don’t know where to start, so I have written out a list of pieces to listen to depending on mood. I’ve only put out a few, but please add more if you want to. hope this helps y’all out. :)

stereotypical delightful classical music:

battalia a 10 in d major (biber)

brandenburg concerto no. 5

brandenburg concerto no. 3

symphony no. 45 - “farewell” (haydn)

if you need to chill:

rondo alla turca

fur elise

anitra’s dance

in the steppes of central asia (borodin) (added by viola-ology)

if you need to sleep:

moonlight sonata

swan lake

corral nocturne

sleep (eric whitacre) (added by thelonecomposer)

if you need to wake up:

morning mood

summer (from the four seasons)

buckaroo holiday (if you’ve played this in orch you might end up screaming instead of waking up joyfully)

if you are feeling very proud:

pomp and circumstance

symphony no. 9 (beethoven; this is where ode to joy came from)

1812 overture

symphony no. 5, finale (tchaikovsky) (added by viola-ology)

american (dvořák)

if you feel really excited:

hoedown (copland)

bacchanale

spring (from the four seasons) (be careful, if you listen to this too much you’ll start hating it)

la gazza ladra

death and the maiden (schubert)

if you are angry and you want to take a baseball bat and start hitting a bush:

dance of the knights (from the romeo and juliet suite by prokofiev)

winter, mvt. 1 (from the four seasons)

symphony no. 10 mvt. 2 (shostakovich)

symphony no. 5 (beethoven)

totentanz (liszt)

quartet no. 8, mvt. 2 (shostakovich) (added by viola-ology)

young person’s guide to the orchestra, fugue (britten) (added by iwillsavemyworld)

symphony no. 5 mvt. 4 (shostakovich) (added by eternal-cadenza)

marche slave (tchaikovsky) (added by eternal-cadenza)

if you want to cry for a really long time:

fantasia based on russian themes (rimsky-korsakov)

adagio for strings (barber)

violin concerto in e minor (mendelssohn)

aase’s death

andante festivo

vocalise (rachmaninoff) (added by tropicalmunchakoopas)

if you want to feel like you’re on an adventure:

an american in paris (gershwin)

if you want chills:

danse macabre

russian easter overture

egmont overture (added by shayshay526)

if you want to study:

eine kleine nachtmusik

bolero (ravel)

serenade for strings (elgar)

scheherazade (rimsky-korsakov) (added by viola-ology)

pines of rome, mvt. 4 (resphigi) (added by viola-ology)

if you really want to dance:

capriccio espagnol (rimsky-korsakov)

blue danube

le cid (massenet) (added by viola-ology)

radetzky march

if you want to start bouncing in your chair:

hopak (mussorgsky)

les toreadors (from carmen suite no.1)

if you’re about to pass out and you need energy:

hungarian dance no. 1

hungarian dance no. 5

if you want to hear suspense within music:

firebird

in the hall of the mountain king

ride of the valkyries

night on bald mountain (mussorgsky) (added by viola-ology)

if you want a jazzy/classical feel:

rhapsody in blue

jazz suite no. 2 (shostakovich) (added by eternal-cadenza)

if you want to feel emotional with no explanation:

introduction and rondo capriccioso

unfinished symphony (schubert)

symphony no. 7, allegretto (beethoven) (added by viola-ology)

canon in d (pachelbel)

if you want to sit back and have a nice cup of tea:

st. paul’s suite

concerto for two violins (vivaldi)

l’arlésienne suite

concierto de aranjuez (added by tropicalmunchakoopas)

pieces that don’t really have a valid explanation:

symphony no. 40 (mozart)

cello suite no. 1 (bach)

polovtsian dances

enigma variations (elgar) (added by viola-ology)

perpetuum mobile

moto perpetuo (paganini)

pieces that just sound really cool:

scherzo tarantelle

dance of the goblins

caprice no. 24 (paganini)

new world symphony, allegro con fuoco (dvorak) (added by viola-ology​)

le tombeau de couperin (added by tropicalmunchakoopas)

carnival of the animals (added by shadowraven45662)

if you feel like listening to concertos all day (I do not recommend doing that):

concerto for two violins (bach)

concerto for two violins (vivaldi)

violin concerto in a minor (vivaldi)

violin concerto (tchaikovsky) (added by iwillsavemyworld)

violin concerto in d minor (sibelius) (added by eternal-cadenza)

cello concerto in c (haydn)

piano concerto, mvt. 1 (pierne) (added by iwillsavemyworld)

harp concerto in E-flat major, mvt. 1 (added by iwillsavemyworld)

and if you really just hate classical music in general:

4′33″ (cage)

a lot of these pieces apply in multiple categories, but I sorted them by which I think they match the most. have fun exploring classical music!

also, thank you to viola-ology, iwillsavemyworld, shayshay526, eternal-cadenza, tropicalmunchakoopas, shadowraven45662, and thelonecomposer for adding on! if you would like to add on your own suggestions, please reblog and add on or message me so I can give you credit for the suggestion!

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A reminder to writers:

You aren’t annoying for wanting to talk about your work.

Your characters aren’t weird or boring. You created them. They’re perfect.

Being unpublished doesn’t mean you aren’t a writer.

If you takes you 5 years to write a book, you aren’t any less of a writer than someone who took a year and finished.

You can have a life outside of writing. You aren’t cheating on your characters.

Writing can consume your life, and that’s great. If you love it, you love it. Let it define you. It’s amazing.

You don’t have to write a certain genre to be a “good” writer. Just write.

Your work isn’t “bad” because it’s full of cliches. Cliches are popular for a reason. People love them when they’re well-written.

You’re talented.

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Stop using the word "Walk". We don't want that word to die together with "Said".

Here are a few words you can replace walk with.

AMBLE: WALK EASILY AND/OR AIMLESSLY

BOUNCE: WALK ENERGETICALLY

CAREEN: PITCH DANGEROUSLY TO ONE SIDE WHILE WALKING OR RUNNING

CLUMP: WALK HEAVILY AND/OR CLUMSILY

FALTER: WALK UNSTEADILY

FLOUNDER: WALK WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY

FOOT IT: (SLANG) DEPART OR SET OFF BY WALKING

FOOTSLOG: WALK HEAVILY AND FIRMLY, AS WHEN WEARY, OR THROUGH MUD

GIMP: LIMP; HOBBLE

HIKE: TAKE A LONG WALK, ESPECIALLY IN A PARK OR A WILDERNESS AREA

HOBBLE: WALK UNSTEADILY OR WITH DIFFICULTY; SEE ALSO LIMP

HOOF IT: (SLANG) WALK; SEE FOOT IT

LEG IT: (SLANG) SEE FOOT IT

LIMP: WALK UNSTEADILY BECAUSE OF INJURY, ESPECIALLY FAVORING ONE LEG; SEE ALSO FALTER

LUMBER: WALK SLOWLY AND HEAVILY

LURCH: WALK SLOWLY BUT WITH SUDDEN MOVEMENTS, OR FURTIVELY

MARCH: WALK RHYTHMICALLY ALONE OR IN A GROUP, ESPECIALLY ACCORDING TO A SPECIFIED PROCEDURE

MEANDER: WALK OR MOVE AIMLESSLY AND IDLY WITHOUT FIXED DIRECTION

MINCE: WALK DELICATELY

MOSEY: SEE AMBLE; ALSO, USED COLLOQUIALLY IN THE PHRASE “MOSEY ALONG”

NIP: WALK BRISKLY OR LIGHTLY; ALSO USED COLLOQUIALLY IN THE PHRASE “NIP (ON) OVER” TO REFER TO A BRIEF WALK TO A CERTAIN DESTINATION, AS IF ON AN ERRAND

PACE: WALK PRECISELY TO MARK OFF A DISTANCE, OR WALK INTENTLY OR NERVOUSLY, ESPECIALLY BACK AND FORTH

PAD: WALK WITH STEADY STEPS MAKING A SOFT DULL SOUND

PARADE: WALK OSTENTATIOUSLY, AS IF TO SHOW OFF

PERAMBULATE: SEE STROLL; TRAVEL ON FOOT, OR WALK TO INSPECT OR MEASURE A BOUNDARY

PEREGRINATE: WALK, ESPECIALLY TO TRAVEL

PLOD: WALK SLOWLY AND HEAVILY, AS IF RELUCTANT OR WEARY

POUND: WALK OR GO WITH HEAVY STEPS; MOVE ALONG WITH FORCE OR VIGOR; SEE LUMBER

POWER WALK: WALK BRISKLY FOR FITNESS

PRANCE: WALK JOYFULLY, AS IF DANCING OR SKIPPING

PROMENADE: GO ON A LEISURELY WALK, ESPECIALLY IN A PUBLIC PLACE AS A SOCIAL ACTIVITY; SEEPARADE

PROWL: WALK NOISELESSLY AND CAREFULLY IN A PREDATORY MANNER

PUSSYFOOT: WALK STEALTHILY OR WARILY

RAMBLE: WALK OR TRAVEL AIMLESSLY

ROAM: GO WITHOUT FIXED DIRECTION AND WITHOUT ANY PARTICULAR DESTINATION, OFTEN FOR PLEASURE; SEE RAMBLE

ROVE: TRAVEL CONSTANTLY OVER A RELATIVELY LENGTHY TIME PERIOD WITHOUT A FIXED DESTINATION; WANDER

SASHAY: GLIDE, MOVE, OR PROCEED EASILY OR NONCHALANTLY; SEE PARADE

SAUNTER: WALK ABOUT EASILY

SCUFF: WALK WITHOUT LIFTING ONE’S FEET

SHAMBLE: WALK OR GO AWKWARDLY; SHUFFLE; SEE SCUFF

SHUFFLE: WALK WITHOUT LIFTING THE FEET OR WITH CLUMSY STEPS AND A SHAMBLING GAIT; SEESCUFF

SKULK: MOVE IN A STEALTHY OR FURTIVE MANNER

SOMNAMBULATE: WALK IN ONE’S SLEEP

STAGGER: WALK UNSTEADILY

STALK: WALK STEALTHILY, AS IN PURSUIT

STEP: WALK, OR PLACE ONE’S FOOT OR FEET IN A NEW POSITION

STOMP: WALK HEAVILY, AS IF IN ANGER

STRIDE: WALK PURPOSEFULLY, WITH LONG STEPS

STROLL: WALK IN A LEISURELY WAY; SEE SAUNTER

STRUT: WALK WITH A STIFF, ERECT, AND APPARENTLY ARROGANT OR CONCEITED GAIT; SEE PARADE

STUMBLE: WALK CLUMSILY OR UNSTEADILY, OR TRIP

STUMP: WALK HEAVILY, AS WITH A LIMP; SEE LUMBER

SWAGGER: WALK WITH AGGRESSIVE SELF-CONFIDENCE

TIPTOE: WALK CAREFULLY ON THE TOES OR ON THE BALLS OF THE FOOT, AS IF IN STEALTH

TODDLE: MOVE WITH SHORT, UNSTEADY STEPS, AS A YOUNG CHILD; SEE SAUNTER AND STAGGER

TOTTER: WALK OR GO WITH FALTERING STEPS, AS IF FROM EXTREME WEAKNESS; SEE STAGGER(ALSO, SWAY OR BECOME UNSTABLE)

TRAIPSE: WALK LIGHTLY AND/OR AIMLESSLY

TRAMP: WALK HEAVILY OR NOISILY; SEE LUMBER AND HIKE

TRAMPLE: WALK SO AS TO CRUSH SOMETHING UNDERFOOT

TRAVERSE: WALK ACROSS OR OVER A DISTANCE

TREAD: WALK SLOWLY AND STEADILY

TRIP: WALK LIGHTLY; SEE ALSO STUMBLE

TROMP: TREAD HEAVILY, ESPECIALLY TO CRUSH UNDERFOOT; SEE LUMBER

TROOP: WALK IN UNISON, OR COLLECTIVELY

TROT: PROCEED AT A PACE FASTER THAN A WALK; SEE NIP

TRUDGE: WALK SLOWLY AND WITH HEAVY STEPS, TYPICALLY BECAUSE OF EXHAUSTION OR HARSH CONDITIONS; SEE PLOD

WADDLE: WALK CLUMSILY OR AS IF BURDENED, SWINGING THE BODY

WADE: WALK THROUGH WATER OR WITH DIFFICULTY, AS IF IMPEDED

WANDER: TO MOVE FROM PLACE TO PLACE WITHOUT A FIXED ROUTE; SEE RAMBLE

RESOURCES: (X) (X) (X) (X) (X)

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Yes please! I’d love to interact w more people on here!

Tag Game Tag List!

To make things easier on myself, interact with this post if you would like to be tagged in tag games! I’m talkin’ likes, reblogs, comments, the whole shebang. 

💜

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Le Jardins de Monet,

Giverny, Normandy, France 

Eric Sander

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Killing off characters: the shoulds and shouldn’ts

1. Why you should

The death is a major plot point

It reveals some shocking plot twist

It supports your themes/what you’re trying to say with your book

Your novel explores the afterlife

You are George R.R Martin and the selling point of your work is that everybody dies

It suits the genre/mood of your novel

2. Why you shouldn’t

The character isn’t serving any purpose (this isn’t the Sims)

You want your readers to be shocked for the sake of being shocked

You want to be edgy

You think your MG story needs more gore

You want to romanticise grieving/loss

3. How you should

This really depends on your genre and target audience

If you’re writing something that isn’t intended to be graphic/traumatic, you can stick to the impact the death has on the other characters. If your novel explores illness, focus on that rather than on the disturbing death scene itself. Perhaps you’re writing a drama/tragic romance - you might want to ease up on the gore here. For these genres, I would suggest focusing on the emotional aspect of the death - the sobbing, the last words, the bright white lights (whatever floats your boat). Think of Mufasa in The Lion King - the actions are suspenseful, but we don’t see him being trampled with his guts spilling everywhere. But it’s still one of the most impactful deaths in fictional history.

If you’re writing in a more mature and gritty genre (like thriller, dark fantasy or crime), you can go all out. If there’s blood and guts, you readers probably want to see it in vivid detail to get their violence fix for the day.

Whichever genre your novel falls into, you should also go with what feels comfortable to you. Even if you’re writing adult dark fantasy, you don’t have to write graphic violence to make a character death impactful.

4. How you shouldn’t

Please don’t let your character have a three-pages-long monologue after they’ve been stabbed in the throat. It’s not realistic and it’s often very boring. Yes, a few well-written last words can have a great impact. Just make sure that your character would realistically be able to speak at that point and that it doesn’t become a cheese fest.

Unless you’re aiming for very dark/nihilistic humour, afford your characters some dignity in the way they kick the bucket. (e.g. don’t use the phrase “kick the bucket”). Having someone slip on a banana peel and then choke on a pretzel is a little ridiculous and will make the entire story seem silly. Once again, this really depends on what you’re going for. If your genre is serious and your character is important and beloved, try for emotion rather than whimsy.

Don’t let your characters die only to be resurrected again and again and again. Look, I love Supernatural (long may they reign), but even I have to admit that the Winchester brothers’ luck with death has become a bit ridiculous. Doing this takes away from the impact of the death - it removes the fear and suspense, and will leave your readers emotionally stunted.

5. Who you shouldn’t

Your only female character in a bid to make the male hero feel something and become a better person

Your only LGBTQIA+ character, who is just too pure to live in this terrible world

Your only character of colour, who dies to save the white hero

Your only disabled character, who can now finally find release from life with disability

The one character who has never experienced a sliver of joy and bears the brunt of the tragedy, right when happiness is finally within their reach

The main character in the middle of the story - unless you have a REALLY good plan for what happens next

Reblog if you found these tips useful. Comment with your own thoughts on killing off characters. Follow me for similar content.

[corsairesque-blog]

Match imagery, decriptions, and analogies to the POV character (or character who is saying them). A character who grew up in a rural, agrarian society might use nature imagery (eg hair the color of bark, dealing with them was like herding sheep) while a character in a modern day city might think of things in terms of technology. A character who’s close with their family might see their family in things (eg he looked like her brother). Characters should think in terms of what they’re familiar with and what they know.