[glc3]

I killed off a character in the third book of my trilogy The Dead War Series.

I actually felt bad while writing it and was sad for about a day or two after killing off the character. I even thought about rewriting the ending but kept it the same since bringing the character back would require a major rewrite. Is it normal to feel this way?

George Cook
Author of The Dead War Series Trilogy
http://www.thedeadwarseries.com/p/the-dead-war-series.html

 

[Caddy]

Oh, yes. If you search you will find several threads about this.  I cry. I even cry when I go back and reread it months later.

 

[41352]

I did that once and cried for days. I've avoided killing any since. 

 

[Rick Gualtieri]

Depends on the character and type of book. Some are created to be killed. Others just run their logical story arc. A few...well we all have bad days. 

All in all it depends on how much I liked the character. 

 

[Diane Patterson]

I did that once and cried for days. I've avoided killing any since.

Well, be careful with this...because killing off a character is an important tool for us (and if it affects the writer, maybe it will mean as much to the reader).

One bestselling author I read about was so distraught over killing one of her characters that she promised her MC she would never, ever again kill anyone who meant something to the MC.

You can just imagine how serious the stakes in that series have become.

 

[glc3]

Whew! I least I know that I am not crazy. The character's death was planned from the start but I guessed I became very attached to the character without realizing it.

 

[J Bridger]

I've done it in work before (albeit fanfic things), and it can really affect your mood, no doubt. Even if it's a "love to hate" villain, there's a loss there.

 

[60911]

What everyone else said. It's totally normal. The more it affects you the more likely it will affect your readers.

 

[Amanda Brice]

I must say that personally as a reader, I feel cheated when I invest a lot in a character and then he/she is killed off/dies mid-series. If it really is a secondary character, okay, but a main one... Not for me.

This. I hate it! HATE it.

 

[Diane Patterson]

This is an interesting question (OH NOES CRAFT QUESTION APPROACHING): is it ever okay to kill off a series character mid-series? Let's assume it's a fairly important character (like, offing Hermione). If the author thinks it's important for the story, would they be well-advised to not do that story (or invent a new character to kill rather than the series character)? Have you ever stopped reading a series because they killed off a character?

 

[[email protected]]

I must say that personally as a reader, I feel cheated when I invest a lot in a character and then he/she is killed off/dies mid-series. If it really is a secondary character, okay, but a main one... Not for me.

It all depends on your reason for creating the character in the first place. I'm writing a series and there are recurring characters. Some may live forever, but if I feel killing one off at some point helps advance the story and the series, off with their heads.

Steven P. Marini
www.stevenmarini.com

 

[41413]

Well, be careful with this...because killing off a character is an important tool for us (and if it affects the writer, maybe it will mean as much to the reader).

One bestselling author I read about was so distraught over killing one of her characters that she promised her MC she would never, ever again kill anyone who meant something to the MC.

You can just imagine how serious the stakes in that series have become.

Sex, sex, and more sex. Also, sex.

We're talking about the same author, right? She's my favorite best selling train wreck.

 

[Diane Patterson]

Sex, sex, and more sex. Also, sex.

We're talking about the same author, right? She's my favorite best selling train wreck.

Oh yeah, baby, that's the one. (I actually couldn't stand her first few, reportedly good books. I picked up one of her latest books and said, "People are buying this? SRSLY?" I cannot feel guilty for charging 3 or 4 bucks for my work if people are willing to pay $18 for hers. After all, I invested in an editor.)

 

[41413]

Oh yeah, baby, that's the one. (I actually couldn't stand her first few, reportedly good books. I picked up one of her latest books and said, "People are buying this? SRSLY?" I cannot feel guilty for charging 3 or 4 bucks for my work if people are willing to pay $18 for hers. After all, I invested in an editor.)

I'm weirdly obsessed with her. I've met a lot of good friends because of our mutual WTF feelings in her direction. I liked the first few books, but I hesitate to call any of them good--they were just kind of unique at the time. Her recent stuff is...just..wow.

 

[Diane Patterson]

I'm weirdly obsessed with her. I've met a lot of good friends because of our mutual WTF feelings in her direction. I liked the first few books, but I hesitate to call any of them good--they were just kind of unique at the time. Her recent stuff is...just..wow.

I wonder if we belonged to the same WTF board.

 

[41413]

I wonder if we belonged to the same WTF board.

It's been a few years since I participated in any of communities like that, but if you were around in 2006-2007, then maybe! Did you read the book her assistant self-published? It's hilariously juicy.

 

[SEAN H. ROBERTSON]

Yes, it's normal, especially when the characters are protagonists.  I've done it, won't say the series, but it did sting a little,  as I fall for my characters as much as my readers do. ♥

 

[J Bridger]

Smreine - I think I know the author/series too. Can you message the assistant's book's name?

 

[dalya]

I shot a man in Reno ...

 

[JRTomlin]

Yes, it's normal--for a writer. Whether any writers are 'normal' is another question.