Writing Stack Exchange
Writing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [death]

This tag is for questions about death in writing. Portraying character deaths and discussions on the concept of death should all use this tag.

Death is a concept commonly explored in all forms of writing. This tag should be used for any question which relates to the topic of death, including the deaths of , representing death within the , portraying death as a concept, and the implications of death within a work.

Examples of questions that should use this tag:

Related tags:

41 questions
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How to detach yourself from a character you're going to kill?

So, in a WW2-ish story featuring a co-ed military, I have a female soldier who is very kind and caring. I'm setting her up to be a mascot and somewhat of the postergirl. Trouble is, she dies further down the story to kind of remind the player that…
Kale Slade
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Death as person - A funny part of the story? Or serious stuff?

Death as a person is commonly known to any reader of the "Discworld" series from Terry Pratchett. Also death appears in the series "Supernatural" as one of the apocalyptic riders. Another approach in this case is not known to me. The thought of…
Pawana
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18
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9 answers

What makes the death of a character satisfying?

My wife and I were watching a movie where one of the main characters died shortly after being reunited with his long lost love. His death was not meaningless -- he died defending his only son, but it was completely unsatisfying. I wasn't happy that…
user2859458
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14
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9 answers

Is it offensive to kill my gay character at the end of my book?

In my novel, while the main characters are building the plot and driving it forward, there is a subplot with a gay couple. One of the gay partners is best friends with the female protagonist. At the end of the story, I plan to make the antagonist…
R.T.
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13
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5 answers

What to avoid when foreshadowing a death?

If, for example, I plan for a character to die in the middle of the story, and let's say I'd like to foreshadow his death by dropping a few hints here and there, what should I avoid when dropping hints about the approaching death?
DarkYagami
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10
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4 answers

Can a character death sometimes be unnecessary?

Is there a time where a character's death in a story would be unnecessary? Not the main character, but someone really important to the protagonist like a caretaker/parent to advance the plot? Deaths in fiction are mostly used for motivators like…
AmateurWriter
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9
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5 answers

Is it alright to kill off a character without setting up death flags?

I've always felt weird about death flags in stories. I don't know exactly how I feel about them. For example, a soldier character reminiscing to his buddy while on the frontlines about his wife and kids and how he's going back home to them while…
user9564371
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9
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Can a novel without any death be taken seriously?

I was asking myself this question while writing a novel that don't imply any death or even really dramatic event ! The novel tells about the main character's strugglings and conflictuous relationships, but death never occurs in the story ! Can a…
Koblenz
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9
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8 answers

How to write a death scene without making it overdramatic?

In the story there's a flashback where one of the main protagonists loses his best friend in a battle where he was the only survivor. His best friend is a important character and, because of that, I want him to go out a bit dramatically. But I fear…
DarkYagami
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How to write a hospital death scene without sentimentalism?

The cliché scene where a man dies on the hospital bed and ECG goes "beep beep beep" is seen by everyone in movies. The problem is that someone told me that I go too sentimental in scenes like these while writing. How can I write hospital death…
Veronica Park
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7
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Character motivations facing death?

Would it be boring/unrealistic/silly/cliché if most characters only had this main motivation for most of a story: saving humanity/their country/their familly/themselves. The setting is medieval fantasy, a war starts with an immortal being that…
Dreamk33
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7
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4 answers

What makes a good death scene?

I'm looking specifically into the written medium (NOT screenwriting) and the death of an important friendly character. It's supposed to be a scene to make the reader scream "please, don't", not "yes, die, idiot!" Are there any known tricks for…
FFN
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3 answers

What does the death of a fictional character mean?

When should a writer kill their protagonist off? Inspired by a question about character lifetime and another about what makes the death of a character satisfying for the reader, I have begun to wonder whether there are clues inherent to a story I…
user29032
5
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2 answers

What makes a character’s death meaningful?

With my book reaching a climax, there’s always a evil idea circulating through my head: Time to butcher up one of the characters. But something is preventing me getting the right words and feeling in the pages, making me kinda stressed out. What…
Artemis Silver
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Are happy deaths offensive?

Would having characters not feel sad about death, but instead fascinated about it be offensive to those who lost others? I always felt as if death is natural and should not be sad, but would writing it that way be offensive?
Gabriel Burchfield
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