Killing Off a Character

by L.J. Sellers, author of provocative mysteries & thrillers

I killed my first recurring character recently, and it still haunts me. She wasn't particularly popular, but the manner of her death was shocking. The ending made my beta readers cry for my protagonist, but they said they loved it. And so did my publisher. So I crossed my fingers and let it go to press.

Still, I knew it was a risk. Readers complain loudly when writers kill characters. They post negative reviews and ratings and often claim they'll never read another book by the author. Some even follow through.

Television writers kill characters even more often than novelists do. Have you seen the third season of Downton Abbey? Viewers were infuriated. Or the last season of Grey's Anatomy? Ouch!

Why do authors do it? For several creative reasons and possibly one egocentric rationale. First, the self-centered reason. Literary experts say if you're not willing to kill a character, then you're not a real writer. They say you lack the courage to be realistic and daring. So killing a character is a challenge that many writers feel compelled to experience.

But that's not why I did it. If a character's full story arc has been told, and there is nothing left for that person to do, then killing him or her is essential for the series. It's only fair to readers to cut the dead weight and allow the story arc of other characters to grow and take new paths. Sometimes a death at the end of one story is the best way to set up a new story that begins with an emotional punch. Also, the action in the climax is often so intense that if no one dies, the story doesn’t feel realistic.

Another reason—which TV writers cite as their main motivation—is that killing a character creates uncertainty. Once readers/viewers realize that anyone could die, that quiet dread ratchets up the suspense.

Which is why readers and viewers keep coming back to a series even after someone they love has been dispatched. Many fans will rant and rave, but eventually they'll accept the development and find themselves ready for more. Only now, their anticipation will be greater than ever.

This pattern is probably truer (safer) for television than novels. Book lovers get more attached to their mainstays, and therefore more upset by unexpected deaths. When you kill a recurring fictional character, you will lose some readers forever.

What is the payoff for novelists? The satisfaction of telling the story the way they envision it. The freedom to take the series or protagonist in a new direction. Maybe even more important—the rush of taking a risk and the confidence that comes with surviving it.

So in Rules of Crime, book seven of the Detective Jackson series, I finally killed a character and I made my protagonist suffer for it. So far, most of my faithful readers have supported—even loved—the decision. But not everyone. I just hope the few who are disappointed will come back to find out what happens next. Book eight is written, and I've made the development pay off in an a rewarding way.

What about you? Have you abandoned an author for knocking off a favorite character? Do you give TV writers more slack than novelists? Tell me what you think.

Killing Off a Regular Character

Please welcome Douglas Corleone as a guest blogger to Crime Fiction Collective. With a last name like his, is the title of his post such a surprise?

DOUGLAS CORLEONE is the author of the Kevin Corvelli crime novels set in Honolulu.  His debut novel ONE MAN’S PARADISE was a finalist for the 2010 Shamus Award for Best First Novel and won the 2009 Minotaur Books / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award.  Doug’s third novel LAST LAWYER STANDING will be released on August 21, 2012.

A former New York City criminal defense attorney, Doug now resides on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu, where he is currently at work on his next novel.

Many authors are loathe to do it, and for good reason.  Killing off a regular character in a series can be hazardous to your career.  Receiving angry letters from readers is just one of the reasons to keep your regular characters among the living.  There are other risks; a supporting character could be more important to an author’s series than he or she realizes.  Removing such a character could be like removing part of the foundation from a perfectly fine house of cards.  Or worse, a vital organ from a living, breathing work of art.  

In suspense fiction, killing off a regular character can also have an upside.  The entire goal of suspense fiction is to keep readers on edge.  Killing off a regular character leaves your readers wondering who you’ll kill off next.  By killing a regular character, you’re opening a whole new door of endless possibilities.  Taking away the safety net – the heart-warming sense of “oh, he’s too important to die” – can really shake up a series that might otherwise be running out of steam.

    

Killing off a regular character also gives your protagonist a terrific opportunity to grow emotionally.  If you find your hero unchanging from book to book, you may want to do something to turn his world upside down.  Kill off a spouse or a sibling or a business partner and see how your protagonist reacts to the death.  Is he resilient?  Or will he crumple?  Pick himself off the floor or fall deeper into the bottle? 

Maybe even make your hero directly or indirectly responsible for that death.  Guilt is an emotion that many of us can only wish on a fictional character – that’s how powerful it is. 

One alternative to killing off a character is sending him somewhere he can’t come back from.  That’s the approach I take in my third Kevin Corvelli novel Last Lawyer Standing.   Although I won’t give away his name, the character who leaves the third book first appeared in my debut One Man’s Paradise.  He’s one of my favorites and I already missed him during the writing of a short story I recently submitted to Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

Of course, it would be easier to kill off a regular character who no one likes – and it could have nearly as much impact to the series.  A nemesis or an annoying in-law can exit stage left and actually improve the series overall.  I can think of a few characters I’d like to see vanish in some of my favorite series. Unfortunately, it would probably be unethical – if not unlawful – to kill them off in my own books. 

Are there any killed-off characters you wish were still alive in your favorite series?  Any examples in which a hero gained depth through the death of a regular character?  I'm looking to reading responses below.      

 Douglas Corleone

doug@douglascorleone.com

"A perfect blend of mystery and thriller, with laugh out loud moments sprinkled liberally throughout. Corleone is as good as it gets.”

~ David Rosenfelt, National Bestselling Author of the Andy Carpenter mystery novels

Why Killing a Character Can Be Murder on the Author

This favorite is by Andrew Kaufman, bestselling thriller author

Somewhere during the course of my novels, someone has to die—actually, several people do. That’s just the nature of the beast. My stories revolve around evil-doers, and most will stop at nothing to get what they want. Even murder. And really, what’s a mystery without a body or three?

That’s not to say writing them is easy—it isn’t. For an author, killing off characters is a big responsibility and in some cases, risky business. After all, plotting a novel is one thing—plotting a murder is completely another. It has to make sense, has to fit in with the story, and most importantly, has to move things forward in a logical manner. Kill the wrong character and you could wind up with a real mess on your hands (so to speak). The effects can be catastrophic, throwing everything completely off-balance. I know this because on occasion it’s happened to me, and when it has I’ve had to chuck the entire story and start all over again. Trust me, folks, it's no fun: we're talking pull-your-hair-out-of your-head, gnash-your-teeth-to-powder sort of moments.

Then there’s the emotional side. Like readers, we get attached to our characters, too, probably even more so. For me, they’re like my children. I created them, and sometimes I hate to see them go. So when the story dictates that one of them must die, it can be troublesome, to say the least. I often don’t want to do it. I struggle. That’s when I have to step away from my feelings and remember that it’s all about the story. The good news is that hopefully, if I’m feeling the pain, the reader might, too. Maybe it’s a sign I’m getting it right. Or maybe it’s just a sign that I’ve lost my mind. Not sure which.

And there are other risks, implications which can occur off the page. Killing the wrong character can make readers really angry.

That’s what happened to Karin Slaughter (SPOILER ALERT) a few years back when she ended the life of one of her most beloved characters. It created a huge backlash. Readers were furious, many accusing her of doing it for the shock value and vowing to never pick up another one of her books again. It got so bad in fact that Slaughter ended up having to post a letter on her website explaining her decision. Not sure whether it made a difference, but as an author I can understand what she went through.

So what about you? Readers: ever been really upset over the death of a character? And authors: What have your experiences been while offing one of your peeps?