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So…y’all…I’ve been…uhm…plotting. 😅
I’ve gone back to plotting and thinking about one of my older WIP’s, and after listening to a song and really thinking about the message I want the book to convey, an MC might have to die. (he’s saved and goes to heaven, don’t worry. 🥰)
I’m thinking HOW he dies is that he gives his life for his brother and a couple other men in a POW camp by either taking the blame for something they SUPPOSEDLY did, or because their captors are trying to make a point and the charrie volunteers so no one else has to die.
But I have a few things…
First off, he’s the older brother of another MC, and his younger brother depends on him for so much (yet his older brother’s death shows him the love of Christ that he’s never known…I’m so conflicted)
And second, and this is the biggest thing I need to ask/talk about, is that I’m unsure how to make his death meaningful, and how to make the reader not feel cheated.
Because he’ll be a VERY likeable MC, and I don’t want readers to feel betrayed. 😅
Any advice? (and even if I haven’t tagged you, feel free to jump in!!!)
@princesachronicle22. @mineralizedwritings. @godlyfantasy12. @queen_of_alvastia. @joy-calle. @esther-c. @thearcaneaxiom. @otherworldlyhistorian. @folith-feolin. @gwyndalf-the-wise. @booksbyjayna.@freedomwriter76
AH THAT SOUNDS SO BEAUTIFULLY SAD!
I’m not sure how best to help you, but I feel like readers are going to feel sad no matter what, but my main pet peeve with this kind of thing is when there could have been another way. Like this self sacrifice was meaningless because there was a much better and obvious option.
But with what your writing it sounds more like it’s really this man’s choice. He is doing a sacrifice so others won’t get hurt, but your then showing how this affects the people close to him, like his brother, therefore giving it a meaning, that may not have resulted had something else happened
Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. -1 Corinthians
And guess what? His is eternal (:- Rank: Chosen One
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IKR!?!? 😭❤️
UGH, yes, that is so AWFUL!!!! I only have a character self-sacrifice if it’s the only way…but it still makes me sad (I guess a good example I can think of is Tony Stark…😭)
That’s what I’m going for, so I’m so glad you got that from what I was writing. I definitely want it to be a “did this out of love” kind of thing, and I want to show how it DOES affect the men around him, especially after he’s gone. ❤️
Honestly, I haven’t written them in a long time, so I may need to write them again soon, like in the castle or something, lol, just to get back into writing them. 😅
@freedomwriter76
Yess!!!! Your character’s death is a very good one. Honestly, as long as it accomplishes something your readers won’t feel betrayed. Your idea actually seems really good. Good character deaths can really help make a story feel real (especially when it is an MC) and also make things really powerful.
Also here is a quote from G.R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones) that is directly relevant 🙃 (warning mentions death but I mean on this forum that is expected.
Just as you grieve if a friend is killed, you should grieve if a fictional character is killed. You should care. If somebody dies and you just go get more popcorn, it’s a superficial experience isn’t it? – G.R.R. Martin
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@otherworldlyhistorian. Thanks so much!!! I’m glad you think so! 😊
And WOW, that’s a good quote. 🤯 (i’ve cried over multiple characters…😂)
@freedomwriter76
Yea. G.R.R. Martin is really renowned for his character deaths. I have read multiple articles using this one MC from Game of Thrones that *spoilers (though I doubt any of us will read Game of Thrones because … well you know)* who is like the main character of the first book but gets killed.
GOT is important in the development of modern fantasy (which I will not go on a lecture about) in non-negative ways. It really pioneered fantasy that is not just heroes fighting pure evil entity. Apparently, HBO (doing what HBO does) made the show way worse than the books (according to a guy on my school’s quiz bowl team).
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@otherworldlyhistorian. Some authors ARE good to killing characters without making their readers grab pitchforks. (why did I chose that analogy!?!? 😂)
HBO strikes again! 😐
@freedomwriter76
I agree with Princesa and OtherworldlyHistorian, I don’t think your reader will feel cheated, particularly cause the character CHOSE to, and it sounds like that was the only way.
XD Even likeable characters must die. We’ll just be hurting more cause we like them…XD
But then that gives the reader a chance to sympathize with the other brother, who’s in as much agony as we are over the death.So your plan gets double thumbs-ups! *round of applause* *is looking forward to and dreading the possibility of reading about these characters*
"...I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain..."
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@gwyndalf-the-wise. Thanks for coming in, girl! ❤️
I’m so glad to hear that no one feels like readers would be cheated. 😂
Yeah…the poor brother…he’s already been through a lot…😐😭
Aww, thanks girl!!!! 💙
@freedomwriter76 *drags Torryn in* *sits down* *opens notebook* I feel like I should be here….
🥰#TorrynVelgardProtectionSquad🥰
@freedomwriter76
Everyone already said the stuff I was going to say (other than the Game of Thrones part; I wasn’t going to say that). Mainly that it must be vital to the story. But another thing I would mention is that it helps if it doesn’t completely, totally blindside readers. You know, where everything’s going great and it looks like this character has a long and happy arc to live out all the way to the end of the book, and then out of nowhere that long and happy arc gets chopped off. That’s what can feel unnatural. It helps if there are hints so readers can already see your character being the kind of character who would sacrifice himself, or that that’s absolutely what had to happen to satisfy that character’s arc as well as the characters around him.
If you want examples of how to write heartbreaking character deaths that don’t make your readers throw the book at a wall and never speak to you again, read Amanda Dykes. I think all of her books feature a heartrending character death, but in beautifully hope-filled ways. The kind where you cry but somehow it’s still okay. @joy-calle, you know what I’m talking about. Yours is the Night is a great example (WWI, but it would still help you), especially if you want to be in the character’s POV when it happens.
Jayna Baas
Christian Author/Editor
www.booksbyjayna.com@freedomwriter76
You know this reminds me of a book I read called One In Thine Hand by Gerald N Lund. It’s really good but my favorite character died. And it was so impactful to everyone because he was such a light to those around him, and he died of similar causes as an act of saving and love for others.
That’s just what your story reminded me of, I think it’ll be really good and meaningful too
Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. -1 Corinthians
And guess what? His is eternal (:@freedomwriter76
Everyone already said some really great stuff, but I’ll see what I can add. It already sounds like a great story, and you sound conflicted about killing him off, so that’s a good start. One thing to consider before killing any character off is that you can’t use that character ever again after that (ignoring all revival stuff). One example you might connect with as a marvel fan is with Quicksilver. If he didn’t die in Ultron, imagen what could have happened later? What if he joined Tony in civil war, then you would have sibling conflict and battle that would have been fun to explore. Essentially your making a trade, all future possibilities for that character, for one gut punch. So make sure that all dynamics with this character can have good closure before killing them off. Of course, a good character death can lead to many interesting dynamics for the other characters after that, so the gut punch isn’t the only thing you get out of it.
However when it comes to finishing all archs and stuff, you need to be careful. If you complete every aspect of this character’s life, then kill them off, it might come off as too perfect too some. This really depends on the style and mood your going for though.
That’s just some of my thoughts on character deaths, I hope that’s at all helpful! Either way, your story sounds really good, and I’m sure your readers will be really sad, but in a good way!
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
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@freedomwriter76
The others already gave you some great advice, but as for my part, I just wanted to say that character death sounds absolutely beautiful. Tragic, but beautiful. I’m a real sucker for the character-gives-his-life-for-another trope, because it so incredibly represents the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Honestly, my first reaction was to say go ahead and do it. But it’s up to you, of course. (:
And @booksbyjayna could not be more right; Amanda Dykes is the author to look to if you want examples of heartwrenching character deaths that rip you apart and yet heal you at the same time. Personally Yours is the Night is my favorite of hers, and I think you’d love it. The character death in that book is sooooooo sad and yet so beautiful and just… wow. Whose Waves These Are is amazing too, and it’s World War II fiction. Both character deaths feature the self-sacrifice trope, so I think it’d definitely help you to read them.
@freedomwriter76
I don’t know what everyone else has said, but personally, I would go for the self-sacrifice idea. I think that truly shows the love of Christ in a meaningful why. That also would probably work better especially if you don’t want the reader to feel cheated. As for him taking the blame for something that others did, I don’t think that would hit as hard as him sacrificing his life for the others. But that’s just my opinion.
Ok, I just got another idea… 😏 So obviously the younger brother would be hurt and crushed after his brother’s death. Well maybe he could be even angry at his brother for making that sacrifice. Then the younger bro could find the older bro’s journal or a letter he wrote to him, that talks about how amazing God’s love is. Then that could open the younger’s eyes to the truth a little more.
Idk, just a random thought that kinda has to do with what you’re asking. 😂
Anyway, I hope that helped! 🙂 Good luck!! 😀
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
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