# Emotional Goodbyes



## Shouden (Apr 15, 2011)

Anyone else ever get all teary eyed when they go to kill off one of their long standing characters? Or is it just me?


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## M. LeRenard (Apr 20, 2011)

From the lack of replies to this, it sounds like most of us don't kill off our long-standing characters!
I'm thinking about doing it in one of my stories, though.  And since only two of my stories qualify as having "long-standing characters", and since only one of those is currently unfinished, my readers might be able to guess who I'm talking about.
As to whether or not I'll cry... I don't know, but I know it would make me feel like a really bad person, and that's why I tend not to do it.  Plus I'm not confident I know how to write a good death scene.


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## Shouden (Apr 20, 2011)

My characters at least died of natural causes, so they weren't violent bloody deaths. Maybe that is what made them so emotional for me.


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## Garfang (Apr 20, 2011)

I have a story that i am working on and some of my character has a really sad twist. I don't get emotional though , not yet  maybe when i finish it.


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## Shouden (Apr 21, 2011)

Right, but hey, if I'm getting emotional, perhaps the readers will, as well.


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## Kranesh (Apr 21, 2011)

Such twist in several stories are pure win, the fact is, u need to do it right if u wanna make the readers say "OH NOW WHY?! I must know what's going to happen next!" so ya, before you're going to kill any of your chars, u need to think about how you're going to do it, since my story is pretty new (one chapter so far) I'm not planning to kill any of my chars yet, but the idea crossed my mind several times


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## Shouden (Apr 21, 2011)

Right. I wrote a book once that followed a single character around through several adventures and in the end she died 'cause she was simply old and it was just the end of her life. I had a couple readers surprised that she died at the end and I wouldn't be surprised if a couple cried, even. And I think an emotional attachment to a fictional character is something every writer and author tries to do.

Take "Grave of the Fireflies" for example. It's based off of the writer's real life experiences and you pretty much know how it ends if you do the research for it, but...if you don't cry at the end of it, you need to get some help.


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## Nylak (Apr 21, 2011)

Shouden said:


> My characters at least died of natural causes, so they weren't violent bloody deaths. Maybe that is what made them so emotional for me.


That's probably it. >>

Maybe I'm a horrible person, but I find some kind of odd pleasure in killing off characters (then again, I feed off drama and the act of being overdramatic). But I guess I've only pursued one story to completion where one of the main characters kicked it, and I had been planning her death from day one, sooooo... XD


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## Fay V (Apr 21, 2011)

I have a going game with a writing partner of mine, whoever can make the other person cry gets a point. It takes a long time to build up the emotional attachment, then destroy it in one fell swoop. I think the standing score is something like 7 to 5 1/2 (they got a half point because it backfired on me) 
Sometimes I kill them from reasons like old age. The most painful one was when I had to kill off a fav character of mine with a really brutal death where he drowns at sea...it was made worse since it was a highly mythical sort of story, and following through to the afterlife, his outcome was really depressing. 

It's always a bit cathartic seriously wounding someone or killing them off, but sometimes it makes me feel like a psychopath.


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## Riavis (Apr 21, 2011)

If you, the writer, are affected by the death of a character- isn't this technically a good thing? It would be much easier to convey the emotion to the reader if both parties are tied into it in depth.


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## Shouden (Apr 22, 2011)

Riavis said:


> If you, the writer, are affected by the death of a character- isn't this technically a good thing? It would be much easier to convey the emotion to the reader if both parties are tied into it in depth.


 
Right. If I get emotionally attached to my characters through the various stories I've written about them, then the readers should also get emotionally attached in theory. However, as Fay V pointed out, it usually takes a bit longer for the reader to get emotionally attached. 'Cause, since they're my characters and their main characters, I know them a bit better than my readers. And, even when you're planning to kill them off from the beginning, it can still be hard to actually write it.

@ Nylak - Right. It's not something I do often 'cause it sucks. And I have written a story for Halloween where I had one of my characters kill off everyone else except her girlfriend, so I don't get emotional EVERY time. But...still...


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## buni (Apr 22, 2011)

I have had two scenes in my history wherein I felt miserable after having written them, even knowing they were necessary. I have a third coming in the near future. I am... looking forward to it, in the sense that I know it will _hurt_, but it will be the kind of hurt that feels so good when it's over.


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## Shouden (Apr 22, 2011)

I want to do a third, as well. But, I'm gonna give it time. I'm not sure how I want to the lives of these characters, yet. Which is fine, 'cause I'm enjoying writing them.

I have had another time where, although I didn't kill of the character, I cried 'cause of her situation and emotional distress.


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## Aeturnus (Apr 27, 2011)

I won't lie, I do get a little tearful and/or happy when I kill off a character. Honestly, I have no problems killing off characters.


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## Icky (Apr 27, 2011)

The fact that I have never had this problem shows me one of three things:
     -I'm a bad writer.
     -I don't write long enough stories to get attached to my characters.
     -I'm an awful sadistic killer.


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## ScottyDM (Apr 30, 2011)

Icky, is that multiple choice, or are all three true?


Anyway, I had planned to kill this character, and in a rather grisly way. Then I read an essay about the families of murder victims. I realized that because my hero and villain are brothers, it would be unrealistic for the victim's family and friends to accept the hero. Yeah, some of them might, but it'd kinda mess up the happy ending. Darn.

I had wanted to kill this character to show the reader that the villain is a Very Bad Man. Later, when he starts wooing the heroine, everyone will realize she's in some serious danger.

To fix it I had him pick up this random hitchhiker the other characters didn't know personally, and do the down and dirty to her. Two days later he attacks the original planned victim, but is thwarted and only puts her in the hospital.

So original victim is out of the direct action when villain starts wooing the heroine, he's perceived as just as deadly as my original plan, and since the original victim survives and can forgive the hero for his unfortunate choice in brothers, so can everyone else.



I suppose if there was any emotion it was disappointment, followed by relief.

S~


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## osad3511 (Apr 30, 2011)

It might be a bitt rough around the edges butt, yeah haah i try. x]
When you leave, i will miss you more then anything, and i need you to know that you an amazing person, And i will never forget you.


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## Schwimmwagen (Apr 30, 2011)

I may kill off all but one of my long-standing characters now that I think about it. :3c


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