tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post235444174303409204..comments2024-03-10T01:18:18.094-08:00Comments on Elise Fallson: Killing Your Main Character: Could you do it?Elise Fallsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14734537117333738468noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-82978122467655317172013-11-12T04:34:38.118-08:002013-11-12T04:34:38.118-08:00If I were to kill my MC off, I'd have decided ...If I were to kill my MC off, I'd have decided that in the beginning, so yes, no problem. If a book took off and the editor wanted sequels/series and I hadn't planned on killing the MC, then I'd see how the story unfolded. But no...killing people is in my blood. I come from a long line of secret assassins. Well, I guess we're not so secret anymore.<br /><br /><a title="My Writer's Blog" href="http://mlswift.me/blog" rel="nofollow">M.L. Swift, Writer</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17064990883097071040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-87452580082698347482013-11-02T20:23:50.124-07:002013-11-02T20:23:50.124-07:00I feel exactly the same way as a reader, Elise, an...I feel exactly the same way as a reader, Elise, and actually, as a writer too. As invested as I get in the stuff I read, I'm so much more vested in the characters I've brought to "life." Kill them off, say whaaaaaaaaat??? Naw, dude; they gotta LIVE!!!!! :-)<br /><a href="http://www.minalobo.com/2013/10/resurrection-blogfest-ii.html" rel="nofollow">Check Out Mina's Resurrection Blogfest II!</a>Mina Lobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173895884776280826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-83625683761566637262013-10-30T23:41:53.305-07:002013-10-30T23:41:53.305-07:00I don't think I could do that. I've found ...I don't think I could do that. I've found as I've got older I like both books and films to have relatively happy endings!<br />Suzanne @ <a href="http://suzannes-tribe.blogspot.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Suzannes Tribe</a><br />xxSuzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15210964582774377295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-18520716613329904772013-10-30T07:45:13.519-07:002013-10-30T07:45:13.519-07:00I couldn't kill off a main character and I don...I couldn't kill off a main character and I don't like books that do it. In the last Harry Potter book, when Rowling made us believe she was going to kill Harry Potter, I had to stop reading for awhile. I am so glad Harry Potter didn't stay dead. Auden Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13484527377996130004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-25759777774897250912013-10-28T17:17:30.945-07:002013-10-28T17:17:30.945-07:00I don't believe in killing off characters, not...I don't believe in killing off characters, not unless it makes really great sense. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15901684621715980573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-64288656176309471492013-10-28T12:46:12.767-07:002013-10-28T12:46:12.767-07:00This is a tough question. As a reader, I've t...This is a tough question. As a reader, I've thrown books at a wall for that offense. Then again...if you're George R R Martin you do this all the time, right? "Brace yourself..." http://ow.ly/qg1Zd Mina Burrowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14483363743530076604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-85343485083231867952013-10-28T08:52:11.020-07:002013-10-28T08:52:11.020-07:00I've heard it's a big no-no, to kill off a...I've heard it's a big no-no, to kill off an MC. I think the trend is against it now, for the very reason you describe, most people want to root for the MC and have him/her prevail at the end. Hard to do if the MC dies. Where I've seen it work really well are stories where something horrible has already happened to the MC and part of them already wants to die. (E.g. I am Legend and Braveheart.) The MC gets some payback on the terrible things foisted on him but then is released to join his family in the afterlife.Kim Van Sicklerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04957877837203134260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-92056084379214715562013-10-28T08:21:17.720-07:002013-10-28T08:21:17.720-07:00I don't like killing characters.I don't like killing characters. Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-49381052778435475152013-10-28T02:40:03.142-07:002013-10-28T02:40:03.142-07:00No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. If...No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. If writing a scene makes you cry then you know you are doing something right. D.S Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05728147137615364984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-30309505742698327042013-10-28T01:49:31.198-07:002013-10-28T01:49:31.198-07:00Nope. I write romance.
If I killed off an MC, rea...Nope. I write romance. <br />If I killed off an MC, readers would burn me in effigy. LOLMelissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08516493326566981116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-71580167785282478862013-10-27T18:46:19.275-07:002013-10-27T18:46:19.275-07:00I think the only way I could would be if it was th...I think the only way I could would be if it was the end of the series and the MC's death really amounted to something - it would have to mean that them dying saved what was most important to them. No idea if I could actually write it, though. @_@<br /><br />That sort of thing wouldn't stop me from reading a series, though; I've read too many books where important characters die for that. George R. R Martin, anyone....Mason T. Matchakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382636658554302699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-57694019059626419802013-10-27T11:45:43.348-07:002013-10-27T11:45:43.348-07:00Shakespeare does it a lot, I guess. Tragic love st...Shakespeare does it a lot, I guess. Tragic love stories, which I've never been a fan of. I don't mind if it has a point like in Tale of Two Cities (It is a far, far better thing I do...), but when it's just to go, 'Oh how sad...' then I'm not that bothered. <br /><br />Of course the most famous book where the MC dies at the end is the Bible. (spoiler!)<br /><br />moodmooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-56901761588077433452013-10-27T05:43:41.704-07:002013-10-27T05:43:41.704-07:00I agree, killing off the main character wouldn'...I agree, killing off the main character wouldn't be good, but I have read a few successful books where the character did die. It's always sad, but if there is a good reason, it works.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14087140585742801854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-67478388167147722092013-10-27T00:23:34.177-07:002013-10-27T00:23:34.177-07:00I think in a world where too many readers want to ...I think in a world where too many readers want to control the movement of the story killing an MC will help wake them up. I see nothing wrong with killing an MC as long as the story can still hold up without them. And I have to say dead or alive the Harry Potter series would survive and thrive with or without Harry. There'd just be a lot of pissed off fans. Fans who are now anxiously awaiting the next HP movie involving a no HP Movie original cast.Sheena-kay Grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17712661419116636671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-51284289829927004602013-10-26T20:07:03.738-07:002013-10-26T20:07:03.738-07:00Joss Whedon killed Buffy twice, and that series di...Joss Whedon killed Buffy twice, and that series did all right... I would definitely consider killing a main character if that's what the story called for. But only then.M.J. Fifieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15626475963328519693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-1292661847526914092013-10-26T19:41:44.052-07:002013-10-26T19:41:44.052-07:00Well, for variety's sake, it's a great ide...Well, for variety's sake, it's a great idea to kill off your main character, sometimes. Not every story is going to be best served with a surviving main character, although most are. It all depends--it really does. :DCathy Keatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18356112948372149785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-15883751405933529842013-10-26T15:05:14.428-07:002013-10-26T15:05:14.428-07:00I've killed off a few protagonists in horror f...I've killed off a few protagonists in horror flash fiction.Patrick Stahlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09690555802232025818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-510874074371147482013-10-26T14:12:24.077-07:002013-10-26T14:12:24.077-07:00I have killed off a main character in my book, but...I have killed off a main character in my book, but had her revived in the end. I agree, I read books to escape reality as well and would not read a book if everyone does not end up living happily ever after. I just figure real life is depressing enough. Murees Dupèhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11781339206465690961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-36536177244945300372013-10-26T13:55:42.440-07:002013-10-26T13:55:42.440-07:00Well, Flaubert did in Madame Bovary and Thomas Har...Well, Flaubert did in Madame Bovary and Thomas Hardy did in Tess of the D'Urbervilles, but since I'm not Flaubert or Hardy, I will probably not give that a try. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16028635002644119824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-34531992729469880552013-10-26T10:49:28.776-07:002013-10-26T10:49:28.776-07:00There are people that LOVE those tragic endings---...There are people that LOVE those tragic endings----I am NOT one of them. I read to escape and find enjoyment, not to be depressed, LOL! ;-) Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15747144518868320969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-9640715753030439072013-10-26T07:20:53.064-07:002013-10-26T07:20:53.064-07:00I don't know... if/when that moment arrives, t...I don't know... if/when that moment arrives, then I'll know whether I have what it takes...Michelle Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02750092836481599870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-42261487754046691242013-10-26T06:49:52.241-07:002013-10-26T06:49:52.241-07:00No, I couldn't kill my main character. I can d...No, I couldn't kill my main character. I can do all kinds of other evil things to her, but she must survive it all. :))<br /><br />And I even have a hard time killing off her friends. I had plans to kill a certain character when I started writing this current novel, and he grew on me so much I couldn't do it. My beta readers threatened legal action if I killed him. :PLuanne G. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15762881276976395955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-73221441458550502982013-10-26T05:59:49.738-07:002013-10-26T05:59:49.738-07:00It depends on the death but mostly no. It's ba...It depends on the death but mostly no. It's bad enough what most main characters have to go through (think Katniss) but to kill them, too? And yes, I read to escape and there are already so many real-life sad endings that I want my book escape to have a happier ending. mshatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06308916014310536449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-60300799413902342772013-10-26T05:57:49.054-07:002013-10-26T05:57:49.054-07:00I can't ever see me killing off a main charact...I can't ever see me killing off a main character. But then again, never say never! =)Leandra Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00381034024025750992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8466797836225520430.post-48100395891201938192013-10-26T04:42:26.276-07:002013-10-26T04:42:26.276-07:00The main character of one of my books dies at the ...The main character of one of my books dies at the end. Does that count as killing them off? Also, as you know, life consists of a wide range of emotions. Some people want to experience them all.writing and living by Richard P Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814139767151989286noreply@blogger.com