An Author's Adventure

My Musings: When Your Favorite Character Dies

(Due to the events of the holiday season mentioned in the previous season, there was a hiccup in my updating schedule. I sincerely apologize for this delay.)

Has this ever happened to any of you? You're reading a book that you really enjoy, with a character you've become really fond of, and suddenly all hope and happiness is ripped away as the rug is pulled out from under you.

It's even more difficult when it's a main character that dies, because then you're more likely to cling onto the hope that somehow they're still alive. As readers, we are so used to protagonists that have plot armor, making them nigh invincible and able to come back from events that would have landed anyone else in the grave. So when an author completely goes against this unspoken principle--and does it well--it's a big shock.

I would always say to myself and others that "you can't kill the main character", even if my peers were determined to find a loophole. I firmly believed that, since I always look forward to a happy ending, no matter how dire a character's situation may be.  So when I experienced a major character death, it really shook me up.

You sit there, in complete denial, unable to believe what you've just read. You tell yourself, "They're not dead. They can't be. There has to be a way." And it hurts. You start to scold yourself, wondering why you're so attached to a character that isn't even real. But there's no need to do that to yourself! It's a testament to how devoted the author is to the story, and shows how hard they work. Not to mention, the pain won't last forever, no matter how heartbreaking the scene may be.

What's more, you're kept in suspense, desperately hoping the death was fake, only for it to be undeniably proven otherwise. And that makes you feel sad--which, admittedly, is what the author planned--but still! You're going to miss them as the story moves on and leaves them behind. There's a reason that character was your favorite, so naturally, their death is difficult to accept.

In my case (don't worry; there are no spoilers here), I was convinced that my favorite character was the sole protagonist, when in reality, the importance was placed on the story itself and the collective cast of characters, rather than any one character (of course, later in the story, things became even more clear). Perhaps I was mistaken in thinking that, but even so, the end result wouldn't have changed either way, since I was sure that this character would make it to the end of the story.

Needless to say, I was wrong.

Obviously, I was quite sad about it for a while, but that didn't stop me from supporting the author and reading the story that I love. And despite what happened, I still believe in the prospect of a happy ending.

As a writer myself, I'm not all that fond of killing characters. That's probably because I'm quite attached to mine, but, oh well, I guess it's a side effect of the process. The saying goes that "if you're stuck, just kill a character", which works well for some people (sometimes almost in excess), but I only end a character's life when I think it's absolutely necessary. Some people say I'm too nice when it comes to that, but my goal was never to write the most dramatic stories of all time. I'm doing this for myself, because I, like many other authors, feel that I might just lose my mind if I don't get all these stories out of my head. And, like many other authors, I find writing to be a very physically and emotionally draining process--but I still do it anyway. Ironically, some friends of mine are energized by writing, but I suppose that depends on the kind of person you are. To each their own.

Well, I hope you've all enjoyed my musings on today's subject. Perhaps some of you agree with me, or you have a different opinion. Either way, I'd love to know your thoughts.

This has been another chapter in An Author's Adventure. Stay tuned for next week!