To me I always love a little murder of my characters but there are times when I read stories where people kill off characters for the sake of bringing tears to the readers eyes. I hate when people do it, because unless the reason for the characters death advances the story, you are killing off a perfectly good character who could of been used to save the world, instead of being tortured then killed, (you know who you are). But of course no one listens to me, so this is how to emotionally damage your readers with heartbreaking character deaths.
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- Don't have them die of old age after a long, fulfilling life. This makes the reader feel it's okay for the characters to pass away, but will also work when used with other factors.
- Make a character who is unbelievably focused on completing a major goal, and BOOM, kill them.
- Have the dying character form strong relationships with the other characters, and after the death have the long term effect of their death on their family and friends, especially adding shock and denial, and finally having the sudden realization the character is gone, is helpful.
- I want to see the desperation in the character's (or a beloved one watching's) eyes as they realize they are going to die. I want them to fight and struggle against the inevitable. I want them to finally accept their fate and the fact they will never complete a final task, or a failure will never be fixed.
- In cooperation to the point above, try have their loved ones not know of the deceased, and perhaps they hold a grudge and begin to hate the character when they 'neglect' the loved one.
- Or perhaps have the dying character realize no one will remember them, and they died without telling other characters they went off to complete the mission alone, and the other characters do not know know what happened to them, or they died for a cause the world will not know about.
- Make them died for someone they love from the Antagonist, and make the loved one hate them for it.
- Having a loved one cry out in defeat to the other members, or maybe to the Antagonist, 'It's over.'
- Have a pet look for them or maybe wait for them to return home.( *Glares at the movie Red dog*)
- Kill the character when they are at their happiest, maybe when they are making a joke, or smiling.
- Make their death slow and painful, and not let them speak a peep, or shout for help to the other characters they can see only a few feet away.
- Do not let your readers mourn with the character, have the characters think the dead character is a traitor and have them never reminisce and say nice things about the dead. Get the reader frustated with the other characters.
- Show the dark side. Whether it is someone who has always been tough and brave, genuinely weak and helpless and afraid. Or a cheerful character who is always joking, being in tears and sobbing before they die.
- Give the dying character a truth before they die, one they will never be given the chance to inform the others.
- And finally, have a beloved one send them to their death. Someone who no one would of expected, someone who was a close friend.
Break your readers
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