Register | Log in | FAQ | Search | Memberlist | Usergroups
Profile | Log in to check your private messages | Blogs |

ARWZ Forum Index
    > Writers' Zone


 
Post new topicReply to topic
View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
Violanthe
Webmaster


Joined: 24 Jul 2003
Posts: 5903

PostUntimely Death

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 1:06 pm
Reply with quote

Is there ever a bad time to kill a character in a story?
_________________
Violet "Violanthe" Kane
[email protected]
ARWZ.com: A Magazine of Alternative Reality Fiction
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Blog
Ian
The King of the Swing


Joined: 30 Mar 2006
Posts: 231
Location: Kent, England, U.K.

Post

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:56 am
Reply with quote

It depends on the story/the character and other elements. There isn't really an answer to the question.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
Gordon Long
Regular Member


Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Posts: 203
Location: Vancouver, Canada

PostUntimely Death

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:25 pm
Reply with quote

Is there a bad time to kill off a main character in a story? Almost any time. Way too many authors kill off way too many characters way too often. It's a sure sign of bad writing when it is obvious why they killed them off.

For example, my main complaint about disaster stories, especially movies, is that there is always a certain number of characters who are only there to attract audience empathy, so that they can be killed off later for the emotional impact.

If a character, even a supporting one, is to be killed, there has to be a really good reason, thematically and logically, why it should happen.

So I guess it's the "why" not the "when" that really counts.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Nik
Senior Member


Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 805
Location: UK

PostStraw Men and Rivals...

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:06 am
Reply with quote

Annoys me when a character is too-carefully built up only to be 'moidered' because casualties were required for authenticity. Suggests author has a 'D&D Random Character Generator' to hand...

Also annoys me when a good character is summarily zapped because author --and reader-- realise the 'supporting actor' is becoming a serious scene-stealer...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mervi
Warlord


Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 1119
Location: Finland

PostRe: Straw Men and Rivals...

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:38 pm
Reply with quote

Quote:
Way too many authors kill off way too many characters way too often.


Clearly, we've been reading very different books. I've most noticed that writers can't kill characters or even bring them back from death.

Nik wrote:

Also annoys me when a good character is summarily zapped because author --and reader-- realise the 'supporting actor' is becoming a serious scene-stealer...


I'd be interested to see this. Could you give an example?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Blog Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum





Alternative Reality Web Zine: ISSN# 1559-3037


All materials on these pages (including fiction, poetry, essays, articles, interviews and opinion pieces) are copyrighted to the original authors and may not be reproduced without permission.




View Page Stats
ARWZ topic RSS feed 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group