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How to Write A Sudden Death

crash

Scribe
So I'm planning on killing off a character suddenly and early in the plot of my WIP with the intention of with throwing a wrench into both the heroes and villain's plans. My inspiration is the 1960 assassination of Japanese politician Inejiro Asanuma, who was killed (with a wakazashi) by a teenager... while being filmed on live TV. Here's the link:

Inejiro Asanuma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'd just like to get some opinions about how I could do this without it looking like an ass pull or a deus ex machina.
 

T.Allen.Smith

Staff
Moderator
Why do you think it might look like a Deus ex Machina?

As far as how to do it... If it were me, I'd look for the right POV. What emotion do you want to invoke in the reader during this scene? Find the character who would convey that emotion and write from that perspective.

I tend to prefer highly charged emotion...who does the event impact most powerfully?
 
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If you want total shock, build up the sense that he's going to do something or resolve something-- not just "full of promise" but full of uncertainty and surprise so the readers start to get into seeing which way it'll turn out. Then yank the rug out from under it all.

I'm with TAS: if you have a range of POVs available, find the one who's most affected.

As for making it seem too in/convenient, a lot of that comes down to hinting that this killer might be out there, and perhaps that this just might be the day he'd show up. You have a lot of leeway in this case if he's a public figure people expect might attract all kinds of enemies. So as long as you show this kind of killer was possible, readers can accept that "yes it happened, and it's worth it for the fun it starts."
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
Death should feel sudden. That's how death is.

The formula I've seen given in the past is to take the character to a high point or a resolution just before the death. It creates a sense of completion in the character's arc. As wordwalker said, killing the character right before the expected high point or resolution creates a greater sense of shock. It's also unfulfilling, which can be what you want at the beginning of a story, less so if it happens at the end.
 
Hi,

"Mr. Hero was sitting in the chair waiting for the interview to begin when his head unexpectedly fell off!"

I think that feels quite sudden!

Cheers, Greg.
 

Ermol

Dreamer
My original idea was to write a fairly substantial chaptrr 1 with one particular character, planting some seeds, introducing the city through his eyes. I was to flesh him out, as well as the noble family he serves (the MC's), and then kill him off in a plot-related burglary at the end of chapter one. This then triggers the events of the book for the ither characters. Unfortunately as I started building the character up I decided I like him and don't want him to die. Put me back a few steps.
 
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