What is the best way to simulate grief?












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I am new to the art of writing and have been wondering if there is a way to introduce the grief of loss(character dies) in my story, inturn while making the reader feel the grief. Is there a good method to go about doing this (Making the reader feel the grief a character feels)?










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    I am new to the art of writing and have been wondering if there is a way to introduce the grief of loss(character dies) in my story, inturn while making the reader feel the grief. Is there a good method to go about doing this (Making the reader feel the grief a character feels)?










    share|improve this question









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    Xilpex is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      I am new to the art of writing and have been wondering if there is a way to introduce the grief of loss(character dies) in my story, inturn while making the reader feel the grief. Is there a good method to go about doing this (Making the reader feel the grief a character feels)?










      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Xilpex is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      I am new to the art of writing and have been wondering if there is a way to introduce the grief of loss(character dies) in my story, inturn while making the reader feel the grief. Is there a good method to go about doing this (Making the reader feel the grief a character feels)?







      style reader-engagement






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      edited 53 mins ago







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      asked 1 hour ago









      XilpexXilpex

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          It is more engendering grief in the reader than simulating it, but one must be careful lest the beloved character you killed off be the only one the reader cares about. It is one thing for the reader to put the book down for a few minutes and think about the loss, quite another for them to put it down and never pick it up again.



          What you need to inspire in the reader is genuine sorrow that said character died balanced with caring how the others will cope without him/her. Will their quest fail without this character or will this loss galvanize them further.



          When Katherine Kurtz killed the gentle healer Rhys, it shocked me. She had another character psychically linked with him at the time of his death so that he was not alone. This other character cared deeply for Rhys and his anguish seemed real. It made the death matter.



          Killing off a good and interesting character must be important or the reader feels they wasted time investing more in the character than the author did.






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          • Thank you! I never thought of it in this way! Thanks a lot!

            – Xilpex
            35 mins ago



















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          The best way I know of is to make the reader feel the grief too. By this I mean you build the character so well, make them so loved, that when they die it hurts. Then the reader doesn't just imagine what the other characters are feeling.






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            2 Answers
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            2 Answers
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            active

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            active

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            1














            It is more engendering grief in the reader than simulating it, but one must be careful lest the beloved character you killed off be the only one the reader cares about. It is one thing for the reader to put the book down for a few minutes and think about the loss, quite another for them to put it down and never pick it up again.



            What you need to inspire in the reader is genuine sorrow that said character died balanced with caring how the others will cope without him/her. Will their quest fail without this character or will this loss galvanize them further.



            When Katherine Kurtz killed the gentle healer Rhys, it shocked me. She had another character psychically linked with him at the time of his death so that he was not alone. This other character cared deeply for Rhys and his anguish seemed real. It made the death matter.



            Killing off a good and interesting character must be important or the reader feels they wasted time investing more in the character than the author did.






            share|improve this answer
























            • Thank you! I never thought of it in this way! Thanks a lot!

              – Xilpex
              35 mins ago
















            1














            It is more engendering grief in the reader than simulating it, but one must be careful lest the beloved character you killed off be the only one the reader cares about. It is one thing for the reader to put the book down for a few minutes and think about the loss, quite another for them to put it down and never pick it up again.



            What you need to inspire in the reader is genuine sorrow that said character died balanced with caring how the others will cope without him/her. Will their quest fail without this character or will this loss galvanize them further.



            When Katherine Kurtz killed the gentle healer Rhys, it shocked me. She had another character psychically linked with him at the time of his death so that he was not alone. This other character cared deeply for Rhys and his anguish seemed real. It made the death matter.



            Killing off a good and interesting character must be important or the reader feels they wasted time investing more in the character than the author did.






            share|improve this answer
























            • Thank you! I never thought of it in this way! Thanks a lot!

              – Xilpex
              35 mins ago














            1












            1








            1







            It is more engendering grief in the reader than simulating it, but one must be careful lest the beloved character you killed off be the only one the reader cares about. It is one thing for the reader to put the book down for a few minutes and think about the loss, quite another for them to put it down and never pick it up again.



            What you need to inspire in the reader is genuine sorrow that said character died balanced with caring how the others will cope without him/her. Will their quest fail without this character or will this loss galvanize them further.



            When Katherine Kurtz killed the gentle healer Rhys, it shocked me. She had another character psychically linked with him at the time of his death so that he was not alone. This other character cared deeply for Rhys and his anguish seemed real. It made the death matter.



            Killing off a good and interesting character must be important or the reader feels they wasted time investing more in the character than the author did.






            share|improve this answer













            It is more engendering grief in the reader than simulating it, but one must be careful lest the beloved character you killed off be the only one the reader cares about. It is one thing for the reader to put the book down for a few minutes and think about the loss, quite another for them to put it down and never pick it up again.



            What you need to inspire in the reader is genuine sorrow that said character died balanced with caring how the others will cope without him/her. Will their quest fail without this character or will this loss galvanize them further.



            When Katherine Kurtz killed the gentle healer Rhys, it shocked me. She had another character psychically linked with him at the time of his death so that he was not alone. This other character cared deeply for Rhys and his anguish seemed real. It made the death matter.



            Killing off a good and interesting character must be important or the reader feels they wasted time investing more in the character than the author did.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



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            answered 37 mins ago









            RasdashanRasdashan

            6,0271040




            6,0271040













            • Thank you! I never thought of it in this way! Thanks a lot!

              – Xilpex
              35 mins ago



















            • Thank you! I never thought of it in this way! Thanks a lot!

              – Xilpex
              35 mins ago

















            Thank you! I never thought of it in this way! Thanks a lot!

            – Xilpex
            35 mins ago





            Thank you! I never thought of it in this way! Thanks a lot!

            – Xilpex
            35 mins ago











            2














            The best way I know of is to make the reader feel the grief too. By this I mean you build the character so well, make them so loved, that when they die it hurts. Then the reader doesn't just imagine what the other characters are feeling.






            share|improve this answer




























              2














              The best way I know of is to make the reader feel the grief too. By this I mean you build the character so well, make them so loved, that when they die it hurts. Then the reader doesn't just imagine what the other characters are feeling.






              share|improve this answer


























                2












                2








                2







                The best way I know of is to make the reader feel the grief too. By this I mean you build the character so well, make them so loved, that when they die it hurts. Then the reader doesn't just imagine what the other characters are feeling.






                share|improve this answer













                The best way I know of is to make the reader feel the grief too. By this I mean you build the character so well, make them so loved, that when they die it hurts. Then the reader doesn't just imagine what the other characters are feeling.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 1 hour ago









                bruglescobruglesco

                1,184326




                1,184326






















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