Regrets, I’ve had a few. But, then again…

Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.

Don’t forget to click the link to see what everyone else has to say on this week’s subject. It’s at the end of my post.

Have you ever regretted killing off a character? Or not killing one off?

Due to my participation in the NaNoWriMo challenge, I’m keeping this one short.

I’d love to say yes. In both cases. But it’s a little more complicated than that.

The whole subject of who lives and who doesn’t is out of my control. In fact, it’s as far above my pay grade as it can be.

That may sound strange to a non-writer, even to a writer who plots. After all, it’s my imagination. But the truth of the matter is that the characters run the show in my head. They tell the story to me and they always seem to know who wears the red shirt (metaphorically speaking).

So there’s always regret, but it’s the kind you associate with someone living or dying in reality. Like a friend, or a relative. Or someone who you only know of through the media.

There are those who go too soon and those who seem to be fireproof. We can feel regret about a stranger’s demise because that’s just how our brains are programmed. Or annoyance that the wrong person survived.

I’ve met some characters in the worlds of my head who deserve life or death, but I’m not omnipotent so I have to go along with things.

As in real life, some good guys (or girls) don’t make it, while bad guys (or girls) can thrive. Often I will see a sequel that throws a different light on a character’s behaviour and can transform them from good to bad, or vice versa.

The great thing about my head is that occasionally a character will reappear, with a tale of another part of their life. In the case of a deceased person, it might be an adventure that took place before they met their end.

So in that respect, they can never actually die.

What do you think about this week’s subject?

Let me know by leaving me a comment.

While you’re here, please click the InLinkz link to check out what my fellow writers have to say about this week’s topic.

Until next time.

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