I'm writing a book, and I need a way for my main character to die before entering the afterlife.?

Question

I AM 13, but that's not stopping me from writing this, because I have no intention to even attempt publishing it nor showing/telling anyone about it. I'm doing it for me, so I don't need anyone telling me that I'm too young. I have an idea, and I know it's not very good, but I won't go into much detail. The idea's been growing for years and I can't let it go!

What I'm stuck on is the following... My main character is going to die near the beggining, but I don't know how. He's very courageous so I'm thinking that should be how he dies. However, while he is dying I want his friend, Emily, to walk in and see him. So where and how could that happen?

After this happens, this is where my idea of the afterlife comes into play...

It's very important that his death makes a statement about his personality, because he has always been withdrawn and I want his courage to somewhat shine through in the end.

I'd do this myself...but I'm stuck!

THANK YOU!!! :)

By the way, he's 17!

Ah, one more thing! If you have an idea, what should I name "Heaven"? It's not exactly perfect, so I don't want it to be Heaven or Perfect Land or something like that...

Hehe I have a feeling nobody will answer this, so sorry then, but nevertheless...I'll try :D

Answer 1

Well, he could save someone, like trying to stop an armed robber after a break in. Or he could stop some little girl from getting raped or kidnapped by attempting to disable her attacker-but ends up dying.
If you do choose one of the above, it could perhaps tie in with his past. For example, maybe his little sister was kidnapped and never found again, so in this case, he felt he had to save this girl, as opposed to just calling the cops. It could also be a cool twist if (if you used my example above) he saw his little sister in the afterlife. Just a thought.

As for the name of the afterlife, I've always found that these tricks help me when trying to think of a name.

1. Latin. There are Latin to English dictionaries and English to Latin dictionaries everywhere. Choose a word that relates to your version of the afterlife, and see how it fits.
http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Latin/
^A English to Latin dictionary.

2. Spell words backwards. It's sometimes obvious, but if that doesn't bother you, you could use it.

3. Random letters. You'd actually be surprised at how often this works. Close your eyes, spin around three times, and press a letter on your keyboard. Once you have a certain amount of letters, tah-da. Your afterlife.
*Note: You don't actually have to spin around. You can just pick random letters :)

4. This site:
http://unique-name.perceptus.ca/word-mixer.php
Mix up to five words that embody your afterlife, and see what results you get.

5. Baby naming sites that have unique names. It may sound crazy, but some of these names could actually pass as a made up place due to the fact that they have origins in forgein countries. It also helps if you're looking for unusual names for your characters.
http://www.angelfire.com/retro/purple_vinyl/grt_masc_nms.html
http://www.angelfire.com/retro/purple_vinyl/grt_fem_nms.html

Anyway, I hope I could help. I'm a thirteen year old writer too, so I know how you feel.
Best of luck!

Answer 2

Your character needs to die saving Emily. I'm not sure how intense you want to make this story, but in order to reveal his personality you could lead up to the death flaunting his withdrawness, showing him as a weak character or pushover among his peers maybe? Then BAM he pushes Emily out of the way of a flying bullet, speeding car, or attempts to save her from a gang bang. Anything like that would definitley show his courage and Emily would get to see the whole thing.

As far as a name for heaven that isn't really heaven you might want to use something ironic like the great reward or paradise especially if its anything but. I would only do this if you refer to it only once or twice though. I wouldn't want to read the great reward twenty times in one chapter.

I think its really great that you are writing and don't sell yourself so short. Once your done you should show someone, who knows it may be really really good.

Answer 3

its cool u r tryin 2 write a book!i am 13 nd i am trying 2 write a book myself!anyway since da guy is courageous then he should die like during a fight dat was not his. but he was he had da courage enough 2 help someone in need. like he sees some1 in trouble he finds out wuts wrong with the person nd he goes fight their fight. da story goes to emily where she happens 2 go 2 da place where da guy is fightin at. then the fight begins and u can make however u want , then emily comes in kind of distractin him, then she gets in danger, which he ends up dying for her.

i dont kno i hav a very bnad imagination!
whatever!

Answer 4

might Gene Hackman be seen the main character interior the Royal Tanenbaums? i might flow with that one i think of. BA: rattling. i've got have been given one on the top of my ideas, yet i won't be able to pull it out... BA2: uncertain. did no longer they instruct the area the place Jason dies top on the commencing up of Friday the thirteenth (i understand that's his mom, yet you're led to have faith that it particularly is actual him this is the main character.) I additionally could desire to be way off right here. i haven't considered the action picture in like 10 years. i'm no longer so clever right this moment. long week. ************* yet another one i do no longer keep in mind nicely, yet super action picture and a brilliant selection by ability of people who took Donnie Darko. might Donnie Darko count extensive form for the 2d bonus. Did they instruct the accident with the roof top interior the commencing up of that action picture and subsequently... nicely, might it count extensive form?

Answer 5

Howdy.

You're never too young to be an author. Kudos to you for wanting to write!

If the theme of courage is going to be central to your character and your story, then perhaps he should die during a courageous act.

This may be a bit morbid, but it works: Your main character and Emily are walking along the sidewalk during an evening stroll. A drunk driver loses control of his car and comes careening towards the two of them. Your main character, thinking quickly, shoves Emily to the side to get her out of the car's path, but gets hit in the process.

Answer 6

OK, I'll take a shot.
Depending upon your setting, you could have him somehow stop an out-of-control vehicle (school bus?) or bump someone off a train track.
You could have them rescue a small child (a la "The Outsiders") from out of a burning car, or from drowning in a frozen lake.
As this isn't the focus of your piece, you might want to put it in a prologue.

Answer 7

i have wrote many books in my life and so I think that you should pick it just do the first thing that comes to your mind but I would put him saving his Girlfriend Emily the reason how is people break into the house just before they kiss good night he dies saving her

so take that idea and play around with it a little and i hope to see you on the market one day selling your books.

Answer 8

How about this.......your hero dies accidently while saving someone else.....Emily gets to him too late to save the other person, but hears his last words which give us an idea about his personality......"heaven" has many names throughout history....maybe pick one of these obscure Real names.....and explain the name through some sort of dialogue.

Answer 9

This depends on how your main character (whom I will refer to as MC) to act. No matter what, be sensitive when you write this. Someone else had his/her child go through this. Here's some ideas:
-MC is hit by a car when pushing Emily out of the way.
-MC stands up to someone that is bullying Emily, and gets his neck snapped.
-MC is dying of cancer, and Emily is visiting him at the hospital the day he dies. (BTW, this could count as brave. I've heard that chemo is painful).
For the first two, Emily, if important, should feel guilty since MC saved her.
As for the afterlife, you could call it "Beyond".

Answer 10

I think I know what he problem is.Suggestion:open the story w/your protagonist already dead(but don't let on right away)let himm AKe an opening statement,then,Bang!tell the reader that he's going to tell the story fromthe Beyond(in his own voice)&save the actual death scene for the ending of his narrative.see?This device worked well in "American Beauty"as to the manner of his death-well,that's up to you,but I find,as i write,this delimma usually solves itself