Writing a murder scene...

[Paul V]

Hello All.
So, last night I wrote a chapter in the second book where a male character kills a woman in a fairly a awful, tortuous way. It wasn't a male dominance scenario, more a tradition. Long story...
This was the first time I had written such a scene and I have to say that I really didn't like it. I felt uncomfortable writing it and re-reading it. I don't know if that was because of recent tragic events, because it was the first time I've done it or the method used to kill the poor woman.

The first book had several deaths but they were based on accidents, fire incidents or suicides I'd attended, hence real scenarios. Even then, using actual fatalities/people had it's own ethical issues and is something that still troubles me at times.

How do you deal with such scenes? Do you think this kind of scenario should be included anymore?

If anyone would be willing to read the two chapters involving the two characters, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Or I could put the first 5 chapters in the Workshop forum?

Stay safe
Paul

 

[RK Wallis]

Take a look at the first chapter of Purged by Rev Peter Laws (Litopia Pop Up guest), just using the "look inside" feature on Amazon. That's an intense, different murder.

I haven't written a murder yet, but I write YA fantasy.

I'm in the middle of a big beta read, so I couldn't help for a few weeks, sorry.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

In my Cornish Detective crimes series, I've written about dozens of murders. The latest story concluded with my protagonist trapped in a coma, after killing a murderer who'd run him through with a sword blade. My hero always feared that he'd be forced to take a life one day, so he's going to have to come to terms with it in Book 6. The main character of my other series, set in the post-American Civil War era has killed scores of the Confederate foe and is haunted by nightmares about the hand-to-hand fights. Showing your characters' reactions to killing someone is an effective method of coping with what you write.

I hope that you don't get so upset by describing violence, that you emulate me and break your toe!

Remember, that readers react differently to gory scenes...there's no way that you can please everybody all the time. Those wishing to avoid pools of blood always have 'cozies' to read.

Whatever level of detail you go into, you need to keep a splinter of ice in your heart.

https://colony.litopia.com/threads/the-ice-in-a-writers-heart.4007/

 

[Barbara]

I'm having similar thoughts with my current WIP where a couple women are killed in a gruesome way. I first write the scene (I've finished 1 of 2 or 3 ) like a blow by blow guide, blocking what everyone does. It gives me all the stage directions. It feels cold and detached and generally yucky that I dare think these things and dare to go there. I question my sanity. I have to switch the judgement centre of my brain off. So now that I know where everyone is, I sink in and write the humanity and more importantly the emotions. Still without judgement because I see judgement as a form of detachment (if we see it's wrong, it's not us). That's when it becomes hard to write becaue I allow myself be immersed in there and feel it. Btw, I'm writing them from a woman's pov. I concentrate on the human and the emotional part of it for ages.

It will feel uncomfortable but that's good. It means you're probably creating emotions on the page ... and it means you're not a robot, nor a mass murderer. You're still a healthy human.

I think a lot depends on the rest of the novel; the way it's written, the themes etc. If the scenes (the man kilking a woman) are justified (as in, not for the sake of it) and handled with respect they can be ... effective (wrong word but can't think of the right one). It happens, right. Aren't most women who are murdered killed by a man? It's sadly part of life, so why not address it. In a way you're giving the victims a voice.

Happy to beta read scenes and discuss the difficulties (but I might be a tad slow with feedback as I have a few bits to catch up on). Also I suggest you put them into the Workshops.

 

[Paul V]

In my Cornish Detective crimes series, I've written about dozens of murders. The latest story concluded with my protagonist trapped in a coma, after killing a murderer who'd run him through with a sword blade. My hero always feared that he'd be forced to take a life one day, so he's going to have to come to terms with it in Book 6. The main character of my other series, set in the post-American Civil War era has killed scores of the Confederate foe and is haunted by nightmares about the hand-to-hand fights. Showing your characters' reactions to killing someone is an effective method of coping with what you write.

I hope that you don't get so upset by describing violence, that you emulate me and break your toe!

Remember, that readers react differently to gory scenes...there's no way that you can please everybody all the time. Those wishing to avoid pools of blood always have 'cozies' to read.

Whatever level of detail you go into, you need to keep a splinter of ice in your heart.

https://colony.litopia.com/threads/the-ice-in-a-writers-heart.4007/

Hi Paul. Thank you for your reply. I don't mind describing violence or gore. It was something I often had to do at work. It was the fact that a woman was being tortured and murdered, it just felt uncomfortable. I think because of the terrible circumstances around the Sarah Everard case.
You're absolutely right that not everyone will like it...

 

[Paul V]

I'm having similar thoughts with my current WIP where a couple women are killed in a gruesome way. I first write the scene (I've finished 1 of 2 or 3 ) like a blow by blow guide, blocking what everyone does. It gives me all the stage directions. It feels cold and detached and generally yucky that I dare think these things and dare to go there. I question my sanity. I have to switch the judgement centre of my brain off. So now that I know where everyone is, I sink in and write the humanity and more importantly the emotions. Still without judgement because I see judgement as a form of detachment (if we see it's wrong, it's not us). That's when it becomes hard to write becaue I allow myself be immersed in there and feel it. Btw, I'm writing them from a woman's pov. I concentrate on the human and the emotional part of it for ages.

It will feel uncomfortable but that's good. It means you're probably creating emotions on the page ... and it means you're not a robot, nor a mass murderer. You're still a healthy human.

I think a lot depends on the rest of the novel; the way it's written, the themes etc. If the scenes (the man kilking a woman) are justified (as in, not for the sake of it) and handled with respect they can be ... effective (wrong word but can't think of the right one). It happens, right. Aren't most women who are murdered killed by a man? It's sadly part of life, so why not address it. In a way you're giving the victims a voice.

Happy to beta read scenes and discuss the difficulties (but I might be a tad slow with feedback as I have a few bits to catch up on). Also I suggest you put them into the Workshops.

Hi Barbara. Wow, I suddenly feel very inadequate when writing! I don't think I thought of any of those processes. Maybe that's why I didn't feel detached from the fact that a woman was being killed by 'me'... Of course, I know they're not! As I mentioned to Paul, I was very cognisant about the recent murder of Sarah Everard. It just felt uncomfortable.
I was fortunate that whilst at work, I was only involved with two murders. So, so sad what one human can do to another.

 

[Barbara]

Hi Barbara. Wow, I suddenly feel very inadequate when writing! I don't think I thought of any of those processes. Maybe that's why I didn't feel detached from the fact that a woman was being killed by 'me'... Of course, I know they're not! As I mentioned to Paul, I was very cognisant about the recent murder of Sarah Everard. It just felt uncomfortable.
I was fortunate that whilst at work, I was only involved with two murders. So, so sad what one human can do to another.

That gives you a unique (but very sad and difficult) insight.

I didn't consider these processes before. Not until I started writing this current one. Thinking (when writing) is a new thing for me. And this process may not be right for you; then again there may be something in it you can use. Good luck with it. I think with your experiences, you can make this story true.