The horror genre tends to capitalize on death. Whatever we’re afraid of, whether it be the monsters of a recent book, or the demons haunting our minds, we can twist our macabre thoughts to fit to our dark imaginations and gruesome machinations; at the very least, it makes for some very interesting reading. The way death is applied changes from writer to writer, but for the most part, we can all agree that we expect to see some degree of it. The likes of Jonathan Maberry, Anne Rice, and Stephen King have proven that much.

But, strange as this question is, how do these characters follow through with these deaths? How does the bloodshed further the story? Do we even need to kill them all off to begin with? It’s these questions writers have asked themselves for a long time now, and while they can be answered enthusiastically by the next Jack the Ripper, it’s hard for writers, especially since most of us aren’t practiced serial killers. 

Below, however, is a rough outline of how you can think about these characters’ deaths, and whether or not they really do need to be eliminated.

1. What was the purpose of so many deaths? 

What makes the death so unique in relation to other characters? Is it a massacre? A serial killing? What kind of society did these characters live in? Did they inspire the protagonist to take action, or were they just there for the reader to see the stupidity/strength of humanity? What sort of legacy were they leaving behind when they died? 

2. Are the characters important in any way?

Did they even notice the protagonist, or were they just minding their own business? Did they contribute anything to the protagonist’s views? Were they just another way to scare the protagonist into submission? Did they serve as a warning to other characters? Did they prove just how dangerous the antagonist was?

3. Did the characters deserve to die? 

Were they just innocents who were caught in the wrong place at the wrong time? Did they try to help the protagonist, or were they jerks who deserved a dancing demon on their graves? Were their moralities the reason why the Grim Reaper and karma took an interest in them? 

Death is an unavoidable part of horror. Depending on the nature of the deaths, you could either have a wonderful story filled with drama, gore, and the occasional happy ending, or you could have good old torture porn. Remember, as a horror writer your job is to scare the reader. While excessive gore and slaughter certainly does have its appeal, in the end it’s the story that people want to see. Because no matter how unfortunate it is, we still have to cater to the saner side of humanity. 

In other words, think of the Saw film franchise. With each movie, you see more and more graphic deaths, alongside some psychological struggle, though it’s mostly just graphic deaths. However, the deaths don’t bring anything new to the table; all they do is show you just how many ways there are to kill people. Avoid this, and you should be fine.