Ah, the joys of writing. I’ve recently found my stride again for my story Star Trek Challenger: Fool’s Errand and I’m glad for it, no doubt. The week has been fun so far and we’re only at Tuesday, but a problem has arisen: whom do I kill?

I’m at the point in the latest chapter (30 to be exact) that four characters are about to embark on a suicide mission that has to succeed to save the ship from certain destruction (or worse). The four characters are split into teams of two, both with equal chances of success or failure. One of them will die.

I’ve known for months this was going to happen (it was in the outline for the story) and have been dreading the point where I get here while also kinda looking forward to it. The arrival at this point marks the last leg of the story, where we begin to finally get a resolution to some things after what’s felt like months (and it has been) of dragging. On this draft, anyway. The original draft waited YEARS to get advanced before I ultimately scrapped it, but that’s another story. Literally.

Back on point, this chapter marks the beginning of the end for one of my four characters and I’ve fallen in love with each of them more than I expected. I wasn’t sure whom I was going to kill before and now I’m even less sure. But, that’s why we write, isn’t it? The thrill of getting to the point in a story where you can kill someone and agonize over it.

Each character has flaws, each has positive attributes, and each has an equal chance of going. Mostly. I have my own internal odds going on, but I’m still very much undecided. Over the next few days I’ll profile the four characters (who they are, what they’ve done in the story, and possible futures if they live/die) in question and then we’ll have an open, honest debate about whom I should kill. I may even open it up to voting for the final decision (let the people’s voices be heard!).

Stay tuned for updates and topics. As always, feel free to comment here or on the forums and thanks for reading. 🙂