The first character I ever had die on me in the middle of a story was Beth March. I’m still not sure I’m over it. I loved Beth SOOOO much!

That said, both as a writer or reader, I’m not averse to killing off a character or two, if it’s done the right way.

(Obviously, I’m talking about major characters or beloved secondary characters here, not throwaway redshirts, to use to Star Trek terminology).

The thing about killing off a character your readers love, though . . . it HAS to be done the right way. What does that mean? Any one or several of the following:

• IT’S NOT DONE FOR SHOCK VALUE. That doesn’t mean the death can’t come suddenly. You don’t have to foreshadow it the whole novel long, but the death should have some artistic value beyond stunning your readers. They’ll resent you if it doesn’t, and rightly so.
• IT IS AN HONORABLE DEATH. While you could absolutely, theoretically, kill off a great character in something like an accident or random act of violence, and it could work, depending on the situation and story, if you want to make SURE you’re doing right by your readers and not spitting in their faces by killing a character, give that character a chance to redeem himself (see Boromir), or clearly have his legacy established (see Remus Lupin announcing Tonks is pregnant), or give him a chance to demonstrate courage, or love (see Theoden King) in the face of death. That gives the death meaning, in a spiritual sense.
• IT HAS PURPOSE. A character’s death can be honorable without necessarily having a purpose in terms of the lives of other characters or affecting plot. It’s affecting theme, plot, and character development that I mean here: the death accomplishes something tangible in terms of the plot or the characters who survive him.
• IT DOESN’T COME COMPLETELY OUT OF NOWHERE. Perhaps, given your genre and your specific story, some foreshadowing of the death could be appropriate. (Thank goodness, I got that with Beth March, given her extended illness with scarlet fever). That gives your readers preparation and assures them that that you are NOT killing off this character for shock value alone.

Do you love it or hate it when a great character dies? I definitely don’t mind it, if it makes sense given the story and doesn’t come off as gimmicky.