Why do writers write about death?

The easy answer, of course, is that death is morbidly fascinating. It’s rich creative fodder, and the death of a beloved character can be a quick and easy way to tug at readers’ heartstrings.

But there’s more to it than that, isn’t there?

Why Writers Write About Death

There are myriad reasons why writers write about death:

• Death is fascinating.
• Death evokes strong emotions.
• Writing about death can be therapeutic.
• Reading about death can be cathartic.
• Death is transformative.

Death is fascinating.

Death is universal, yet unknowable. It is one of the very few things in this world that every single human—indeed, every single living being—has in common. We are all going to die one day, and most of us are going to experience some level of loss along the way.

And yet, nobody can tell us—at least, not with any real evidence to back them up—what it’s like to die, or to be dead. We all have our beliefs about death and what comes after. But there is no universally acknowledged truth to it—and that leaves death wide open to creative interpretation.

Death is, in this sense, a writer’s ideal topic—something everyone can understand and connect with, but no one can fact-check. And of course, readers find it fascinating for similar reasons. A good author, after all, will always find a way to shed some new light on this traditionally dark subject matter.

Death evokes strong emotions.

Death, even of a fictional character, can be an intense and memorable experience of readers. I know I’m not the only one who remembers staying up all night and crying my way through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on release day. And even if you didn’t watch Game of Thrones, chances are good you’ve at least heard of the infamous Red Wedding. 

Good fiction writers can use death to pull readers deeper into a story. As readers, we mourn the loss of characters we love and celebrate the death of those we despise. A horrific death haunts us, puts us on the edge of our seats in dreadful anticipation of what new terrors might follow.

Good nonfiction writers, meanwhile, can use death to champion empathy in readers—often, by forcing them to face their own mortality or that of a loved one.

Writing about death can be therapeutic.

I’ve written before about writing your way forward when the going gets tough. Writing is especially useful for coping with loss and grief, in part because there is very little else we can do about it.

In reality, we can’t stop death. At best, we can only delay it for a little while. But when we write, we are in control. We can choose when, where, and how we face it, and in the case of fiction authors at least, we can even go back in time to prevent or undo it.

Writing gives us a safe space in which to grieve, to honor a memory, to reach a place of understanding and acceptance, and ultimately, to find a way to move on.

Reading about death can be cathartic.

When writing or revising with the intent of publication, we writers are acutely aware that we are not the only ones our words can help and heal. Just like writing about it, reading about death can help you cope with grief and loss, too.

Reading the right story at the right time can be like turning a pressure valve—it allows you to release and experience feelings you may not even have realized you were keeping bottled up inside. This catharsis isn’t merely about momentary satisfaction, either; allowing yourself to accept and fully feel something truly is the first step to being able to let it go.

Death is transformative.

Death changes everything. The person who dies changes physically and, depending on what you believe, may go through changes of a metaphysical nature as well. Death also has the power to transform the lives of the people around that person. Large-scale death, as in a war, can change entire worlds.

This makes death, in fiction, an excellent vehicle for pushing characters to grow and change and keep the plot moving forward. But more importantly, this makes death more than the sum of its parts. It’s not simply the end of a story; it is also always the beginning of another.

Writing About Death With an Agenda

All of the reasons listed above are primary reasons writers often write about death. But sometimes, we have an ulterior motive, too. In short, we want to send a message—and few things grab a reader’s attention more readily than death.

At the heart of Dead Poets Society, for example, is the simple refrain: “Carpe diem. Seize the day.” Death, here, serves as a motivation to live life to the fullest “while ye may.”

In “Memento Mori,” David Sedaris’s skeleton reminds us, “You will die… someday.” It encourages us to be aware that time is precious—but also not to waste too much of it worrying about how much we have left.

And in my own work, death is often a prominent theme—and not without purpose.

In The Harbinger’s Head, I explored the idea that, while death is inevitable, the road you take to get there—and how you will feel when you do—is entirely in your hands. The Dragon’s Last Flight, meanwhile, delves deeper into themes of hope, suicide, and whether or not there is such a thing as a “good death.”

Is Writing About Death Morbid?

Sometimes. Some writers objectify or even glorify death. Others personify death, not necessarily to put it on a pedestal but to try and understand it better by putting it on our own level. Others still write to conquer it, or, more simply, to move past it.

But death is not inherently morbid. Nor is writing or reading about it. It’s only natural that we would want to explore it, given the persistent and poignant role it plays in our daily lives. It’s familiar and yet mysterious; painful and yet, in some ways, the ultimate painkiller. 

And honestly, even in those cases when we do get a bit morbid about it—who cares? Far better to explore those dark curiosities on paper than find other, less healthy outlets.

Kim Berkley is a fantasy author and narrative designer. She first explored death in The Harbinger’s Head, an interactive story about a hapless protagonist charged with helping a spectral horseman retrieve his missing head. Read the first chapter online for free!