in my historical fantasynovel, I have eight rounded characters, includig the main character.
I only intend to kill one character off, as I will use the other characters in subsequent novels.
How many of your original charactes will you use in further novels?
In my first book four characters have died and three of them are major plots points so sadly I can't go back and save them, but one I can if I can think of a good reason to save him, but due to how he dies, I don't see him living right now.
I decided to kill an important, though secondary, character off in my fourth story then spent ages trying to re-jig the outline so he could live.
Unfortunately his death is so critical to three or four plotlines he has to go.
Sorry, Major Hughes :(
I have two MCs who effectively take turns as POV characters over the course of the series, with a cast of other characters to pick from as support. After glancing over my first book I was quite shocked at realising how bloodthirsty I am... the supporting cast drop like flies!
But the most important thing is that they all die for a reason (except one cold-blooded murder) which will have a profound effect on the MCs in later life. I have no time for the off-hand slaughter of, say, A Game of Thrones, or the blockbuster deaths that leave no effect whatsoever on the story. Death should never be gratuitous.