Hurting Characters Realistically

July 27, 2022

As humans, we hate seeing people we care about get hurt. As readers, it can be the best thing ever. Injuries add realism to a story and open doors for deeper bonding between characters. Even so, there are some things to consider when injuring a character. 

Lasting Implications

The biggest problem with injuring characters is the lasting implications. Realistically, a character who jumped out a third-story window to escape the bad guys is going to end up with a broken leg. In the moment, throwing this in seems like a good idea: it adds both realism and conflict to the scene. However, it’s important to remember that the injury won’t just disappear. It takes over a month for a broken bone to heal. That means your character will either have to step back for a few weeks or go through the rest of the story with a broken bone. 

Naturally, not all injuries will be as debilitating as a broken leg. But every injury is important. As a writer, you are responsible for showing the effect of every injury a character gains, both in the moment and in the days/weeks/months after. 

Using Magic

Now, there is a loophole to some of this. In a fantasy world, there will most likely be healing potions or spells. Yes, you can use these as a magical fix-all to heal your characters. But that should not take away from the realism of characters getting hurt and having to suffer because of their injuries. Before they get miraculously healed, let us see them suffer. Let your characters limp away from the battle with barely the strength to carry their sword. Let them suffer and bleed before you heal all their wounds.

Of course, there are risks to overusing healing magic. If every character can heal themselves at the drop of a hat, readers won’t worry as much about their favorite characters. Finding ways to limit the abilities of healing magic can be helpful in maintaining tension within an injury scene.

Forced Vulnerability

Whether you’re using magic or modern medicine to heal injuries, you’re standing in the doorway of a beautiful opportunity. Injuries force characters into a state of vulnerability. The strongest member of the team may find themselves with no option but to ask for help to bind a wound, opening doorways into deeper conversations.

It’s a fan-favorite trope, and for good reason. When a person sees someone they care about in pain, they’ll feel fear and anger, even if they deny it. Scenes like this are an incredible opportunity to break down a character’s walls and force them to admit hidden feelings. Your characters may hate you for it, but your readers will love you.