I know the formula...
1. Get the readers attached to your characters
2. Let the characters experience an emotional character arc
3. Hit them with the final punch
4. Show the consequence
... but how do I write it?
I know how to make the readers attached to my characters but how do I make my character arcs emotional? How do I deliver a powerful punch? How do I make everything flow well?
I want to write a depressing story but all my ideas are about despair, psychological, or worldbuilding. I can't even write comedy.
Let's see... I could go with a story of mine I abandoned some time ago, but I abandoned it (I realized it was based of the current Hero-Deconstruction Storytelling which has grown stale to me). So let's see...
Okay, i've been writing about this Elven Warrior all my life, he suffered through many wars, saw things he should not, and finally he was betrayed enough as a woman he looked to as his mother was killed as some sort of spurring of the army he was a part of. He flees, he flees to hide away from violence, wishing that some day his honor could somehow return. Then comes your usual wizard, I based him off Ewan Mcgregor in voice and appearance, and of course, he comes on some dark errand, looking for the aid of this Elf who's name is well known for miracles.
Anyway, the Idea throughout is that he grows from wishing to run away from violence, to fighting for something he truly believes in. He fights past the many tragedies, he suffers much until he realizes he can't run away. But, that isn't a sad story... Hmm... Oh!
Let's see in the same universe there's this ordinary chick, well not ordinary, she's an athletic one, quite humorous, and smart, and apparently her mother was a demon, trying to steal power from her father let's say. So we have this 100-200 plus chapter journey with many other flowing plots, seeing her run further and further from these demons, until she cannot run anymore. So she finally goes to the place of power, and accepts it, against her father's wishes to use against their enemies... But, what I think is a moment which was the hardest to write, her father dies in her arms. She's a big fan of pop culture and all that, and amids this war which halts in shock to her omnipotence, she attempts to change the direction the world revolves. Like how Superman did to reverse time in one of the older movies, one her father loved. But, it doesn't work. She wails, goes on a spree of attacking friend and foe alike until she can't stand, and the young man who loves her finally gets her to stop.
I suppose the idea with her was to present the usual towering obstacles, have triumph, but then, tragedy. Her father was a character I enjoyed writing, though rich, he was a good man, and new the power he had must be destroyed, but in the end, he died knowing his daughter would be cursed with it all her life, nay for eternity, gaining the ire of all things which wished for it. Note that, He's built upon early on in a previous war, he loves his daughter immensely, carries on for her, until his final breath. Even tries to sing to her her favorite song afore he dies, and with all the trials, all the blood she has shed, she now simply bares a curse.
Now of course, the story is massive, and she's just a side character who takes on a more "Koichi form Jojo Part 4" role in prominence for a time. She eventually returns to this war, and with a friend she considers a sister she defeats the main enemy, has several hundred children and lives to and fro. But, that chapter, is one devoid of a happy ending.
Just see the character's many strengths challenged, see them overpower towering obstacles through much pain, and upon the cusp of victory, strangle it from them. Which sounds monstrous, which is why I usually try to write happy endings Hah!
I sort of took this from One Piece, when a certain guy dies, All of the horrors the savior goes through, all the pain, all of the learning, only for it all to amount to nothingness.
For another example, a smaller story I have is this Warrioress who returns to the land of her Fiancé to find it in ruins. In the end she goes on a sprawling quest, gathers friends and family, learns to overpower pain and master anger into a weapon. And eventually finds her love. But, right upon the cusp, taking that from her could be possible. Another Story in that same universe follows another Warrioress and a Young Guy, who fight their way through these Bio-Mechanical Freaks to save her family, her home was raided, her aunt held her until she died of starvation and the warrioress had no choice but to cannibalize. She hears all these rumors of her sisters still living, only to toward the end, with the young man still with her, find her old home, and within lies in rest where she was going to place her aunt, her own sister. It's a rather shocking moment, and this stoic woman hard to show feelings breaks down completely. Now, I didn't leave it at that, the young guy encourages her, but throughout the beginning is built the rumor, and then she charges forth with all hope, into nothingness.
It's rather bleak indeed, which is why I avoid tragedies usually.
Just in case you can't discern a thing through my rambling.
1. Take Your Character through many strains, have established what is most important to them, their pasts along the side or their motivations.
2. Present them with even stronger foes, even defeats which they must rise from this this motivation.
3. Have them grow stronger, and surpass these foes and grow internally, knowing they're strong.
4. Have them reach closer and closer, the rumors of what they seek growing louder.
5. Then upon the cusp, upon the doorway wrench it from them.
Now, note my advice with a grain of salt, I write more positive stories, If you have the Worldbuilding, Bleakness, And Psychological Side, then you simply need that character, and that motivation or additional character to take away.
Man this sounds cruel XD!
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