I killed a darling, and I liked it, and these are the To Do’s so you can perform this deadly muse:
STEP 1: Identify the Darling
* Determine the Darling to die.
Has a Darling lost its purpose?
Does a Darling no longer stimulate the storyteller?
Can a Darling disappear without scarring the audience?
STEP 2: Observe the Darling
* Dissect the Darling prior to execution.
Does the Darling lack backstory and growth?
Does the Darling cripple other characters?
Does the Darling diminish “THE END”?
STEP 3: Catch the Darling
* Seize the Darling to halt further harm.
Detain the Darling to stop the outbreak.
Question the Darling to resolve affected narratives.
Prepare the Darling for what must come.
STEP 4: Kill the Darling, and Like It
* Dispatch the Darling with a smile.
Tell the Darling the dark truth.
Silence the Darling for its empty temptings.
Kill the Darling with delight.
STEP 5: Bury the Darling
* Dispose of the Darling to prevent hauntings.
Believe the Darling was not meant to be.
Free the Darling from the heart.
Delete the Darling from the page.
(BONUS) STEP 6: Broadcast the Darling’s Demise
* Memorialize the Darling via shared creation. (You are HERE now)
Document the Darling’s final moments.
Announce the Darling’s expiration.
Publish the Darling’s death.