This is a great list by coffeebeanwriting of how to avoid plot armor when you’re writing. Plot armor is when important characters seem to survive each and every treacherous obstacle that is thrown their way just for the sake of the plot. This is a list of five tips to avoid that:
Source: coffeebeanwriting
I’m always shocked, angry, sad, and then very impressed when a writer kills a beloved main character. Looking at you, season 5 of The Tunnel.
6) Lampshade it. “Holy crap, I can’t believe this completely improbable thing just happened, what are the odds?!”
7) the stakes don’t have to have anything to do with the hero’s safety. They can still lose and come out fine.
8) cut down on fight scenes and ramp up the stakes. If the hero gets out of ever single scrape he’s in, it’s clear he’s got on plot armor. But if you can manage to make it so that the only real fight he’s in is at the end, and make even *WINNING* a losing prospect, that plot armor just melts away.