Making Heros and Heroines Real
All stories and novels, even many poems, need to have a hero or
heroine. More and more heroines fill the bookshelves, too. What
characteristics do we want in our heroes (or heroines)? For what
do we search when we read, use when we write? Let's examine
creating a hero (I'll just use the term hero for the rest of the
editorial, but everything applies to a heroine, too).
A hero needs to be believable.
"Okay, fine," someone says. "How does a writer make a hero
believable?"
One way is to pay attention to the small stuff, the details.
That doesn't mean as writers we have to include everything
possible in the story or novel, but we should have the hero so
developed, in our minds, that he or she lives.
Natashya Wilson, www.aresix.blogspot.com, as well as numerous
composition books and my notes from writing classes, workshops,
and clinics include the following information when examining the
components of a hero:
1. The hero should be appealing and should inspire.
Reading about him/her should give readers a feelings that they,
the readers, too can achieve their goals. The hero should help
readers to find courage and the will to continue. Any hero needs
to be strong and intelligent, as well as be human with flaws
that readers can understand but with the ability needed to
succeed.
No matter what, the reader must be able to relate to the hero on
some level.
2. The writer needs to develop the hero completely.
I noted earlier that the heroes should be developed in our minds
until they are real. We should have a background, childhood,
friends, family, home, and likes and dislikes all in our mental
files. We need to note his motivations, phobias, the people he
respects. Not all the information will go into our stories or
novels, but the details are there, making our hero real. If we
made our heroes live for us, they are more likely to live for
readers.
3. Every hero needs a special skill or quality.
We should ask ourselves what gives him an advantage over the bad
guy or guys, and why he doesn't give up? Then we use those
answers to enhance our hero.
4. The characters around the hero need to be interesting and
fully developed, too.
Those around our hero should be worthy of him. The love interest
and the villains should have depth, be realistic and believable.
The hero should have a reason to love the other person; the
heroine should be in love with someone worth loving. The villain
should test the merit of the hero.
5. The plot should grab the reader's attention and challenge the
hero.
Readers have to care what happens and want to continue reading.
6. Make sure the hero has an emotional stake in the outcome.
Another way to help the reader care is to create an emotional
stake for the hero. He shouldn't want to "win" just because it's
his job or is the "right" thing to do.
7. Add a touch of romance.
A bit of romance enlivens the plot and makes the hero more
human. The romance should not be the main focus or just thrown
it, but it should be a natural part of the story.
Many of today's stories and novels throw in romance and/or sex
scenes without ryhme or reason (used a clich