Heroes 

by Elvina Payet  

 

HERO Dictionary definition is "Man admired for his brave deeds."

We’ll start by looking at the pictures we brought in.

What attributes do these men have that call to us? What aspects do we want our story heroes to have?

(Go around table and write these on board)

 

FUNDAMENTAL QUALITIES (Tick off as mentioned/put on board)

Sex Appeal/Sensuality Stamina Honour

Caring Compassion Loyalty

Faithfulness Determination Boldness

Sense of humour Integrity Charm

Good and noble heart Ability to trust Intelligence

Self-confidence Tenderness Sensitive

Strong Convictions Moral courage Passion

Empathy Competence Balance

Honesty Enduring friendship Mysterious

Humble (when necessary) Responsible Thoughtful

Brave Fascinating Vulnerable

Interesting background Strength – emotional and physical

Understanding

Good physique – lean, muscular, great smile, dimples, nice butt.

 

 

 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS (Mention web-site source)

• Deep undying love for heroine.

• Good lover

• Smart enough to follow his heart instead of his head. Reaches for his dreams without walking around with his head in the clouds.

• Sacrificing (especially for heroine)

• Totally captivated by heroine, even if he fights it for whatever reason.

•  

• Physically appealing (does not mean handsome), but

• not entirely necessary if character makes up for any disfigurement.

• Wonderful & irresistible heart

• Ability to change, learn, grow in a relationship and willingness to commit.

• Deep festering, emotional wound that only the heroine can heal. This turns the woman into his hero.

• A strong sense of self and a willingness to take on the world.

• Wise enough to be strong without cruelty, vulnerable without weakness and loving with possessiveness.

• Dark, dominant and dangerous.

• Not afraid to express his emotions.

• Ability to recognise own flaws, sees the good in others and ultimately, do the right thing, regardless of cost to himself.

• Admirable ideals – willing to stand up to them.

• Ability to be wrong and willing to admit it out loud.

• Expressive eyes (mirror of one’s soul)

• Ability to kiss the heroine senseless.

• Ability to forgive mistakes – his and hers. Learns from them.

• Supportive of heroine’s dreams and appreciative of her accomplishments.

• Sense of real romance (dancing, singing).

• Smart enough to have made it to the top of his field, his own boss. Independent.

•  

• Obtained financial success through his own tenacity and cleverness. Should not be rich through inherited wealth.

 

 

Heroes take journeys, confront dragons and discover the treasure of their true selves. Carol Pearson, THE HERO WITHIN

Like a marshmallow – crusty on the outside, but deliciously soft and tender on the inside. Lynn Kurland

Four P’s – Protectiveness, passion, possessiveness and pride (in the heroine). Stephanie Laurens

 

AUTHOR COMMENTS:

Must be a man your heroine can love.

Hero needs strengths, weaknesses, goals and dreams.

He should also begin the story at a change or crisis point in his life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanessa Grant

 

He’s tough and outrageously masculine. He directly threatens the heroine’s peace of mind, her way of life, but never forget – he’s a good man.

Generosity of spirit, competence, and confidence. Because he’s a hero, he is never needlessly rude or aggressive.

Demands high standards. Although he’s a natural leader, intelligence, experience and circumstances have honed that inborn authority and control over his emotions. The writer needs to know what those circumstances were or discover them as she writes.

Behaves according to his own ideas of honour and lives by his own rules.

Must have the capacity to love, to feel compassion, to learn to live with another person.

Robyn Donald

 

THINGS A HERO CAN’T DO:

Can’t be cruel.

Can’t be violent.

Can’t be nasty.

 

Can’t be a wimp.

THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T DO WITH YOUR HERO – DISCUSS:

Don’t treat your hero as cardboard – he is human.

Don’t make your hero drop dead handsome, unless this characteristic is essential for some purpose in the book. It can be a drawback.

Don’t give him physical handicaps.

Don’t make him impotent.

Don’t give your hero psychological problems.

 

 

THINGS THE HERO SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF:

1. Can give the heroine everything she wants;

2. He will be presentable in any social group;

3. Will be a strong individual;

4. Will be clean-shaven

5. Will be lovable;

6. Will be loyal;

7. Will have basic good qualities – honesty, integrity, compassion, pity, etc.

 

 

THE EIGHT HERO ARCHETYPES

(From article by Karin Story Dearborn in the May issue of Romancing the Word.)

 

The Chief

The quintessential alpha hero. Born leader or conqueror.

 

The Bad Boy

The rebel, perhaps the boy from the wrong side of the tracks.

 

The Best Friend

The beta hero – kind, responsible and decent. Mr. Nice Guy. Doesn’t enjoy confrontation and can be seen as unassertive because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

 

 

 

The Charmer

Fun, irresistible, a smooth operator, yet not necessarily responsible or dependable. A playboy or a rogue.

 

The Lost Soul

Is tortured, secretive, broody and unforgiving. Also vulnerable. A wanderer or outcast.

 

The Professor

At first, might not be ideal hero material – logical, introverted and inflexible. But he is genuine about his feelings, is honest and faithful.

 

 

 

The Swashbuckler

Action plus for this guy! Physical and daring, with no fear. A daredevil or an explorer.

 

The Warrior

The Reluctant rescuer or the knight in shining armour. Is noble, relentless and always sticks up for the underdog. A protector.

 

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A CHALLENGE TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN MAN-Sean Connery.

 

Great words from a gorgeous man. Words I’ll keep in mind while creating my own heroes.