In Search of a True Hero

Alpha males, we all know and love them. They are the stock heroes of thousands of romance novels and the secret relish of millions of women. We thrill to their strength, their daring, their ability to dominate those around them and bend the rules to suit themselves. We enjoy their limitless capacity for surmounting every difficulty, defeating every enemy. This preference is genetically programmed in us as females, for it represents protection for our offspring.

And yet the idea can be taken too far. No one really likes a hero who is too controlling or cruel to the point of pain. A hero who overrides the heroine’s will with too much force makes us uneasy. We can’t believe this man cares about her if he refuses to allow her any degree of choice. We have difficulty identifying with a heroine who stands for such treatment—no matter how good the guy may be in bed. When the heroine does an about-face at the end of 200 or 400 pages and decides she adores the son-of-a-gun instead of despising him, we are unconvinced. And that’s if the book hasn’t already bounced off the wall.

Where do we draw the line? What makes one dominant hero acceptable and not another? What turns one book with such a man into a treasure and another into a paper-and-glue missile?

he difference is in how the character is formed, the way he’s created by the author.

A hero, no matter how mentally and physically superior, should always be shown as multi-facted, with depth of emotion to equal his strength. He should care so deeply about one particular thing that it becomes his greatest weakness. Personally, I love it when this weakness is the heroine, but it can also be a child, father, mother or sibling; his clan, birthplace, home area or country. Added to this, an alpha hero may be given an internal code which forces him to act against his best interests, causes him to struggle with moral questions and decisions which threaten his control. He can have doubts and fears, though he may conceal their existence. His supremacy can actually be enhanced by his ability to rise above his problems with intelligence and internal fortitude instead of simply bludgeoning his way through them. His tremendous power can be used for its true purpose of protection rather than subjection.

In short, he can be created as a hero with whom a woman can safely fall in love.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The true secret to creating good heroes is simply this: make him the man of your dreams. Your ideal hero may not please all readers, but will resonate with those who share your same attitudes and values.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The sexually experienced hero is not only accepted but expected. Be wary of making him too callous about his affairs, however. There is nothing attractive about a man who uses and discards women. The implication is that he can too easily discard the heroine.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The reader’s attraction to, and emotional involvement with, your hero will be in direct proportion to your hero’s deep attraction to, and emotional involvement with, your heroine. Your job is to make her worthy of his intense interest.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

Depth in a hero can be increased by allowing him to find lessons in the past, gain purpose in the present and have plans for the future.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The romance novel hero should have a definite purpose which includes both external and internal goals. For greatest story impact, one or both of his goals should be in direct conflict with the major goal of the heroine.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

Personality traits for heroes (and heroines) can be garnered from astrology-based books such as "Love Signs" by Linda Goodman and "The Secret Language of Relationships" by Gary Goldschneider and Joost Elffers. These sources list the admirable qualities, and those not so admirable, for zodiac signs or birthdates. The less worthy aspects are especially useful for assigning character flaws.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

Male archetypes are interesting guides for the creation of heroes, but offer only broad suggestions. More complex heroes may be formed by combining aspects of different types, then adjusting them to make them more applicable to the hero of your story.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The attributes of particular kinds of heroes can be found by studying male archetypes. These include (but are not limited to) Warrior, Priest, Hunter, Worker, Hero and King. A source for studying them is "Type Talk: The 16 Personality Types That Determine How We Live, Love, and Work" by Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen. Heroic archetypes as they apply to romance novels (Chief, Bad Boy, Best Friend, Charmer, Lost Soul, Professor, Swashbuckler and Warrior) are described in detail at: www.likesbooks.com.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The perfect hero is one who combines the best qualities of both the alpha and the beta male.

"I sometimes hold it half a sin
To put in words the grief I feel;
For words, like Nature, half reveal
And half conceal the Soul within.
~Tennyson

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

Reverence for women can be the hallmark of a Beta hero. He considers his purpose to be one of protection for those perceived to be weaker than himself. His strength is always at the disposal of the heroine.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The Beta hero is compassionate, understanding and wise. Beloved by animals and children, his role is often one of support and guidance in addition to being the love interest.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The Boy-Next-Door is usually a Beta hero, a man who can be a best friend, companion and confidant as well as a lover.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The Beta hero is usually well-spoken and able to hold his own in any argument. He is sensitive to the hidden meaning in conversation, and often picks up on its nuances.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The man who truly likes women and respects them as individuals is a Beta hero. He is comfortable in their company. He often has enjoyed strong relationships with female relatives, female friends.

"Man is his own star, and the soul that can
Render an honest and a perfect man
Commands all light, all influence, all fate,
Nothing to him falls early, or too late."
~Fletcher

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The tragedies and disappointments of the Beta hero's life may have left him with scars, but they also cause him to be attuned to the emotional needs of others. He is infinitely responsive to the heroine, though he may hide it for self-protection.

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The Beta hero is a man of reason. He prefers to use intelligence to solve problems rather than mere brute power.

"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;
The proper study of mankind is man. ~Pope

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

The Beta Male hero is a compassionate and caring man with a deep sense of responsibility. Though he prefers to solve problems by peaceful means, he is well able to take charge when the occasion demands it. The Beta male is often preferred by older readers.

"Heroism, the Caucasian mountaineers say, is endurance for one moment more." ~George Kernan

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

Self-discipline is another primary characteristic of the romance hero. He maintains firm hold on his temper and more base impulses. Often, it is the heroine alone who can breach this rigorous control.

"The hero is not fed on sweets,
Daily his own heart he eats.
~Emerson

Writing Tip of the Day-Heroes

Nobility of soul is the romance hero's benchmark. He is always a man of honor and integrity. His word is his bond.

"Whoe'er excels in what we prize,
Appears a hero in our eyes."
~Jonathan Swift