This month, as I did last year, I’m participating in the AtoZ Blogging Challenge. The first post is A, the next is B and so on every day this month, except Sundays. Last year, my theme was Scotland. This year, my theme is The Writing Life. Check back here every day this month to follow along and find out what I’ve learned in the last year. For instance:
H is for Hero – Who is the hero of your story? In Romance, the convention is to have a hero and a heroine (or a hero/hero or heroine/heroine, or hero/hero/heroine … you get the idea), both of whom get relatively equal time in the story. Romance is written from the hero’s and heroine’s point of view. The reader sees what they see, hears what they hear, knows what they know. Often, those are the only two viewpoints in a story, but sometimes the antagonist (the bad guy) or an important secondary character gets a few scenes, too.
Romance readers love an alpha hero – large and in charge describes this type of man. But beta heroes have their followers, too, who prefer the more sensitive, cooperative male. Heroines, thankfully, have gone from simpering, empty-headed missies the hero must save to kick-ass women who can not only take care of themselves, they often save the hero, or work side-by-side with the hero to resolve the conflicts in the book. While the definition of hero, especially the alpha variety, hasn’t changed much in Romance novels, the definition of heroine certainly has.
One response to “H is for Hero”
Cathy Henderson
I realize I’m probably in the minority but I’m not a fan of the Heroine who ends up saving the Hero. I still like the Hero to be the MAN! Just saying!
This month, as I did last year, I’m participating in the AtoZ Blogging Challenge. The first post is A, the next is B and so on every day this month, except Sundays. Last year, my theme was Scotland. This year, my theme is The Writing Life. Check back here every day this month to follow along and find out what I’ve learned in the last year. For instance:
Romance readers love an alpha hero – large and in charge describes this type of man. But beta heroes have their followers, too, who prefer the more sensitive, cooperative male. Heroines, thankfully, have gone from simpering, empty-headed missies the hero must save to kick-ass women who can not only take care of themselves, they often save the hero, or work side-by-side with the hero to resolve the conflicts in the book. While the definition of hero, especially the alpha variety, hasn’t changed much in Romance novels, the definition of heroine certainly has.
I realize I’m probably in the minority but I’m not a fan of the Heroine who ends up saving the Hero. I still like the Hero to be the MAN! Just saying!