We’re trying to help our readers fall in love with our characters this week at MBT….and one way you do this is through “Character Layering” – or slowly revealing the heart of your character—to your other characters in the story and, ultimately, to your reader. But doesn’t my reader need to know about my character in order to love them? I hear this a lot from people who might pour in all the great reasons why our hero and heroine are the way they are – their hurts and their triumphs – onto the first page. Think back—if you knew everything about your spouse or significant other when you met them, would you still go forward? Perhaps it’s best if we fall in love layer by layer. More […]
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Give her a Backbone!
Yesterday here at MBT we talked about your heroine’s fears and flaws and how they work together to create a heroine that becomes heroic. Today, let’s touch on another element that a heroine needs — Confidence. Just like we don’t like wimpy heroes, we don’t like flimsy heroines. Give her a sense of self that is confident, despite her flaws. It’s easy for a heroine to have flaws – mostly because we write about ourselves, and we all have flaws. So you need to work at putting confidence into your heroine, and giving her something she’s good at, that makes us applaud her. Often, that confidence rises in the end to allow her to do something that she has never done before. However, we need to […]
Read the RestI have my reasons…
Part two of of Creating a Heroic Heroine. Yesterday, we talked about how every heroine needs to have a goal – something tangible and specific that they are shooting for in the story. A goal is your target, and give you a place to aim for in the story. But, of course, we can’t let her get there, at least not without a struggle. Which means our heroine also needs a FLAW. We know women aren’t perfect. But we try, oh, we try. And the key to a great flaw is something that can be overcome – with the help of a good hero. It doesn’t have to be a huge flaw, maybe it’s a tendency to run away from her problems, or better, a tendency to push men out […]
Read the RestWhy are you here?
Part One of How to create Heroines who can take care of themselves! (but still want a good man!) I used to hate romances. Why? Because I didn’t respect a woman who had to have a man to save her. BUT, I did respect a woman who allowed a man into her life to make her better, stronger, more noble, more complete. Which is why, probably, all the heroines in my books are strong women, — CIA agents, and K-9 Handlers, and bush pilots and fire chiefs. But for all the toughness of my heroines, they need a good man. So what makes a strong heroine? The first element is that your Heroine must have a Goal. And that Goal must be measurable, and specific. Now, both your characters need […]
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