On Writing the Romantic Hero

Dear Maggie,

It must be so much fun to write about hot guys for a living! I’m interested in what qualities you think the hero of the story needs?

Sincerely,

Swooning in Savannah

Dear Swooning,

Last post I talked about creating strong leading ladies, so it’s fitting that this week we’ll focus on their hunky, heroic counterparts. You are totally right, it’s super fun to write about hot guys and I love developing the male romantic leads for my stories. I get to bring to life a hot hunk straight out of my happy imagination! Of course, he can’t be perfect, but he has to be perfect for his partner-to-be.

In the Tactical Solutions International series, most of the guys are former military turned private contractors, and they all have a warrior, protector vibe. But, I didn’t want them to be cookie cutter versions of each other. They needed to be unique individuals, complete with their own hopes and dreams and fears. To help me develop a new romantic hero, I generally think about three main things beyond physical appearance - his personality, his history, his flaws -  and I build from there.

For example, Cam Taylor, the romantic hero in Lost and Found, is the strong, silent type with a deep need to take care of the people he loves. He has something traumatic in his past which, coupled with his naturally reserved personality, renders him incapable of becoming emotionally intimate – or so he thinks. While understandable, this character flaw really hurts the leading lady, and she pushes him to make a decision about their relationship.

A perfect hero isn’t an interesting hero. We want to see his evolution, the tension and growing pains, before we get to enjoy his happily ever after. It’s my job to invest the reader in this journey. It’s satisfying to watch a character grow into the best version of himself, but it can’t be too easy!

In other news…

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway on Goodreads this month! Enter to win a FREE copy of Sing for Me, the first book in the TSI series.