What Makes A Great Hero?

As I take this writer's journey, every day I learn to write better. With each endeavor, I create tighter action, better dialogue, more believable characters. Heroines who are strong and capable, yet with enough flaws to keep their particular hero interested.

And what about that hero? What makes him great?

First, like the heroine, he must have flaws. Although he can be stop-your-heart gorgeous (and that's not necessarily a requirement), he has to be more than another pretty face. He has to have a past that has made him the man he is today. Maybe he's stubborn, or quick to anger, or overprotective. With all of that, though, he has to have redeeming virtues as well. He must be courageous. That goes without saying. No one--reader or heroine--is going to fall in love with a wuss. It's imperative that he be honorable. He can be rough and ready, but he must have a code of honor that he adheres to strictly. And it goes without saying that he's passionate and good in the bedroom. I mean, we are talking EroRoms here, right?

Above all, the heroine is what matters. Especially once he's realized the depth of his feelings for her. He will lay his own life on the line to protect her. He will even kill to protect her. And, if it came down to it, he'd give her up if it meant she'd be safe, or happy.

That's what heroes do.

The heroine would kick his ass before she'd let him put himself in danger for her or walk away because he thought it would be the best thing for her.

That's what heroines do.