Lookin' For a Hero...
Heroes, you can't have a romance without them. How we develop these
characters to be living, breathing, compelling men, is part of our challenge as writers.
So, where can we get inspiration for our hero, a hero who our readers will find innovative
and exciting? Well, the first place I looked was on the web.
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vw.html --
Want something new and completely different for your hero, how about a Volcanologist?
These guys have to be the most macho of the "Professor Archetype". The FAQ
section of the site explains what a Volcanologist does, and why they are willing to risk
their lives doing it. By the way, there are several husband and wife teams in the
volcanology, so there has to some romance happening out on those lava fields.
http://www.stuntrev.com/concept.htm -
Heroes that go BOOM! The Leavittation Concept gives you an insider's view of the stunt
industry. The site explains the technology and processes behind the movie stunt. The
interviews with real stuntmen offer personal insight and the specific film and TV credits
can add realism to your plots.
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/archives.htm
- Need to give your hero a realistic family background, or set him accurately within a
historical period? Then this is the site for you. The Archives and Library Resources site
has literally thousands of links to sources and references archives in the world -
repositories of primary sources - historical photographs, manuscripts, rare books;
genealogical databases; genealogy services; libraries and museums.
http://www.howstuffworks.com - A totally cool
site. Do you need to imbue your hero with some specific skills? No problem, this site has
it all: how car engines work; how NFL equipment works; how to fix just about anything; how
to get into Medical or Dentistry School. A little something for wherever your imagination
can take your hero.
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/journals/EH/
- Essays in History, the annual journal sponsored by the Corcoran Department of History at
the University of Virginia, is a great resource for historical romance writers. I looked
for the "Chief Archetype" and came across "Charisma and History: The Case
of Münster, Westphalia 1534-1535. The paper pays specific attention to the leadership,
and the role of "charisma" during that turbulent period. Can our
"Chiefs" stir the pot, or what? (I was going to set the parameters of my
"Chief" search for "testosterone-driven businessmen with briefcases",
but, hey it's been done.)
http://www.blarg.net/~icprncs/academia.html
- Looking for the "Lost Soul" Archetype. This Goth site offers wonderful
inspiration and insight into this fascinating subculture. Goths take their name from the
Gothic novels of the 18th and 19th centuries, with horror-tinged mysteries, supernatural
effects and a taste for the medieval. Goths are moony, romantic, fantasizing. They love to
communicate over the Internet, but they are playful and fascinated by all things that are
innocent. Goths span several continents and as many generations. They are known for
dressing in dark, flowing clothing, listening to sonorous, depressing music, and affecting
pale, luminous skin. While they may seem flamboyant, most Goths are fairly shy, preferring
to hang out with friends or go dancing in Goth clubs. An air of sullen ennui is much more
Goth than any kind of violence.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02084a.htm
- So, how is a good girl going to find a bad boy? I went to http://www.ask.com and typed
in "dangerous men who hate rules." Much to my surprise, it came back with St.
Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine of Hippo. No contest. One of my favorite quotes comes
from the Confessions of Augustine, 401, AD. "Give me chastity and continence, but not
right now." Auggy, gave himself up to pleasure with all the vehemence of an ardent
nature. The many seductions of the still, half pagan Carthage, the licentiousness of other
students, the theatres, the intoxication of his literary success, and a proud desire
always to be first, even in evil, combined to make Augustine a very, very, bad boy indeed
http://www.cgjung.com/fordhamarch.html -
Trying to understand what makes your "Charmer" hero tick. Spend some time at the
C.G. Jung Page for all the insight you'll need. An introduction to Jung's Psychology by
Frieda Fordham delves into the Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious. This is an
extensive, 'data-rich' site. It gives the reader an explanation of the development of a
person's attitude, either extraverted or introverted. And, shows that development as a
part of the process of living, of adapting, to our world and making our mark in it. We
like to 'put our best foot foremost'. This means that we usually develop our best
function, be it thinking or intuition, feeling or sensation, and at the same time have a
strong tendency to conform to what is expected of us, to respond to education and social
pressure. A great site for those who wish to think deep thoughts about their characters.
The Real Deal
As I got more creative in my search of Hero resources, I went to one of my favorite search
engines, http://www.Dogepile.com and typed in
"Fetch Buff Fire Fighters". And Voila!
http://www.firefighterscalendar.org/2000.htm
- Seriously hot, eye candy. Need some visual inspiration for your next "Warrior
Archetype", you can't go wrong with the Houston Fire Fighters Annual Calendar. The
sales proceeds support The Houston Fire Fighters Burned and Crippled Children's Fund.
These hunks are real heroes. As I, ahh, researched the photos, I think I might have even
spotted a "Best Friend Archetype" and I certainly found a "Swashbuckler
Archetype" or two.
Retro Search
Sources you can touch, index with sticky tabs, and mark with highlighters.
The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines, by HODRW's very own, Tami D. Cowden,
Caro Lafever, Sue Viders. Lone Eagle Publishing Company; ISBN: 1580650244. All fiction
writers want to write stories with great heroes and heroines--characters who leap off the
page and capture the reader's imagination. Why archetypes? Archetypes create powerful,
evocative stories and we humans love stories. And the focus of the tales told for eons
have always been the people who inhabit them. From the earliest days, storytellers have
known a simple truth: strong characters may carry a weak plot, but weak characters can't
be hidden.
Dangerous Men & Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance. Jayne
Ann Krentz (Editor); University of Pennsylvania Press; ISBN: 0812214110. Romance or
non-fiction, Jayne Ann Krentz provides a fun read. Romance readers and writers will find
this collection of essays, by some of today's most popular romance novelists, unique and
fascinating. These authors explain why romance is so popular, reveal why they write in
this genre, explore the unheralded benefits of reading and writing romances and much more.
Save yourself some typing. These, as well as other sources not listed here are located on
my web site:
http://www.pleiadespublishing.com/research/heroes/html
Sandra Chevalier-Batik is senior researcher and technical writer for Pleiades
Publishing Services. She develops content and information design for web sites and
corporate communications.
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