Last week, I went into ways to show your hero’s feelings for the heroine, despite engaging in conflict. A lot. This week, I’m flipping things around.
Ways to show your heroine cares, even though the hero is the most arrogant/insufferable/stubborn man she’s ever met.
1. Men have a tendency to get caught up in themselves, in this persona they’re showing to the world–macho, manwhore, major asshole. Whatever. The heroine doesn’t take him too seriously.
She knows he’s strong and virile–and he’s a big baby when he’s sick. Maybe he has been spreading his love all over town–but she doesn’t sweat the girls who came before her. Okay, maybe a little. Who wouldn’t, a little? But, she knows he wants her. Insecurity? Please. And that alpha who can make people cry with a withering stare? She’ll step up and give it right back to him. He doesn’t intimidate her.
She calls him on his BS because she sees right through it.
2. Life has knocked her down, in some fashion, like it does all of us. Maybe she had a rough childhood, maybe she was deserted, left holding all the responsibility, by another man. Maybe she’s just been a doormat her whole life and needs to grow as a character enough to stand up for herself. It doesn’t matter how she learned it, she knows that most people let you down. But there’s something about this guy. A thousand things scream to her, he’s a good man. And even though part of her tells her she’s crazy to believe it… she does.
She trusts him, even though a lifetime of experiences have taught her that people suck.
3. When he screws up (and I don’t mean by being unfaithful), when his back is against the wall, when the whole worlds hangs in the balance–she doesn’t wait at home and hope he can put everything right again. She’ll be right by his side, standing up for him or wielding a gun and shooting it out with the bad guys. It’s not about him needing her help–though he does, we all need help when we reach our biggest crises–it’s that she wouldn’t dream of letting him face it alone.
She will always stand by her man.
Again, I’d love to hear ways that struck you that a heroine showed her true feelings or even examples from your own stories.
Got ideas on all the wrong ways characters show their true feelings?
Next week, I’ll be writing a post about absolutely messed-up ways to have your characters show that they care. If you care to contribute your ideas, please email me, tweet me, or PM me on my Author page. You can find all of those links on my contact page. I promise to give full credit next to your ideas!
“Show a heroine’s feelings for her hero–no telling required!” ~ Click to Tweet
- Part 1: Show Me the Love: Writing Heroes
- Related: Romance Writing Don’ts– The Black Moment is a Restraining Order, Part 1
- Related: Romance Writing Don’ts– The Black Moment is a Restraining Order, Part 2
- Related: What is love in Romance
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng. Photo by: Viktors Kozers.
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