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June 1, 2005

The hero who is nothing but a hunk of meat

That’s it. I’m about ready to throw my hero off a cliff, chained to a block of concrete.

Oh sure, he’s a gorgeous guy with rippling muscles and the face of a warrior. He’s hot, he’s sexy.
And he has NO personality. Like the other mindless heroes strutting around bare-chested, he thinks he’s all that and a bag of chips. :headbang:

News flash: he’s not.

What was I thinking? He imprisons the heroine in a shack on an island where they duke it out verbally, and sure, he brings her wildflowers and gifts, but my God! Where did I get this jerk? Do you think there’s a place where I can buy him a real personality?

I feel like there’s a missing part. I know his goal, his motivations, his conflicts, but what I don’t know are the things that make him unique. What makes him different from all the other shirtless wonders?

Maybe I need to add an irrational fear, like a healthy dislike of medieval cockroaches….:rambo:

Michelle posted in Writing @ 7:54 pm | Viewed 924 times  

  12 Responses to “The hero who is nothing but a hunk of meat”



  1. kacey Says:

    :loser: hm, I don’t like a mean jerkface hero :rambo: (must get around to stealing that smilie…)

    Well, I guess a jerk is better than too clueless to live?? Maybe?? Thought the whole cockroach thing could be interesting .. :shock:


  2. Bonnie Ferguson Says:

    :hello2: Whatever you think is missing, I’m sure you’ll figure it out Michelle. Medieval cockroaches sound worse than modern day ones :ick:


  3. Amy K. Says:

    I like the cockroach idea. :rotfl:


  4. Caro Says:

    I still say we should offer up all such heroes on eBay — there’s got to be someone who’s willing to take these shirtless wonders off our hands.


  5. Michelle Says:

    Caro, I LOVE that idea! Hey, we could let them compete to be Mr. Romance! :blahblah:

    Oops. Did I say that? :oops:


  6. katie Says:

    Hmmm. Empathetic heros are my downfall. I find them quite challending to write. Not sure why….:evil:


  7. Margery Scott Says:

    Love the idea of an irrational fear. Hey, it worked for Indiana Jones.:grin:


  8. Suzanne Says:

    You have to motivate him! He can do (almost) anything if you motivate it!


  9. Tori Says:

    I think having a dislike of medieval cockroaches :confused2: is very sensible.


  10. Jill Says:

    Definitely give manly man a fear. A good one. And like Suzanne said, motivate it. Make us go “awwwww”.


  11. Steph T. Says:

    Ah – Michelle’s wrestling the Great Alpha Male. They’re a pain in the ass, but they’re worth it in the end.:hello2:


  12. Rene Says:

    Susan Squires spoke about characters at one of my chapter meetings. To help give them depth, give them a talent or something that makes them different. She mentioned the hero of “Master and Commander.” Besides being a naval hero, he was an accomplished violinist, something unexpected. Maybe your muscled macho man is a singer/musician. What chick can resist a rock star?

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