Dear Editor,
I’ve been thinking about writing a new story with a gorgeous injured hero – uncharted territory for me! But first, I want to know how to make sure he’s injured but still an Alpha the editors will love. Could you give me any advice?
Thanks!
Zara
Dear Zara,
Here at Romance HQ we love to see a hero who can overcome physical injury and still sweep the heroine off her feet! Just look at Jane Eyre’s Mr Rochester…The moment the injured aristocrat finds his happy ending tugs even more at our heartstrings because of the trauma he has had to survive. When Rochester realises Jane adores him no matter what, it’s enough to floor even the hardest-hearted reader!
But how do you make sure that your wounded hero packs an emotional punch? It might seem like a daunting challenge, but we’ve got your back with five top tips for writing a swoon-worthy injured hero…
- The injury isn’t enough on its own! No matter what you’ve given him to struggle with – a lost limb, blindness, severe scarring, whatever you want – to create a layered character, your hero needs to overcome more than just physical issues. Plumb the emotional depths – let your reader see why being wounded is such a big deal for him!
- In order to create the biggest impact and tons of emotional conflict, make the injury at complete odds with your hero’s identity. Think about the professions where people tend to live for their jobs, and not being able to do them is crucifying: sport, medicine, the army?
- To keep your hero Alpha, your readers need to respect how he’s dealt with his injuries so self-pity is now allowed! Let’s see that rising to the challenge of overcoming them has shaped him into a superhumanly strong character, and that he hates the idea of other people pitying him even more – especially the heroine!
- But the tougher the façade…the more powerful his vulnerability. There’s nothing sexier than the glimpse into the pain, anger and frustration your wounded hero hides behind his tough-guy mask. So dig deep – emotional devastation is what you’re aiming for!
- Finally, the physicality of the injury shouldn’t impinge on the romance – make sure it’s still a fantasy! To believe in your wounded hero as the ultimate Alpha male, it’s important your readers are confident he can still protect his heroine…and satisfy her every desire! In the bedroom, let’s see that the passion between them is so compelling that the injury just isn’t an issue. In fact, some injuries, e.g. blindness, can actually work to enhance the emotional, sensual power of a love scene…
Zara, we hope this look at what editors want to see from a wounded hero has helped you on your way to an emotionally compelling romance. Good luck writing your hero and we can’t wait to read all about him!
Happy writing!
The Sold Editors x
