This post is based on a presentation made by Editors Hannah Rossiter and Soraya Bouazzaoui at a conference in summer 2023.
Over the years, the archetype of the perfect hero has evolved, and readers are often looking for something different than you might expect when thinking of the romance alpha hero. In this post, we’ll highlight the red and green flags in heroes from past and present and show how you can craft a nuanced hero that will stay forever in the heart of your reader!
NOTE: These examples focus on the male Alpha Hero; however, these traits can apply to any lead character within your story – hero, heroine, and non-binary characters.
Red & Green Flag Heroes
Green Flag: King George from Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
King George is a hero who acts not in his own interests, but with the intention of protecting the person that he loves.
Red Flag: Michael from Crazy Rich Asians
Michael is a hero who doesn’t have the heroine’s back. He only thinks about his own feelings, despite the heroine working hard to always put his feelings first, often at the cost of her own happiness.
Green Flag: Matt from 13 Going on 30
Matt is a hero that shows the heroine that he cares about her not just through his words, but his actions.
Red Flag: Jasper from The Holiday
Jasper is a hero that uses people’s adoration for him to his advantage, without thinking about how his actions will have a detrimental effect on their emotional wellbeing.
Who IS the Alpha Hero?
Experts: Whether that’s in the ballroom, the bedroom, the boardroom, or the operating theatre, an Alpha Hero’s confidence comes from knowing that they’re the best at what they do.
Powerful: Alpha Heroes are always in command of their environment and emotions.
Action-Oriented: Alpha Heroes always know what they want, and they go after it. They actively pursue their goal and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.
Driven: Whatever their goal, we all know exactly why they want it. When it comes to crafting an Alpha Hero, motivation is key! With strong motivation, readers will empathize with even the most arrogant Alpha Hero.
Complex: Alpha heroes are not cardboard cut-outs! They’ve got depth and contradictions.
Who ISN’T the Alpha Hero?
No Bullies: They won’t use their physical strength to overpower or control the heroine. An alpha hero respects the heroine and doesn’t need to manipulate her, to win her love.
Not Misogynistic: If they have a problem with the heroine at the start of the story, it’s rooted in their individual, personal conflict.
Not Sexually Selfish: They only want willing romantic partners and are invested in their love interest’s pleasure.
Not One-Dimensional: Alpha Heroes are always nuanced and it’s vital that they develop emotionally. Who the hero is on the first page is never who they are on the last page!
What is the Key to Crafting a Desirable Hero?
A Strong Backstory:
What has made your hero the person they are? What has happened in their past?
What makes them a person, on the first page, who isn’t ready for a romantic relationship? We need a compelling reason to be on your hero’s side, despite their flaws! For example, did a life-changing event happen in your hero’s childhood? Have they experienced a recent loss? Or did a previous relationship change their perspective on romantic love?
Give them a vulnerable side! It’s also important to show that they have a more vulnerable side to their character or are able to see the error of their ways through their interactions with the other main character. This can be shown through your hero’s internal monologue, dialogue, and actions, thereby demonstrating their redemption, in both the romantic relationship and for the reader. We want the hero to show their potential for redemption!
The Hero’s Journey:
A great way to show that the hero has gone on a journey, is to focus on the fact that the heroine is the only person who has the ability to make them want to change. It’s important, in turn, that the hero’s journey feels consistent. If the hero either pushes the heroine away or regresses too often, it will be hard for the reader to invest in their love story. We need to feel, more often than not, like the hero is moving forward and developing. Even if it is a struggle for them to be that vulnerable! This is what the reader will find more satisfying to watch.
In contrast, if the hero undergoes a dramatic, sudden, and unprompted change, it will feel unrealistic. So, it is key for the hero’s character progression to be both drip-fed and feel linear. You often only have 50,000 words to showcase the hero’s journey, and vice versa for their love interest! So, it’s crucial that every scene focus’ on the turning points in your hero’s emotional journey.
A Strong Love Interest to Match your Hero:
The stronger the hero, the stronger we also need their love interest to be! In particular, we want to see their ability to challenge the hero. For example, in Harlequin Presents novels, a heroine isn’t afraid to stand up to the hero in her own way, whether she’s at home in his opulent world or not. She can be shy and innocent, feisty and daring, or anywhere in between! We want to watch love interests that are able to play off of each other and push their emotional boundaries – this is what keeps a Harlequin story exciting!
It’s vital that the hero’s love interest knows that they are worthy of his respect and, despite their own insecurities, will fight for their own happiness first!
The Importance of Sexual Agency:
Chemistry is key! This is how the reader stays invested and on-board with the relationship. Consent doesn’t have to be verbal, but it does need to be clearly communicated in some way. POV is also important. The perspective that a scene is told from can affect what you need to show the reader, to enforce that consent has been given.
Some story lines are going to require more obvious indications, for example, stories that are built around grey areas. In scenarios such as workplace romances, amnesia, or using tropes such as age-gaps, it is vital that the mutual attraction is as visible as possible. This way the reader can see that the characters are on equal footing, or as equal as they can possibly be.
This also relates to who makes the first move. If the Alpha Hero makes the first move, this can affect how the power dynamic is navigated.
Finally, it is integral for the sex to have an important function in the story! We want to know how it moves the story and characterization forward. The emotional aftermath will help to sustain the tension and keep the relationship complicated until the last minute.
We hope you found this helpful when crafting your hero! Looking for more character building content? Find all our articles on characters here!
