With the new year upon us along with those all-important resolutions (for a lot of us anyway!) we've been looking forward to the next instalment of Writing Tips. We'll be covering some of the best 2012 writing challenges very shortly, so if you're up for an added push to reach that goal, watch this space!
Today, Mandy Baggot (author of Strings Attached, Excess All Areas and Knowing Me, Knowing You, reveals her tips on how to create the perfect hero.
1. Make him hot!
No one really wants to read about a hero with a jelly belly and a six pack in the fridge rather than a six pack on his torso. He is going to be someone who sets the pages alight with his appearance and his personality - make him every woman's fantasy.
2. Make him different!
He doesn't have to be tall dark and handsome with piercing blue eyes. A hero shouldn't adhere to age-old perceptions - ladies are ready for an unconventional hero. Readers don't just want an Alpha male all the time. Variety is the spice of life after all!
3. Make him real!
He can't be Mr Perfect! To make him as real as possible your hero must have flaws. Perhaps he has an OCD about his underwear drawer, maybe he laughs like a walrus, or maybe he has secrets. Creating a three dimensional man will draw your readers in and if he has flaws and vulnerability you're onto a winner!
4. Make him feel!
Wherever possible give your hero a voice. It can be a perfect insight into his thoughts and feelings and a way to communicate his perception on the relationship with the heroine to your readers. What do men really think and feel about love? Get inside his head!
5. Make him interact!
Once you've built him then use him! Create a Twitter account for your hero and get readers excited about your novel and your characters! Ladies have been going weak at the knees for the hero from Strings Attached @quinnblakemusic. Check him out for yourself!
Thanks, Mandy!
You can find out more about Mandy Baggot and her books by heading over to her website.