Writing the Heroines

My post yesterday about heroes was all about guys. After I finished writing it, I felt like the heroines were all tapping their feet with hands on hips, staring at me, waiting. I knew I needed to let them have their say too.

So let’s hear it for the heroines!

Ladies are made to be different from men. Heroines approach a problem with a different style than heroes. But just like guys, girls have strengths and weaknesses too.

Often, a girl’s weakness is related to romance. Many a handsome face has distracted the heroine and has carried her into a dangerous situation. But the strengths of the heroine are her tenacity and her ability to see the options in front of her. Heroines are not satisfied being damsels in distress. Although sometimes, they act like they can’t get out of a situation just to let a guy come to their rescue. Girls like guys to rescue them sometimes. But if a guy isn’t there for them or the wrong guy comes to lend a hand, they can untie themselves and get off the train track if they want to.

However, if a writer finds the heroine staying too close to the shadows, it’s a good idea to see what the girl is up to. Is she planning a surprise attack? Is she trying to fool the enemy into thinking she can’t fight back? Or is she about to get herself deeper into trouble? If she keeps getting deeper into trouble, let her. She’ll find a way out of it, and the reward will be oh so sweet.

Trouble doesn’t frighten a heroine. Maybe spiders do, but trouble? No way. A true heroine can throw knives and shoot guns to defend herself, even with freshly painted fingernails.

No comments: