By Shannon Ellis
When writing heroes for your stories, it can be tempting to create an ideal character. A character which will surely be loved by all, and who is everything you can hope for in a crisis, whether it’s supernatural or otherwise. But is that always the best approach? How do we write a hero that is both believable and inspiring?
Can the story survive without them?
This seems like a silly question. Why would your story need to survive without the hero present? It doesn’t need to. But the reason I bring it up is because it’s a very good way of assessing how your character affects the story. Let’s say you have an idea for a big plot twist that will surprise your audience. How does it impact your character? Does it change how they react to something, or prompt them to do something in response, which has a knock-on effect? Or does it not affect them at all? If the answer is the last one, perhaps you should rethink your idea. You need to look at driving your story forward, and plot twists need to have an impact on your protagonist or hero. If they have no effect, then it isn’t advancing your hero’s plot, nor pushing forward character development.
A good example of this is the Doctor Who episode Turn Left (Davies, 2008). If you are unfamiliar, the story explores what would have happened had companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) not met the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant). When Donna doesn’t meet the Doctor, it leads to him dying before he can regenerate. The story then navigates a Doctor-free world which shows the audience just how much of an effect he has on the planet and how important he is in the face of the alien invasions the show explores. It also explores how instrumental Donna is in helping the Doctor, showing how to handle more than one hero in your writing.
Make them flawed
A perfect hero is, well, imperfect. To put it simply, you don’t want your hero to be infallible. I’m not just talking about them having a weakness like Kryptonite; I’m talking about actual human flaws. Have a character who’s a brilliant hero but is also selfish, or over-confident, or who pushes others away. As long as you are careful not to go too far and push them over the edge into being annoying, it will make your characters more realistic and relatable.
Some of the best-loved heroes in literature, TV, and film are flawed. The Doctor in Doctor Who (Newman, 1963) regularly distances himself from companions in an attempt to spare himself the pain of losing them. Harry Potter has to be reminded in the Harry Potter (Rowling, 1997-2007) books that Ginny Weasley has also had to deal with Lord Voldemort inside her head when she possessed his diary, because he’s remarkably self-absorbed. Peter Pan in Peter Pan and Wendy (Barrie, 1911) is childish, arrogant, and over-confident.
Make them memorable
All heroes need to be memorable. Perhaps your hero has a memorable name, or a distinct style or costume if it’s on film or TV. A vivid description will also help, if you are writing prose. But whatever your media choice, you need to make sure your hero sticks in people’s minds. Make the character bold, not just in costume but in mannerisms. Don’t be afraid to do a little research, either. Study your genre, see how other writers have handled creating a unique character, and see what method sticks.
Harry Potter, of course, had his famous lightning-bolt scar which set him apart at Hogwarts. Chris Carter named his X Files (1993-) hero Fox Mulder, although the first name is rarely used onscreen. The Doctor in Doctor Who has had many distinct costumes throughout the incarnations.
Don’t forget, characters that stand out from the crowd aren’t just obvious in the heroes of stories. Luna Lovegood is a great example of making a character quirky and memorable without being the protagonist.
Heroes are one of writing’s many minefields. The temptation to create your ideal character will always be there, but remember to make them believable to the audience and memorable in the best ways possible.
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