Heroes. They make us laugh. They make us cry. They make us fall in love with them. It doesn't seem to matter if they're bad boys that need redeeming or knights with gleaming armor.
Or does it?
We're celebrating the cowboy hero these days--that uniquely American white knight. Our ideal of a man's man that women can't resist. Whether he's spare with words or a smooth-talker, the heroines find him fascinating. As do readers and writers.
So, I'm wondering, do readers have a preference? Here's a list of some heroes I've loved in the past, and you can think of some more, I'm sure. I'd love to hear feedback from you.
actor, architect, artist, athlete (professional), bartender, boy next door, businessmen, chef, computer/software designer, construction worker, cop/sheriff/deputy, cowboy, doctor, farmer, firefighter, geologist, handyman, lawyer, mechanic, military, salesman, scientist, teacher, vet, zookeeper (couldn't resist making it stretch A-Z)
This is just a quick, top of my head list, certainly not intended to be all-inclusive. Please chime in with your favorites, adding yours if not listed here.
And if you don't think his job matters all that much, I'd like to know that too.
Megan Kelly
www.megankellybooks.com
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24 comments:
Mine would be rancher/farmer I do like oothers but these are my best!
Penney
I'm one of those people who really doesn't care what job the hero does although I do like cowboys.
Thanks, Ellen T. Good to know.
I like the Alpha-types - gladiators, soldiers, spies, pirates (Wait! I write & read those oops!). But its true. A man who knows what he wants..until he realizes he doesn't when it comes to women :)
LOL, Gina, how true is that! I love that heroines tend to tip a hero's world upside down. Thanks for stopping by.
I'd love to see a veterinarian hero. Maybe a large animal vet/cowboy who treats horses?
I think I love the bad boy redeemed, no matter what his occupation is.
Ok, I admit. I've loved me some cowboy heroes in the past :) But I also love my leading men--the knights, the spies--the lost and searching hearts who can be redeemed by love for the right woman.
The job doesn't matter so much as having a hero that's good at his job, but I've always had a weakness for chefs. My grandfather was a cook, my father liked to cook as a hobby, and of course I married a foodie and a baker. :)
A hero isn't about the occupation - it's about how he acts. An accountant who confronts fraud, a lawyer who defends the underdog, an athlete who isn't bribed by the big bucks, it doesn't really matter.
It's about who they are, not what they do to make the rent money. That's my two cents worth.
I'm not that concerned about their career as long as they are VERY good at what they do.
i really like what pam said :)
Good point, Christine. Men who love animals and have a caring side show potential. :)
"The lost and searching hearts" What a fantastic phrase, Barbara!!
Jeannie, My husband cooks a lot, and what a gift that is! Thank for commenting.
Pam, you've hit the bull's eye. You said this so well. Readers want strong, honorable men able to love, no matter what they do for a job or what their baggage. Thanks so much for commenting.
You're right, Lisa. I love a confident, capable male, comfortable in his job and life.
My husband! He's my biggest hero.
All excellent points. The hero needs to suit the heroine as well, so the characters need to complement each other. Job is simply a facet of his character.
And I can never read captchas, so this may never go through
I'll take a mountain man - log cabin, rustic.
I can't believe you put all those in alphabetical order off the top of your head. Wow.
My husband is definitely my hero. If choosing from the list, I would take athlete and artist!
Mary Montague Sikes
If the occupation is a setting of the book, I like to read about uncommon ones for the characters with details that add texture to the book. If the character's jobs are just a sidelight of the novel's background, then like most say it doesn't matter. I dislike the stories that use job title as shorthand for a personality i.e. cowboy = loner, lawyer = sharp, doctor = dedicated. 21
LOL, L. Diane! You'll have to write those yourself. ;)
Patricia, yes! We want multi-faceted heroes. Just saying he's a mechanic doesn't mean he is or isn't honorable. Same with a doctor, cowboy or lawyer. Thanks for coming by.
Linda S, I didn't want to play favorites by listing my preferences first. Plus if someone looked for her choice, it's easier to find a-z. :) I do love a story with a mountain man. The isolation, the inner strength. And if there's a storm trapping him with heroine, all the better. :D
Mary, you don't have to choose from the list; it's only there to spark ideas. I do love baseball though, so I'm glad to hear you say athlete. They are the millionaires these days, and so many players are family men and try to be good citizens of their communities.
Barbara, good point! We so often assume the character is the job, as you mentioned. Not all cowboys are loners, nor are they all honorable. (Those are the antagonists, I guess. We need bad guys in our stories.) I appreciate you coming to comment.
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