Happy Tuesday! I’m hoping you all had a great time chatting up your hero over the weekend, and probing him for his Noble Cause. You can let him off the sofa now, because this week we’re going to be observing him…and discovering the SECOND ELEMENT of a Heart-Throb Hero….

FLAWS

What? You say – we don’t like a guy with flaws. Really? Because a guy without flaws is plastic, and not human, I think we all like Human Guys, someone who is a little unpredictable, and real, and that make us so mad sometimes we don’t know whether to hit them or just…well, cry for them because we can see under ALL their insecurities to the man who just needs a heroine. (which we’ll get to in a week or so!)

Yes, Flaws. Heroes have to have flaws. Because that’s what makes them weak, and insecure, and a man with the potential to grow.

But, what is a GOOD flaw, versus a BAD flaw?

Bad flaws might be…a guy who is destructive of others, or drinks too much, or has a nasty streak, or steals….these are very bad flaws. Yuck…save those for your villain.

Good flaws are things that reveal your hero’s insecurities…because flaws are bad behavior that is used to cover up and defend something he doesn’t want the heroine to figure out. (But, oh, will she!)

Like…for example…A good flaw might be the tendency to clam up and not share his feelings. (Because, well, maybe he doesn’t think his ideas are worth anything, thanks to a father who told him he was worthless).

Or, maybe it’s the tendency to cut and run when there is conflict in a relationship (because perhaps that is what his father or mother did when the going got tough).

Rafe’s flaw, (my current favorite hero), is to live hard and fast, in an effort to forget his failures, and outrun his pain.

Flaws might be perfectionism, workaholic-ism, a tendency to overprotect, or jump to conclusions, it might even be overspending (not just a heroine’s flaw anymore!)

Whatever your hero’s flaw is, it is essential they have at least one, so they have a place from which to grow. If they’re perfect, then they don’t need this story, or your heroine, or you to help them see the error of their ways! They will have no character growth.

If you don’t have a hero with a flaw, then you have a flat hero. Tomorrow I’m going to outline HOW to find your hero’s flaw. Thursday, we’ll look at how to implement it into your story.

Meanwhile – yes, it’s example time! Send me a brief description of your Heroes Flaw – telling me why he has that flaw, (especially if you’re struggling with it) and we’ll see if we can learn from each other. (send it to: booktherapy@susanmaywarren.com)

AND – the free book for THIS WEEK is The Sovereign’s Daughter– my newest book out with Barbour! (Look for it at Walmart, too! Whoo Hoo). It’s a reprint of Oksana – with a fresh new look. Everyone who sends an example in will be eligible for the drawing.

See you tomorrow!