No one likes to admit their fears…especially a guy. But deep inside we all have fears, something that creeps us out, or subconsciously makes us turn away. When we’re building our character, we need to know what he’s afraid of. Yes, he’ll have a Greatest Fear, something that is his worst nightmare, but usually it’s expressed in smaller fears.

How do you find your hero’s fear?

Remember the dark moment? That thing that caused you to find your hero’s noble cause? I’ll bet, embedded in that moment, you can also find a fear. For our fireman, maybe it’s the nightmare of his father burning to death, and the same thing happening to him. For Rafe, it might be becoming a laughing stock.

Here’s a couple from two of my favorite movies –

Cutting Edge – our hero’s darkest moment is when he got injured at the Olympics and lost his big shot. So he goes home to work in his brother’s bar. When he’s given another shot at Olympic gold by becoming a Figure Skater, he doesn’t want his brother to find out. He doesn’t want to fail again. This is his Greatest Fear. But it’s expressed in smaller scenes, like the way he dodges his brother’s questions, and especially the hilarious, “Finger Painting” line where his brother, who can’t hear his explanation says, “You’ve been doing a little Finger Painting?”

Indiana Jones – I love that our hero is afraid of snakes…and if you follow the series to the third one, with River Phoenix, then you see why. It’s a dark moment in his life when he realizes his father’s quest for the holy grail is greater than his love for his son (or so he thinks). That moment when, when retrieving his archeological prize (and probably the moment when he falls in love with archeology), and he lands in a pit of snakes still makes my skin crawl!

So – get your hero back on the sofa and probe around that dark moment. Find a fear, something strong enough to make him flinch. If you happen to land on his Greatest Fear – no worries, just tuck it away for future reference, and then ask how that fear leaks out into his life.

If you’re interested in trying your hero’s fear out for size, head over to Voices and let your fellow voices give you some feedback. And, send me a email to booktherapy@susanmaywarren.com with your favorite movie hero’s fear, and you’ll be eligible to win your choice of a SMW or RH book in this weeks drawing!

See you tomorrow, when we talk about the FINAL element to a Heart Throb hero!