Hero (hir-o):
1. A person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.
2. The chief (male) character of a story, play, movie, etc.
Heroine (hir-o-in):
1. A woman noted for courage and daring action or special achievement in a particular field.
2. The principle female character in a novel, poem, etc.
We all have heroes. Whether they're real or not isn't the question.
If you're writing, fiction, or non-fiction, chances are you have a hero you're writing about. Or maybe you still need a hero. Above I've listed the dictionary's definition of a hero, but shouldn't it go a little deeper? From different points of view, the person whom thousands despise could be counted as a hero by the above listed rules. So what really makes a hero?
1. Basic personality.
Sad. Confused. Witty. Just pick an adjective and build off that for a personality. It's actually very effective to put some of your own personality into a character.
A. Strength.
B. Flaw.
C. Side abilities that may be of interest at a later date.
(A tip from Tolkien: The hero has, or will achieve, a cardinal virtue for one of their strengths.)
2. Situation.
Where is that character now in life?
Are they driving a convertible through Paris, or are they flipping hash-browns in a fast food joint?
3. Appearance.
This goes beyond the 'blonde hair, blue eyes' general idea, though you should begin with that simplicity. What shade of blue are the eyes? Icy blue or gray-blue? Does the hair curl or is it straight? How does it normally look? Messy or greased? Dyed?
What type of clothes do they wear? What is the state of these clothes? He could be wearing a tuxedo with rips in the elbows and stains on the lapel.
4. Where do they hang out?
Does the millionaire movie-star hang out with the kids on his street or with people in expensive lobster and caviar restaurants?
