Friday, January 25, 2013

Favourite Hero Archetypes: By Victoria James

Wow, what a dry title, eh?  Sorry, I'll do my best to make the post a bit more lively ;-)

As I'm plotting out a proposal for Book #6 for Entangled (I had to pinch myself and actually double-check that number) I realized I tend to gravitate to certain types of hero archetypes.  I've written the Alpha (but I find that type quite broad, because all of the heroes I write are all Alpha's in their own way), The Bad-Boy, The Protector, and The Charmer.  I don't really have a favourite yet.  I think The Charmer would probably be my least favourite if I had to choose, because I do tend to have a soft-spot for the brooding, wounded hero, and that type rarely turns out to be a carefree charmer.  Though Hugh Grant movies do make a very good case for loving The Charmer archetype.

But there are more archetypes that I love to read about and hopefully write about one day.  The list below is really broad and general, and of course, there are so many other traits that can fall under each category, but it's a quick way to group them.  Sometimes, I find lists like these can spark ideas if you're just at the starting point and don't have a clear idea of what type of characters you want to write about yet.

Some of the most popular Hero Archetypes:

The Alpha (and I think Alpha traits can also be found in any of the others)
The Bad-Boy
The Protector
The Charmer
The Wounded Hero
The Loner
The Professor
The Best Friend
The Action Hero

What about you?  Do you have a favourite type to write about?  Is it the same type that you like to read about?

10 comments:

  1. Ooooh.... great topic, Victoria! I love my Alpha males, and of course, the Bad Boy always keeps me interested (sometimes longer than he should), but I am also intrigued by the Longer which sometimes overlaps with the Wounded Hero, and perhaps coinciding with the Bad Boy, the Charmer is always entertaining to me. Thanks so much for sharing! (And Book #6....woohoo!!)

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    1. Teehee, glad you enjoyed! And thanks so much for the congrats :-)

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  2. Great post, Victoria! I'm a sucker for an Alpha hero and a complete softy when it comes to the tortured hero. There's just something about a brooding hero with a scarred heart that makes me swoon.

    Congratulations on Book Six!

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    1. Thanks so much, Tina! Ahh, yes, the brooding hero with the scarred heart-I'm a sucker for them too!!

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  3. Gimme an alpha from the wrong side of the tracks made good. Gutter to self-made billionaire,love 'em!x

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    1. LOL-yes you certainly know how to write those billionaires!! :-)

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  4. Wow, book six! That's fantastic, Victoria! And great topic!

    As a romantic suspense writer and reader, there are lots of swoon-worthy action heroes in my life. I also love charmers and best friends, and wounded heroes can be fun. Basically, alphas with a heart and/or a sense of humor get me every time. :-)

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  5. Really enjoyed the post. It's tough to pick a favorite hero type. They all have their attractions. ;-) But I guess I'm most drawn to the wounded hero.

    Book #6, wow!!! You are on a roll. Keep it up. Looking forward to your March release. Can't wait.

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  6. I have to admit, I love ALL those hero archetypes - greedy? Moi? If I had to choose it would probably be The Charmer, but I could easily be persuaded otherwise :)

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  7. The wounded hero with a bit of the bad-boy protector in him is always fun to write. And, yep, they're my favs to read about too! Wishing you tonnes of great inspiration as you plot out book 6, Victoria!

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