Do You Think About How Your Heroine Affects Readers?

No, I never did think of that. I write books for adults, not kids, so I don't figure my readers are easily influenced the way an audience of kids might be.

Besides, I am firmly against political agendas in books. Completely.

Lainey Bancroft said:

Hey romanceladia, this got slightly personal for me lately, and I wondered if when crafting a heroine any of you give thought to how her 'quirks' 'body image' 'personal issues' might affect a reader?

(backstory, tee-hee, cuz we all love that. My daughter did a marketing project on how magazine adds impact young women, and it just got me thinking...)

You can check the blog post here: http://www.elaineforlife.com/

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Not so much. I worry about how my MC's quirks affect my MC. I HOPE I am writing characters who are evolving and learning to be happy with themselves (romantic, eh). On a personal level, I dislike books where the HEA = the previous dedicated career gal pregnant and barefoot by the pool - so I'm not writing that book.

I think about her being likable despite (or because of) her flaws. I'm also writing for adults, so I'm not worried about influence, but I never want a heroine to be so much of a brat or bitch that the average reader is going to hate her. I started a story once where I wanted the girl to be snarky, and when I read over what I had so far, to start writing more, she was WAY too bratty. Not someone the guy would fall for.

Well, it always pleases me to see a plus-sized heroine being lusted after and adored by the hero. I write gay romance myself but, I've tried to make some of my character pairs chubbys/chubby chasers.

Virgin heroines from modern times often irritate me, that's sort of a body image issue.

I have nothing but contempt for heroines who think leg hair is totally gross and angst over not being able to shave after they have been transported to the middle ages or abducted by aliens or something. Worse, though, is the hero whose women of his own culture don't shave their legs much less their crotch, yet the hero thinks the shaven heroine is a big improvement and all women should start shaving. x_X

I like that a character's emotional growth in a romance can show the heroine dealing with her own issues -- she's not a passive recipient of the alpha hero's solve-everything-attitude. In fact, in a sense, the happy ever after is made possible by her taking action. So, emotional growth/maturity is shown to have a positive pay-off.

Not sure that's quite the question you were asking. On body image, I've not yet written a story where this is a factor. I've read a few where it is, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the hero's nobility in "loving her anyway". I think the issue here is the hero as a character wasn't developed enough that I as a reader could see him loving the heroine as a person, and not as an image of perfect woman (whatever that is). Susan Napier's "Phantom Lover" was a good take on a hero who truly didn't care how the heroine looked. He liked her.

And I quite like political agendas in books -- as long as I share them

Lainey Bancroft said:

Hey all! Thanks for the feedback. Interesting stuff!

sunandshadow lmao! Seriously, hadn't ever considered the shaving angle. Interesting. I agree, as a chubby chick, I like to see something besides a 'petite, willowy...blah blah bleck' but I don't necessarily like the focus to shift to I like her BECAUSE she's full figured...if that makes any sense??? I read a really decent erotic romance a while back and totally related to the attraction--and the heroine's hang up about not being a size 4--and for me the author blew it in the HEA final chapter, because suddenly the 'chunky heroine' lost weight once she was in a relationship. What? Sex burns that many calories? Or worse, the perception is that 'fat lonely girls eat Twinkies cuz they ain't gettin' any'. Yeah, that particular ending didn't work for me.

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I agree that it's always a cop-out when one character changes at the very end in a way that isn't a natural, logical evolution of their character earned through the plot. Classic example of this is the beast magically turning to a prince at the end of beauty and the beast - that always pissed me off. Shrek took a way better approach.

But, no, I don't really understand why it wouldn't be ideal for the hero to be attracted to the heroine because she's full-figured (in addition to everything else of course). Could you explain? Before I read your post I was actually just about to reply to Jenny's saying "loving her anyway" is very much the wrong idea, it should be more that the hero is attracted to whatever odd traits the heroine has, even if he has internal conflict about it because he thinks he ought not to be attracted to that. And that applies to the heroine's attraction to the hero too.

I adore heroes who are halfblood, albinos, or have some similar visible trait that has made people generally act prejudiced against him. Structurally I think this is good because it provides a reason why a desirable man isn't already taken like they all tend to be in real life, and it also provides opportunities to make the heroine likable by demonstrating her open-mindedness. I personally like to see the hero or hero gaining self-confidence through the fact that the other finds them very attractive. I also think this is realistic, because in real life I've again and again seen people blossom under the affection of their first real boyfriend or girlfriend, or a new best friend.

As a male writer and maybe even more because I'm a father of two girls... I actually do think about it... however there is also a balance of prerequisites that I (as a male reader/writer) see in stereotypical romance novels.

The heroines, in my experience are all beautiful, but often in a girl next door way (using my male perspective here). The character doesnt really think of themselves that way, but the hero is often not the only one tripping over themselves to get a peice of her (excuse the phrase).

The one thing I find, as a male reader, hard to deal with sometimes, is hero's who act in a way that men simply do not... in a way that I understand women would like men to act, but it just doesnt happen in the real world. When men are protrayed in a way that is contrary to the way men are hard wired is one of the reasons a majority of men don't read romance. *lol* no suprise there...

But back to the question... I have read too many heroines that just couldnt live without this muscular "Romeo" of impossibility... and that just doesnt sit right with me. I also come across alot of heroines that are quite frankly... doormats and it takes the dominant, but sensitive hero to coddle her so that she can function in life... (*pauses to hork*)

now where I get into a bind is keeping my hero's and heroines stereotypical enough that I won't have my writing tossed across the room with force... but not falling into any that degrade women (or men for that matter).

some random thoughts:
Heroines that are a size 1... not good.... size 4.. okay... size 7 is more realistic and still in the perceived "drop dead gorgeous" category, so why fall into the ideal that you have to be a size 3 or less to be beautiful??? I can see where a size 24 might make it harder for selling a heroine, but that's all in the writing. Heavier people love too!! The problem is convincing publishers that a 350 lb heroine is just as desirable as a 110 lb toothpick. *shrugs*

Heroines need a man. No... no they dont, in fact, I subscribe to the notion that men are damned lucky women need us at all for anything (and that list is pretty small)!!! *lol*... I dont like to see heroines that give the impression that they need a big strong man to survive/make it/whatever... BS. Not something I ever want my daughters to believe.

Anywho.. I'm rambling... but yeah.. I do think my heroines through... maybe too much... I dunno.

Lainey Bancroft said:

Hey, Sunandshadow, I'm having a hard time coming up with a response that makes sense--even in my head.

I guess what I failed to say coherently is that too much focus on physical attributes--whether 'publicly perceived' as good or bad--can yank me out of a story, and then it does begin to feel like the author has an agenda.

A hero going, "Hot damn, she's at least a size 18 with 42 double D's and that's always what I'm into." Is no different than a hero chasing nothing but leggy blonds.

But, on the flip side of that, you made a great catch with Jenny's "loving her anyway..." It shouldn't feel like acceptance, or a pity date.

Thinking...thinking...Smell the smoke?

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Hmm. Well, maybe it's just that I'm a pretty visual person myself, and when I feel a strong attraction to a guy it's usually a lust-at-first-sight sort of thing, so to me a good visual description of a character with some unique physical traits is an essential part of portraying another character feeling strongly attracted to them. I'm also only attracted to a small percentage of guys, and I know only a small percentage of guys are attracted to me, so I assume characters are disinterested in each others' appearances unless stated otherwise.

It's the material nightmares are made of to me to imagine falling in love with a guy who wasn't highly interested in my body as well as my personality and mind.

If you want to handle describing a hero's preferences in a tactful way, I think the easiest way to do it is to use an aquantaince of the hero's to tease him about it. Like, hero is totally distracted watching the sway of a woman's butt, or looking longingly after a redhead, and his friend takes adventage of the distraction to get the hero to go "mm hmm" to some nonsense question, or complain in a friendly way that the hero has terrible taste from the friend's point of view. Or someone who knows the hero's type could choose the heroine for her appearance (unbeknownst to her) for the purpose of using the heroine to distract the hero or persuade him of something.

Brindle Chase said:

The one thing I find, as a male reader, hard to deal with sometimes, is hero's who act in a way that men simply do not... in a way that I understand women would like men to act, but it just doesnt happen in the real world. When men are protrayed in a way that is contrary to the way men are hard wired is one of the reasons a majority of men don't read romance. *lol* no suprise there...

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Yeah, that applies from other perspectives too. I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen some kind of female superhero or female action hero who just acts nothing like a real woman. But my take on it is that the characters are there for the audience, a fantasy shared by the reader and the writer, and this function is more important than creating particularly realistic characters.

From the audience side, I understand that male characters with ideal (eloquent and dramatic and in touch with his emotions,etc.) personalities aren't realistic, especially in a male character who's supposed to be straight. But I'd much rather have an unrealistic hero I'm totally smitten with than a realistic one I don't particularly like. I've done romantic/sexual roleplay with both real men and women playing male characters, and the actual men tend to create characters that are nowhere near as appealing to me as the more fake ones the women create.

But back to the question... I have read too many heroines that just couldnt live without this muscular "Romeo" of impossibility... and that just doesnt sit right with me.

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I'm not a big fan of muscles but, I do think the philosophy of not settling for anyone but an ideal guy is an important part of the culture of romance novels and their readers. The idea that everyone will eventually meet their soulmate is a quasi-religious belief that is important to a lot of people.

I have an image of an ideal guy in my head; over the years I've come to accept the knowledge that I will never actually have a guy like this fall in love with me. It's a painful and depressing realization. One of the reasons I read romance novels is to have the author tell me reassuringly that, yes I will find my soulmate and he'll be gorgeous and perfect for me (not perfect on some absolute scale, just perfect for me). Even though I don't really believe this, seeing it happen in fiction tends to cheer me up for a few days.

The one thing I find, as a male reader, hard to deal with sometimes, is hero's who act in a way that men simply do not... in a way that I understand women would like men to act, but it just doesn't happen in the real world.

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Amen.

I try to write men based on what I see in the real world. Men and women are from different planets. I'm amazed we EVER get together long enough to allow the species to continue!

For instance, when a woman starts crying--and the guy is responsible--most men will vacate the area ASAP.

Another woman will move closer to give comfort--most have that maternal instinct thing going--but men don't want any part of it. It's not something they are hard-wired to fix; they know they're out of their depth and out of control. Add in a big dollop of vague guilt, just for fun!

It is a brave man who sticks it out long enough to give the lady a box of Kleenex or a glass of water. Don't be surprised if she cries even harder. She knows how hard it was for him to think that up!

I write women realistically too. NONE of mine look pretty when they cry. I'm talking swollen face, red eyes, ruined makeup, nose juice, hiccups, and lots of wailing.

Of COURSE no man wants to be around THAT!

As for wondering how my heroines will effect a reader?

NOT something I worry about. I write someone strong and kick-ass that *I* can respect. Someone who works to overcome her problems and wins in the end. If any reader wants to take notes on that, they're welcome to do so.