Ok. A while back I sat down and wrote a western novel for my own amusement, not having any thoughts about having it published, but a couple of individuals who read it (not regular readers of westerns) thought I should submit it for publication. Having only read a handful of westerns years ago, I never gave much thought to what kind of personalities the protagonists should have being that I was only writing for my own pleasure. In comparing my writing, though, to other westerns, I was struck by the fact that my two characters didn't conform to the typical hero types in a lot of other western novels. I am sure you know the characters I am talking about, the young, ruggedly handsome, tall, no nonsense, taciturn type who is fast with a gun, good with his fists and can swallow a glass of ol'-fashioned Kansas sheep dip without batting an eye. In fact, one publisher seemed to expect that kind of hero in anything submitted to them.
So this has me now wondering, did I miss the boat (or horse) on what the majority of readers who enjoy westerns expect in the main protagonist(s) character-wise? Are western fans likely to be put off characters who are more like average folk than the mythical western hero? I am not suggesting that western fans are more close-minded than other fiction readers, but are there just some elements of characterization that are a necessity in order for a western to be accepted by fans of the genre?
I know there exceptions out there (Rooster Cogburn in True Grit for example), but they seem to be just that: exceptions. The people in this forum are likely to have a better idea of what is expected in this genre than the few who have read my work. So what is the opinion here? I would appreciate some feedback.
So this has me now wondering, did I miss the boat (or horse) on what the majority of readers who enjoy westerns expect in the main protagonist(s) character-wise? Are western fans likely to be put off characters who are more like average folk than the mythical western hero? I am not suggesting that western fans are more close-minded than other fiction readers, but are there just some elements of characterization that are a necessity in order for a western to be accepted by fans of the genre?
I know there exceptions out there (Rooster Cogburn in True Grit for example), but they seem to be just that: exceptions. The people in this forum are likely to have a better idea of what is expected in this genre than the few who have read my work. So what is the opinion here? I would appreciate some feedback.
