JORSTAD - WRITE YOUR HERO

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As lovers of stories, we all have a favorite hero.

Perhaps youre a fan of romance novels, and dream of living alongside the likes of Simon Basset or Claire Randall. Or, maybe you lose yourself in high-stakes thrillers, exploring the world with Jack Reacher or Morgan Sierra. Personally, Im a fantasy reader, meaning nothing makes me feel more at home than traipsing across Middle Earth alongside Frodo Baggins or reliving my childhood in Redwall Abbey with Matthias.

These characters are the heroes of their stories, but theyre also more than thattheyre our window into their world. Whether theyre facing intense struggles or enjoying a well-earned victory, we get to experience their story alongside them. When theyre afraid, our heartbeat jumps, and when theyre happy, we cant help but smile too. By the time their stories are finished, they're just as real in our minds as any of the other people in our lives.

Considering you picked up this book, I imagine you dream of writing a hero of your own, one that can stand tall alongside these personal favorites. After all, you love your novel's heroit's only natural that you would want your readers to feel the same!

Actually achieving this, though, is where things get tricky.

For every Arya Stark and Sherlock Holmes, there are dozens of other heroes who simply fall flat. Their actions feel hollow and superficial, and they rarely face conflicts with any real meaning. Instead, they seem to float through their stories, going through the motions before the author wraps things up with a triumphantbut undeservedthe end.

The result is a journey that lacks soul. Your hero is by far the most important character in your novel, above and beyond any other member of your cast. If they arent fully realized, no part of their adventure will pack the same punch.

This is a terrifying prospect. On the one hand, crafting our heroes is exciting and exhilarating, but its also risky and intimidating. Not only are these central characters important to our readers, but theyre a reflection of us too. While you might not be a swashbuckling pirate or a kind-hearted queen in real life, your hero will still say something about how you see the world, what you value most, and who you truly are.

Fortunately, I have good news: It is possible to create a hero your readers will love! You just need the right tools for the job.

Thats where Write Your Hero comes in to help.

Over the next twenty-five chapters, Ill help you navigate all the pieces of a fan-favorite hero, from the basics of who your hero is to the complex task of actually writing them. Along the way, well dig into everything from your heros identity to their story goals, conflicts, motivations, and a lot moreall on a quest to help you write a hero your readers will want to remember.

To that end, this book will be organized into a series of short chapters, each focused on a single aspect of writing a hero. Alongside these topics, youll also find questions to help you apply what youve learned, as well as case studies to show you what well-written heroes look like in practice. All of this will combine into a cohesive picture of your own hero, along with the confidence you need to bring this central character to life on the page!

All told, I can't deny that writing a compelling hero is tricky. Still, its not impossible, and our favorite heroes prove that. For all their flaws and inconsistencies, something about them speaks to us, whispering truths about our world that keep us peering through that window time and time again.

No matter what your vision for your hero may be, you can write a memorable hero of your own. Let me show you how!

What can I expect from this book?

This book is organized in a series of short chapters, each focused on one part of writing a successful hero. Alongside their main topic, these chapters will include two key things:

• Wrap-Up Questions: At the end of each chapter, Ill ask you a handful of questions to help you apply everything youve learned to your hero. I highly recommend reflecting on these questions and saving your answers in either a notebook or outline. This way, by the time you've finished this book, youll have not only gained the skills you need to write a powerful hero, but also created a tangible document you can use to put that knowledge into action.
• Case Studies: Throughout this book, youll also find a variety of case studies. These are in-depth explorations of popular stories, meant to show you what well-written heroes look like in practice.