Tuesday 9 April 2013

HERO - A to Z CHALLENGED

H is for HERO

Each post for the A to Z Challenge is the challenge I set for myself. 

A reckless hero is no hero. Only after
weighing up the problem, and recognising
how impossible the situation is,
does the real hero act.















H is for Hero because every MC must be a unique collection of human, quirky, flawed and, above all, likeable traits.

HAL LONGLEAT AND THE TROUBLE WITH TRUTH
When the knight, de Moreville, prepared to take his second shot, there was surge of spectators. Men-at-arms with clanking armour and the staff from the kitchens, everyone who’d finished their jobs, rushed to watch the drama unfold. The crusader knight glanced around, and he gripped at his chain mail vest, just above his heart, as if the movement of the crowd had startled him.

Could YOU have been gifted with the ability to identify and eliminate weak and brittle phrases from your work? To the uninitiated, these interlopers look like quality imagery.

CLICHÉ RAIDERS: REWRITE!

•           hale and hearty
•           hanged for a sheep as a lamb, we might as well be
•           heaping ridicule
•           hell or high water
•           high and dry
•           hit the nail on the head
•           hold your horses
•           hope against hope
•           howling gale
•           how long is a piece of string?

FOR H, I CHOSE THE HERO. WHAT IS THE SUBJECT OF YOUR H POST?

12 comments:

  1. The less fashionable they become, the more appealing heroes are to me. Bit of a Wolfe dilemma, though he got The Right Stuff out of the deal. Not a bad headspace in which to travel.

    from John at The Bathroom Monologues

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  2. Hi John
    I need my hero to be stronger than they think they are, and wiser too.

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  3. I agree, Elaine - I like my heroes to surprise themselves, and me, with their actions and strength.

    My H post is for 'enry. Happy 2nd week!

    AJ Lauer
    #atozchallenge helper minion
    Twitter: @ayjaylauer

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    Replies
    1. Hi AJ
      Thanks for stopping by. I like my heroes to have to work at it; really heroic actions are performed by the less likely people.
      I loved your post about 'enry, it has such great tone, mood and voice.

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  4. I love the flawed hero! We can identify with their imperfections. Heck, we can be hero's, too. Like your list of clichés, lol!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Gwen
      Thanks for stopping by and commenting. It seems the flawed hero is very popular. Real life puts ordinary people into situations and being heroic is not the easy option.

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  5. Love a flawed hero who either turns it to his favor or prevails over it!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Claire
      I like your description of the flawed hero. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

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  6. I think flawed heroes are sometimes easier to identify with. My H post is about adding humor to your writing.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Heidi
      I think all writing is enhanced by elements of humour.

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  7. Everyone loves a hero, especially the flawed ones

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lynda
      I guess that's why every super-hero has a nemesis, and a great weakness: without those the super heroes would be boring.

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