I don’t believe any of us, real or fictional, is born a hero. Heroes are made. As a thriller author, I’ve spent countless hours crafting stories filled with suspense, unreliable narrators and characters who aren’t perfect heroes or villains. In my novels, everyone, even the antagonist, believes they are the hero. And, from a certain perspective, perhaps they are. For aren’t each of us the lead (the hero) in our own story?
My heroes (and even those would-be heroes and villains) endure trials and tribulations that test their limits, push them to the brink of failure and show them (and the reader) whether they deserve the mantle of hero. Through it all, authentic heroes emerge stronger and wiser, though they are almost always a little (or a lot) worse or wear.
So why do I force my characters to hurt to be heroes? Am I just sadistic? Am I acting out on fictional people the way I wish I could with real folks? No. my desire to make my characters earn their hero status comes from my study and love of the hero’s journey and the three-act structure of storytelling.
Act One: The Call to Action
The traditional hero’s journey begins with a reluctant protagonist. My heroes aren’t necessarily reluctant so much as they are just everyday people. I like to write about the everyman and everywoman. People who could be your neighbor, your family member, even you. They live a mundane life, blissfully unaware of the challenges that await them at my whim.
In my stories, the hero is typically hesitant, even resistant, to join the action and embrace their newfound role. It’s not that they’re happy with their current life, it’s just that, like most of us, they’re risk averse. It’s comfortable to stay where you are. To live invisibly rather than die fantastically. For me, this reluctance is crucial because it reflects the reality that nobody is born a hero.
Think about your favorite thriller novel or movie. Did the hero start off as a fearless, indomitable force? Not usually. They were often just like you and me—flawed, vulnerable, and unprepared for the trials ahead. It’s through the challenges and hardships they face that they begin their transformation. And let’s be honest, if they were ready, it’d be a pretty boring story.
Act Two: Trial by Fire
As our hero embarks on their journey through the second act, they encounter various trials and tribulations flung at them directly from the darkest crevasses of my imagination. This is where the hero’s pain truly begins. In my novels, this phase can be filled with life-threatening situations, moral dilemmas, personal sacrifices or other physical and/or emotional pain. I’ll be honest, this is my favorite act to write. It’s also the hardest on me.
A hero must confront their deepest fears, both external and internal. They may lose friends, suffer physical and emotional wounds, and question their own abilities. The more I can make them suffer, the more satisfying the ending seems once they’ve made it through (assuming they do). It’s during these moments of despair and suffering that a character transforms into a genuine hero (albeit still a flawed one).
I like to think that this part of the hero’s journey mirrors our real-life experiences — just to the extreme, of course, to maximize your reading enjoyment. We don’t become our best selves by coasting through life. It’s the pain and challenges we encounter that shape us, forcing us to grow and evolve.
Act Three: The Return
The final act is traditionally referred to as “The Return.” My hero’s journeys aren’t as literal, so there’s not really a triumphant return to the Shire like in The Hobbit. But the hero does generally emerge from all the craziness I’ve thrown at them transformed. If I’ve done my job, they’ve grown as a person and their life has been changed dramatically. They are no longer the same person they were when the reader first encountered them in Act One.
This transformation is a crucial element of storytelling because it resonates with our innate desire for personal growth and transformation. We admire characters who overcome adversity because we see a reflection of our own potential within them. We realize that if they can become heroes, so can we.
And, let’s be honest, a story that goes nowhere and ends where it began would be a boring read.
Embracing the Journey
As a thriller author, I believe in the power of storytelling to inspire and entertain. The hero’s journey and the three-act structure provide a blueprint for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. But beyond the realm of fiction, these frameworks offer valuable life lessons.
In our own lives, we must embrace the hero’s journey. We must recognize we are not born heroes. Nobody is. Not even history’s biggest heroes. No. We become heroes through our willingness to face adversity, endure pain, and emerge stronger on the other side. Just like the heroes in my novels, we can transform ourselves and inspire others through our journeys.
So, the next time you pick up a thriller and delight in the hero’s pain and suffering, remember their journey reflects the universal truth that to be a hero, you have to hurt. But in that pain lies the opportunity for growth, transformation, and the chance to inspire others.
