RWA – that’d be Romance Writers of Australia had their national meeting this past week. 650 Australian romance writers? If I had the means, I would so go to see that conference in action. That’d be fun – and yay Bronwyn on getting more press!
Another article about the conference, this one from a Malaysian newspaper, hence the video ads in Malay, spotlights the seminar topics at the conference, including one on the alpha hero (which is interesting as I had another email in the inbox about that topic this morning). The Star article states,
Australian romance authors are also increasingly becoming popular abroad for their easy-going heroes—a change from the Texan cowboys and racing car drivers popular in some U.S. novels.
A large generalization – Aussie heroes are all rather easygoing beta heroes? Really?! – but it makes me wonder. Certainly I have seen less of the cowboy hero in recent books, but is there a move away from the type-A hero? Or is it a cultural distinction, that US readers like the type-A driven hero while Australians, known for being on the whole a little more laid back than Americans, prefer the more relaxed personality? I admit, my perception is skewed, as I’m in Manhattan, where everyone is in a hurry and wants you to get out of their way already. Few places are more workaholic than the NY Metro area, in my humble opinion.
So what’s your take on the driven hero vs. the easy-going hero? Room for both, or is there a move away from the race car-fast ambitious hero?
I like the “easy-riding” hero more than the “driven” hero or “easy going” types. I thought “easy going” was the 70’s like Neil Diamond or Alan Alda.
The hero of today has to have a few weaknesses and self-doubt to be real. Still, a little alpha-ness is a refreshing change from the guy sitting in the den surrounded by empty beer cans.
I admit, my perception is skewed, as I’m in Manhattan, where everyone is in a hurry and wants you to get out of their way already.
Yes, but it helps us live longer.
It’s the pollution. It forms a crusty protective shell.
I have to admit, I’m a little unclear on how a Texas Cowboy qualifies as something other than a laid-back personality, but maybe that’s just me.
Personally, I would venture that there is (and always has been) room for both in Romancelandia, but that perhaps the emphasis is shifting. More women are taking on the role of “traditional Type-A romance hero” for themselves, it seems – climbing corporate ladders to be a strong, independent provider – and so it makes sense that these attributes might not be *quite* as desirable (or more accurately, kind of redundant) in a fantasy partner. Which isn’t to say a type-A woman can’t enjoy a good career-driven hero, but speaking as someone who *has* outearned most of her SOs, and worn the pants in a couple of relationships, I see the definite appeal of fantasizing about a guy who can take the occasional sidelining in stride, and who counterbalances a driven woman rather than competing with her.
I suspect there is and always will be room for both, but I wouldn’t be suprised if modern women are increasing the demand for the laid-back hero faster. I’m not sure you have to go to Australia to find that guy (My favorite laid-back hero is Rafe from Eclipse Bay, and a quick websearch reveals JAK lives in Seattle), but hey – I’ll believe that Australia is as good a source as any.
I liked both of these articles. They presented romance writers and readers in a more positive light than most articles/interviews in the American press seem to do. Kudos to RWA (Australia) and the Australian press.
In answer to your question: it depends on my mood, as to which type of hero I prefer. Also, I think it sometimes fluctuates with the type of book I am reading. Generally, I have more fun when reading about a beta hero. BUT, betas don’t work for every type of book. Some things just call for an alpha.
I think it’s also the genre. I mean, paranormals, for instance, are chock full of uber-alpha males that are so manly testosterone leaks from their pores. They also come with enough emotional baggage to sink the Titanic.
The one paranormal Australian author I know, Keri Arthur, has men just as alpha as her American counterparts.
I like both types of heroes, though I have a hard time finding laid-back heroes in romance novels. Actually, I’d love a rec for some easygoing beta heroes.
I loved Phin in Welcome to Temptation, and he struck me as a more beta type. Intelligent, confident, amusing, but without the macho man attitude.
On the other hand, LKH is wildly popular, and I don’t think the men in her books have any backbone left.
I think that both types are quite popular, which only makes sense ‘cause obviously we ladies like all sorts of men. There’s been a whole series of nerd romances with fun titles like “Talk Nerdy to Me” and “Nerd in Shining Armor,” which have done well.
I don’t see the Aussies as a source of more easy-going heroes, though. They’ve coughed up a lot of cynical, hardened, wealthy ranchers and the like. “Kyle needed Nessa to care for his dead brother’s adorable twins, but he had no use for women himself. . . “
I think Jepad actually hit the nail—the real big trend is the Wounded Hero. This one’s been around forever and is still just picking up steam. Remember all those lonely, bitter, nasty men in Diana Palmer’s old stuff. A lot of Lowell’s best ones featured this guy, too, especially my fave of hers, “A Woman Without Lies.” Oh, such cheesy goodness. Lynn Kurland really rocks this type of guy too. Anyway, I see the Wounded Hero all over and he never goes out of favor on the shelves.
I like all manner of hero, but I’d have to say that the wounded her is one of my faves. My favorite hero of all time is Dain from “Lord of Scoundrels” by Loretta Chase. Now there is one hot man with issues.
Many times the “type” of heroes are dictated by the sub-genre: hyper alpha for the paras and a mixture of alpha and beta for the contemp categories. Historicals have always had angsty heroes but usually of the beta category. Nowadays, historical heroes vary from alpha to gamma (my term).
I don’t believe Aussie writers or Brit writers necessarily write particular types of books vs. American writers. After all, most of the publishers are American and most of the readers, too. The writers write their books, hopefully for themselves, but also to the market.
Just because he’s laid back, doesn’t mean he’s not alpha…
Anyway, plenty of room for both. I love most romance hero types. Except the gay-ish ones. That turns me off.
I remember hearing once that women supposedly prefer different types of men at different points in the hormonal cycle: alpha males right around ovulation (to ensure hearty offspring) and beta males at other times (to be good fathers). I don’t exactly know how much stock to put in this; also, are most women really that in touch with themselves to know the difference? It’s interesting to consider, though.
LOL! Brava!
Most of my favorite heros are a bit uptight. I think that it comes of my being an actor. Everyone in the theatre world runs at least half an hour late, and it gets annoying.
Or maybe I just want someone with even higher stress levels than I.
‘Easy going’ in Australia basically means relaxed, and I think that can apply to an alpha hero – powerful, rich, intensely masculine, but instead of popping a gasket when things go pear shaped, he says ‘she’ll be right, mate’ and gets on with finding a solution.
‘Improvise, adapt and overcome’ is an informal motto in the Australian military, which comes from prior generations of hardy farm-boys who’d learned to make something out of nothing.
Nobody would call Russel Crowe a Beta male, but he has a laid-back air, no?
anyhow the press deal in black and white, they can’t endlessly qualify statements with variations on the theme. If it gets more people reading our great Aussie authors, that’s a good thing!
Jepad, I’m with you on Phin. If he was more Alpha he’d have told his mother to shut up, shagged little Rachel just because he could, and annihilated her father for even daring to challenge him. He also wouldn’t have left Sophie without the Phallic Variation on the dock. And then wouldn’t it have been a crappy book?
I’m all about the Betas and Gammas. I don’t want my heroes tense and uptight. Well, not often, anyway.
“Nobody would call Russel Crowe a Beta male, but he has a laid-back air, no?”
You are hilarious! Isn’t he the guy who was throwing phones at hapless hotel staff last year? He’s about as laid-back as Lance Armstrong after all-night Red Bull shots.
Oh god, the Phallic Variation. I need to re-read that book.
Heh, the Amazon “key phrases” say a lot about the snappy language in the book. It’s almost jazz, reading them all in a row:
Key Phrases – SIPs: phallic variation, chalked his cue, making porn, porn king, letter sweater
russell and the phones….
yeah, well…. ok, maybe not THAT laid back… guess it depends which interviews you happen to tune in on….
“paranormals, for instance, are chock full of uber-alpha males that are so manly testosterone leaks from their pores”
Oh gawd, I hate these characters more than words can express. But its not just the alpha-ness, its the bad, predictable writing. The alpha male has been overdone. I suppose up to a certain point in time he was the only hero available, so we still need to redress the balance with a ton of betas and gammas.
Cat, I agree, Phin is SO not an alpha going on his behaviour generally. Though in bed there is something alpha going on…
I’ve notice that the majority of Aussie writers are writing stories about bosses, executives and CEOs. If that’s alpha, I don’t know what is.