Guest Post: ADITE BANERJIE on ALPHA VS BETA HEROES

Adite Banerjie is the author of two best-selling Harlequin Mills & Boon romances. I had a question for her and she has answered it on this guest post. Check out what she has to say about creating a male protagonist. 

Adite, you have two published books to your credit. Both your heroes are alpha males. Please share your thoughts on creating a Beta male. I hear that they are getting quite popular these days.

Hi Sundari! Thanks for your question about creating Alpha Vs Beta Heroes. 

When I was writing Book #1 (The Indian Tycoon’s Marriage Deal) I was obsessed with creating an Alpha hero--the tall, dark and handsome heroes who were arrogant, independent, all-powerful and protective. They had the world at their feet and which heroine could resist their potent charm?  As Annie West, romance author explains: “The Alpha Hero will stand by the Heroine when she needs him, he will be a loving, loyal partner. And if the road to happiness is a little rocky to begin with, all the better. After all, we want our romances with a little spice, don’t we?”

But I ran into a bit of a problem while creating the typical—some would call it stereotypical!—Alpha  Hero. My book was targeted at an Indian audience. And no matter how ‘alpha’, an Indian Hero would value family over independence.  His loyalties with the Heroine would to a certain degree be shared by his responsibility for his family. A trait that would be easier to find in a Beta Hero. So Krish Dev in The Indian Tycoon definitely had a bit of beta in him. 

A Beta Hero is one who is more of a follower than a leader. He is more self-aware, more sociable than the reclusive Alpha; harbours self-doubt whereas the Alpha is supremely self-confident. The Beta’s most endearing quality is his sense of humour.  In my second book, Trouble Has a New Name, the Hero, Neel, starts off as a typical, arrogant Alpha-type but as the book progresses, we get to see his Beta like qualities: his insecurities, his self-awareness, his quirky sense of humour.  

Ultimately it’s for every author to decide how alpha or beta your hero is. As Nicola Marsh, a veteran of many romances, says, “Your hero will be unique. He may turn out to be more Beta than Alpha or vice-versa. Whatever you do, make your man the sexiest hero possible, the kind of guy we can't close the pages on until the last, satisfying scene.”

Thank you so much Adite Banerjie for sharing your thoughts with my blog audience.