All women love to read a novel where the female characters have strong and vibrant personalities. We all have our favourite heroines in literature, a female who inspired us not to be afraid to have our own values and beliefs. So, how can you create a true heroine in your story, and not fall for the old cliche of a vulnerable female who relies on a man to come and rescue her? This is my guide to writing a memorable heroine who transforms in the story from an innocent young girl into a remarkable multi-layered heroine. To achieve this, there are notable stages the character must go through. 

First, the character needs to face some sort of challenge or adversity. This could be the end of a relationship or arriving at a new town where everything seems unfamiliar to her. The situation needs to place the character in a complete sense of insecurity and the emotions she feels, prevent her from reaching womanhood. Think of a situation where your lack of life skills when dealing with a certain person or experience has made you feel weak and exposed. For the character to develop, she needs to find a place where she can feel nurtured and safe, so think about ways you can provide a nurturing place in this unfamiliar territory. This could either be another character who guides her and acts like her mentor or a place that makes her love herself for who she is.   

Second, you need to know where your character’s present personality stems from, and this means writing a very detailed backstory. Place great importance on their emotional journey which has found them where they are at present. Did she come from a very loving family or an abusive one? Were her parents successful or poverty stricken? Did they nurture and advise her or criticize her every move? A key point to remember is to think about who the female role models were in your heroine's life. Did she have a loving grandmother or a group of very loyal female friends? If you really want to add a curveball into your plot, you could include a female character, maybe an overbearing mother, that is determinded to prevent your heroine from blossoming into womanhood. What would your heroine have to overcome emotionally to succeed in her quest? 

FInally, you need your heroine to overcome her obstacles, whether it be overbearing and destructive people or adverse experiences, and then come through the other end stronger, more self-aware and confident. What would she have learned about herself? What strengths would she now possess and how would these manifest themselves? What situation are you going to choose for your character? For inspiration, study your favourite female heroine in literature and see what obstacles are thrown into the story. Where are the areas of conflict and how did the character change by the end of the novel? What was the climactic point in the story, where the heroine finally had the courage to face her fears head on? Remember, for your female to become a stronger character, the transitions must be gradual and subtle. It is always a good idea for your heroine to have a fear or phobia at the beginning of the story. Later on, you can show her faccing that fear bravely to achieve her objective.

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