10 Ways to Reveal a Hero in Your Manuscript

by Zena Dell Lowe @ZenaDellLowe

If your protagonist is the hero of the story—and let’s be honest, they usually are—then your job is to make sure the audience sees them as genuinely heroic. But how do you do that? What does heroism actually look like in a character?

Below are ten techniques to help reveal the noble qualities of a true hero—each one crafted to bring out the character’s internal greatness in meaningful, dramatic, and emotionally satisfying ways.

10 Ways to Bring Out a Hero's Greatness in Your Writing

1. Put them under pressure.

True character is revealed by the choices someone makes when the heat is on.

Example: Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games—thrust into life-or-death stakes, she volunteers for her sister, outsmarts the system, and never loses her humanity under fire.

2. Make them think outside the box.

Great heroes don’t follow conventional thinking. They surprise us with unorthodox, inspired solutions.

Example: Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) regularly proposes ideas so wild they sound like suicide—but they’re the only ones that work.

Let your hero find a path no one else can see.

3. Force them to suppress personal grievances.

Heroes put the mission before their own feelings. Maybe they have to work with someone they hate. That tension makes them bigger.

Example: Tony Stark and Steve Rogers in Infinity War—personal wounds run deep, but the fate of the universe demands unity. They rise above their issues. That’s heroism.

4. Have them do the right thing—the right way.

It’s not enough to do the right thing; the way they do it matters.

Example: Batman (Christian Bale) in Batman Begins refuses to execute a prisoner even though it would “serve justice.”

A real hero respects the dignity of all people—even villains.

5. Give them something noble to believe in.

They must be guided by something greater than themselves—principles, truth, faith, or code.

Example: William Wallace in Braveheart fights for freedom, not revenge.

Even John Wick, as violent as he is, adheres to the "rules of the High Table.”

This creates moral gravity and makes their choices meaningful.

6. Make it cost them something.

Victory has to come with sacrifice—or it doesn’t mean anything.

Example: Frodo sacrifices his peace, safety, and even his place in the Shire.

Harry Potter walks into the forest ready to die.

If there’s no personal loss, there’s no true heroism.

7. Show mercy and compassion.

Real heroes care, especially for those with no power.

Example: Maximus in Gladiator spares his enemies when he doesn’t have to.

Samwise Gamgee shows kindness to Gollum, even when he doesn’t trust him.

Empathy is the heartbeat of heroism.

8. Make the mission matter.

Raise the stakes. Whatever your character is after must feel like the whole world depends on it.

Example: Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible isn’t just stopping a nuke—he’s trying to save a single life that matters to him.

It’s always personal and epic. That combination makes it resonate.

9. Let them show remorse.

When they mess up (and they should), they own it. No excuses, no blame-shifting. Just raw honesty.

Example: Peter Parker in Spider-Man 2 gives up being a hero, but eventually comes to grips with his responsibility.

Repentance adds depth and earns trust with the audience.

10. Let them be afraid.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s doing the right thing despite fear.

Example: Marlin in Finding Nemo is terrified of the ocean, but he crosses it anyway to find his son.

Fear makes your hero relatable. Facing it makes them noble.

These ten tools aren’t the only ways to build a great hero, but they’re some of the most powerful. Use them strategically throughout your story—not just in one defining moment—and your audience will fall in love with your protagonist for all the right reasons.

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10 Ways to Reveal a Hero in Your Manuscript from @ZenaDellLowe on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Zena has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for over 20 years as a writer, producer, director, actress, and story consultant. Zena also teaches advanced classes on writing all over the country. As a writer, Zena has won numerous awards for her work. She also has several feature film projects in development through her independent production company, Mission Ranch Films. In addition to her work as a filmmaker, Zena launched The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe, a podcast designed to serve the whole artist, not just focus on craft. In 2021, Zena launched The Storyteller’s Mission Online Platform, where she offers advanced classes and other key services to writers. Zena loves story and loves to support storytellers. Her passion is to equip artists of all levels to achieve excellence at their craft, so that they will truly have everything they need to change the world for the better through story.

To find out more about Zena or her current courses and projects, check out her websites at WWW.MISSIONRANCHFILMS.COM and WWW.THESTORYTELLERSMISSION.COM