The true hero of the novel or story is always the one who has the more exciting journey. What will really fix the life of that hero? What are their problems, and how is it affecting their days? Who is the most resistant to change in the book? These are the questions to ask yourself if you want to create the hero/s the readers will love. 

As we know, one of the core responsibilities of a writer is creating characters with whom audiences can connect. To develop realistic or authentic characters, you’ll need to give them motivations and traits that make them feel like real people. 

 I just finished the book The Cook by Ajay Chowdhury. This is a crime novel where the main character, Kamil Rahman, works as a cook in London’s East End and solves crimes on the go. He is an unusual character because (thank god!) he doesn’t have a dead wife or some disease… he is actually normal – just a simple Indian guy from the street, longing for true love (with a sex weekend on the side, please). And this is his biggest issue: he’s the kind of guy who has to be in the relationship otherwise, he is lost.

 Kamil Rahman considers two women in the novel suitable for making him happy: the restaurant manager, Anjoli, and Naila – a niece of another kitchen worker. Well, let’s stop for one second… Oh, I forgot! He is interested in one more woman, but unfortunately, she has just been murdered, and he has failed to save her. Why? Because in that moment, he tried to get some extra loving in the car near the house of the victim… with her friend.

 What a perfect choice for a sleuth detective! I truly liked him. He isn’t a macho, no! Maybe a bit confused, silly, looking for love 24/7, and always ready to help (we can call him Deepak Chopra of the crime-fighting), but not macho. I’d say he is a man in constant doubt who struggles to make the right choice. He simply doesn’t know what the right choice is 🙂

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